Christ, Our All-Consuming Hope 

by Kristi Strand

I am reminding myself today of how many times Jesus assures us that He is there to walk with us in our waiting, trials, storms, and struggles. The moment Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he sank into the water. His mind became weary, and he was fearful of the storm going around him. He was so consumed with fear, he doubted Jesus’ ability to be there to take care of him, watch after him, and help him. He lost his faith. Jesus was there, though, to reach down and pull him back up . . . just like He is for each of us!

How many times do we do this? We allow our thoughts to consume us and, in many ways, control us. Consumed with worry, doubt, anxiety, and fear, we lose our focus on the One who sustains us, awakens us each morning, and ensures that we have all our needs met. So why do we doubt? If He has taken care of us thus far, will He not continue to be taken care of us?

Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matt. 6:26-27).

Fear, anxiety, and worry are never of God. Often, these things that overtake our minds do not come to fruition and turn out to be minimal in size. It is the enemy that pulls our thoughts into a tailspin of doubt and pulls our minds away from the One who will always supply us with all we need.

Peter wrote, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The testing of our faith comes in our trials for sure. We must keep our eyes and minds always fixed on Jesus if we are to continue to be filled with His hope, peace, and comfort through our own storms of life. We must seek Him continuously so that the enemy does not gain a foothold over our minds.
 
My life verse is Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see.” Even when we cannot see Him visibly, we can sense His presence when we pray, through the power of the Holy Spirit, when we read the words of the Bible, when we seek Him out first, and keep our eyes and minds fixed on Him.

James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3). We can find joy in our trials when we count our blessings and when we express gratitude for the many things He gives. When our heart learns to lean into His promises, knowing that the God who is on the mountaintop with us is the same God who is in the valley with us, this is when we learn how much He loves, cares for, and sustains us through the tough stuff. This is where the peace that surpasses all understanding comes in; knowing that if He has taken care of us till now, He will continue to do so until we draw our last breath.

Oh, how the enemy would love to watch us sink in our storms of life! When we persevere through the storms of life with our eyes fixed on Him, He wins, and Satan loses every time!

Cry out to Him and ask for His help through your trial. Recall all the times He has been there before. Instead of being filled with worry and doubt through your storm, fix your eyes on Him, knowing that He will fill you with “a peace that surpasses all understanding,” and He will continue to take care of you just like He always has!

—Kristi Strand is a member of Hills of Grace Fellowship in Rapid City, SD.