Hope, "The Anchor for our Soul"

For many, the Christmas season is a time of hope, peace and good will. However, for others, it can be difficult. Some people may dread the holiday season and find themselves without hope this time of year.

Losing hope can have a devastating impact on us physically, emotionally and spiritually. Hopelessness weighs us down. It can be like losing a part of your soul. This being said, we have the capacity to withstand tremendous suffering as long as we believe there is a greater purpose for it. We may not understand the reason for our pain, but we need to trust that God does have a purpose for any and all suffering. 

I am truly blessed to witness this transformation with those in our Faith in Recovery program at Banyan Treatment Center. Many come in with virtually no hope at all, and a few weeks later seem to be overflowing with hope and purpose. They are often completely broken in spirit at first, yet then something amazing happens! The seeds of hope are planted in their hearts, which is something many have not experienced before. In our Christian drug rehab, they are given the opportunity to make amends with those whom they have hurt. They begin the process of restoring or establishing a relationship with God! 

Consider hope as the anchor for your soul. An anchor keeps a boat grounded and provides stability throughout a storm. If we are not grounded and stable during the storms of life, it is easy to drift away from our faith. All too often during these times we look for stability in the wrong places, including alcohol, drugs, and unhealthy relationships. These can cause us to become even more hopeless than before.

 

We need to grow hope and gratitude just as a gardener would grow a garden. They do not just plant seeds in the spring and stop back in the fall for the harvest. There is much time and care invested in the seeds; by watering, removing weeds and providing protection from pests. We must form hope the same way; by interrupting the negative pattern of thinking and surrounding ourselves with positive people. 

“Bad company corrupts good character” 1 Corinthians 15:33. We all know people who drain us emotionally with their negativity. When we instead surround ourselves with people who speak life and encouragement, our outlook on life will improve. 

If we reflect back we will see that overcoming difficult times has made us stronger and helped us to develop a deeper sense of hope and faith.  I believe that God allows us to go through trials and suffering so we can learn from them. During this process our hope is rebuilt and we develop compassion for those who are suffering from similar struggles. The many tests that life has given us now become our testimony.

As we consider the true meaning of Christmas and celebrate the birth of Christ, it is my hope that the spirit of the season and God's amazing love will overtake any feelings of hopelessness and despair. 

“For unto us a child was born a Son was given” -Isaiah 9:6

It doesn’t get any more hopeful than that!