scripture and prayer reflection
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Lyrics
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
Philippians 3:7-11
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 4:11b-13
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Matthew 16:26
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Reflection
There are always many things competing for center stage in our lives — money, success, relationships, security, comfort, etc. Depending on your unique personality and history, certain things will hold a stronger pull on your heart than others. But when we begin to orbit our lives around these things, the focus of where our hope lies starts to get messy.
If I build my life around comfort, discomfort and pain become terrifying, and my hope is found in living a carefree, comfortable life.
If I build my life around success, failure and invisibility become terrifying, and my hope is found in winning and always being the best in every room.
If I build my life around relationships, loneliness and rejection become terrifying, and my hope is found in gaining and maintaining others’ good opinions of me.
And so on and so on.
The things we chase often aren’t intrinsically bad — it’s nice to be safe, to be financially secure, to have healthy relationships, etc. But these things aren’t God, and when we start putting our hope in them rather than in Him, they get elevated to a place they were never intended to fill in our lives. We’re left constantly chasing, never completely satisfied.
Wealthy people chase greater wealth, because it’s never enough.
Successful people find that it fades over time, and there must be new successes won or we begin to live in a past-tense “glory days” mindset.
Security-focused people live in fear of the uncontrollable events that can take our health, our possessions, our loved ones.
The list goes on. None of these things are ultimately strong enough to support us. If we find that when circumstances disrupt our pursuit of these things, we get angry with God, it means we have been placing our hope in these empty, temporary things above Him.
The truth is that even if our lives look like a complete train wreck, there is hope found in Christ. We can fail every venture we attempt in our entire lives, accumulate debt, never be as fully comfortable or safe as we would like, feel loss and loneliness, etc. and still we are loved and saved by Christ. And He is redeeming all painful and frightening things in our lives. This is where our hope truly lies. He is the only One who will ultimately satisfy the longings of our hearts that we try to fill with these good but lesser things. When we let God be God, these other things can take their proper place in our lives as we entrust ourselves to Him.
Take some time to reflect on your own life. What is quickest to take center stage in your life? What is it about that thing that pulls on your heart? What would it look like to turn that longing over to Him? Talk with Him about what comes up.