I have written in a journal for a majority of my life. One of my most recent journals had an anchor on the cover, accompanied by the well-known Hebrews 6:19. It reads:
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Little did I know, God’s plan with highlighting “hope” to me meant that He was going take me on a journey to discover what hope truly means in Him, and not what the world says it is.
Instead of “hope” just meaning somewhat of a “wishful” thinking mentality, like “I hope I get pregnant soon” or “I hope I get that job,” it became the fuel to my faith in trusting that God is forever faithful, no matter what may be happening around us. Hope truly became my anchor that was firm and secure, even when the waters seemed to try to overwhelm and overtake, and boy did they try!
One of the overwhelming situations my husband, Paul, and I faced over this last year was severe sleep deprivation.
Our son Isaiah always seemed to have sleeping issues since he was born, but in late September 2016 until around early February 2017, he was waking up every single night (no exaggeration), multiple times, into the early morning hours. This just so happened to be around the same time I started my new part-time job in retail where for almost three months I wouldn’t get home until close to one o’clock in the morning (thanks to those lovely extended holiday hours). All I wanted to do was sleep during the day, and I dreaded having to do it all over again that night, not to mention hating all the time I was missing out on with my family and friends on the weekends as well.
Additionally, in December 2016, I began experiencing severe bloating, fatigue, and issues with my menstrual cycle that culminated in a chemical pregnancy, which is a type of early miscarriage, because my hormones were extremely imbalanced from all of the added stress. I was having panic attacks in the middle of the night and arguments increased between Paul and me because of the sleep deprivation and utter exhaustion from dealing with a child who would inconsolably scream for hours through the night. Did I mention we live in an apartment complex? I’m sure our neighbors just adore us.
So in January, we began to ask for prayer, and for weeks, our new church family and community group rallied around us and continually lifted our situations up to the Father. I received personal prayer one particular Sunday, surrounded by a few women who just let me weep and receive the Father’s healing touch. I chose to keep my eyes fixed upon Him and tried my best not to focus on the storm that had been raging around our family for almost six months. My hope in Jesus Christ strengthened my faith to believe that the Father heard every single prayer, and I trusted He would move mightily.
And it is with great praise to say that He absolutely did, and that we have seen great improvement in Isaiah’s sleep and in my health over these last few months! It is an absolute turn around, truthfully. I have had no choice but to hold onto hope in God. I’ve held onto it all with a death-grip, really, refusing to sink. And the good news is that if I am holding onto God, I won’t! His Word is true- He is firm and secure, He is unshakeable.
I will hold onto the hope that the Unshakeable One is holding onto me. Don’t let the waters of ubelief try to overtake you; God is faithful!
Let hope strengthen your faith today! Faith comes by hearing the Word and the Word of God is so full of His rich promises. Those promises are what continue to give us hope. Jesus promises us in John 16:33 that we will have trouble in this world, but He also promises us that we are safe because He has already overcome the world.
Whatever you are facing has an expiration date. You won’t have to live with that trouble forever; it cannot overtake you, unless you let it. So take heart! Hope once again!
Stand firm on the foundation of your Rock, Jesus Christ, He is secure and steadfast in the sea of trouble. Let nothing shake you because you continue to hold onto hope in the Unshakeable One. Trouble, trials, and storms will come, sometimes like a tidal wave, but you truly have an anchor of hope and His name is Jesus!
Father, I pray for those who may be wading troubled waters, trying their best not to go under. Give them a hunger for Your Word so that their hope can be fueled by Your everlasting promises. You promise to never leave us, and we trust that Your Word is true. Strengthen their faith to believe that You hear their prayers. You are faithful in every season and in every circumstance. Prove that Your hope does not disappoint because of Your great love shown to us through Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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