Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:13 NASB).
Our hope needs fixing; at least mine does. I’m guilty of tying my sense of well-being to my circumstances. I want to fix my hope on something more substantial than a smoother year in 2021. With the deep division in our country, the global pandemic and plenty of natural disasters, having our stability tied to temporal happiness is a recipe for an emotional roller coaster ride. As mentioned previously, we were designed to find our joy in Eternal God, not in how our life is going. Our health, our relationships, our finances, or our jobs are flimsy structures to hang our hopes on. Unless we fix our hope, our courage to face the day’s activities and challenges hangs in the balance.
The Link Between Hope and Courage
As a noun, hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and trust that a certain thing will happen. Dr. David Rubin wrote, “Hope is a critical component of the complete care of a patient.”[1] Hope is critical to the human psyche. Without it, discouragement sets in.
When we’re in the midst of difficulties, we can fear our lives will never get better. With our hope fixed on circumstances, nagging, long lasting trials can drain us and zap us of the joy our hearts so desperately need.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33 NASB).
When difficulties come, Jesus tells us to take courage. Be encouraged, not because we hope things will get better, but because Jesus has overcome the world.
Fixing Our Hope on Jesus
In the first verse quoted above, Peter charges us to keep our minds unhindered. This includes not attaching our sense of well-being to ANY situation, relationship, or temporal joy. He tells us to fix our hope COMPLETELY on the grace to be given us at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Don’t miss this. Our hope needs to be ONLY in Jesus.
Paul says the same thing in Colossians 3:1-2. He reminds us that since we’ve been raised with Christ, we should orient our lives from where we sit with Him above, not on how things are going on earth.
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.
Then he tells us how:
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory (Colossians 3:3-4 NASB).
It’s not about us. We’ve been crucified with Jesus and raised with Him in newness of life.[2] Jesus is our life. As believers, we’re free to rest in His life and not fret about ours. We’re in Christ and He’s in us. We’re enclosed round about and hidden in His life. The pressure is off for us having to keep trying to finding temporal happiness to remain hopeful.
But What do we do About our Sadness?
It’s great to be heavenly minded, but what do we do with life’s sadness? Some situations don’t seem to ever get better. I used to smile through them and deny their gravity, but this “grin and bear it” approach is not the answer. It produces an inauthentic, plastic kind of “joy”.
I’m learning how to embrace the fact that sadness is a part of life. And it has it’s place. When I feel sad, I cry out to Jesus. My grief becomes an invitation to call the Lord near. The pain is real, but in the midst, my Comforter brings a strange, unshakable joy.
Hardships can propel me to Jesus and keep me from fixing my hope on anything but Him.
Prayer
Lord, Your ways are so much higher than mine. I have no idea how You keep me encouraged through life’s trials. What a beautiful mystery. And because You’ve been my longstanding Comfort through it all, my Joy in You grows deeper every day. And I get to share what You’ve done for me with others.[3] I pray I would always be more concerned about loving the people you bring my way than how I feel. I know you care about me and I trust You with my life.[4]
Amen.
[2] Romans 6:3-11
[3] 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
[4] I Peter 5:6-7
Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:
Dealing with sadness and disappointment
.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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