Steadfast in the Middle
This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5
Staying hopeful in a “not yet” season can feel like a balancing act. It’s the in-between of where we are and where we hope to be that our faith is tested. It’s in the neither here nor there that we find ourselves perched on a tightrope, believing that what we hope for is still to come.
I’ve been there too…while resting in the waiting for God’s promise, fear begins to creep in as I quiver on the tightrope, struggling to stand firm in hopeful anticipation of what is to come.
When I see the circumstances around me tiredly unchanging or shifting in a way that is not what I anticipated, I begin to waver in doubt. As the winds around me begin to howl, my hope turns to fear at what is below me if I fall. With flailing arms, I begin to force myself to the other side. As if striving with my own hands could somehow get me to God’s promise quicker.
Do I give up hope? Surely no one else struggles in this way… I begin to wonder.
The stumbling turns to flailing as I begin to see the thin rope beneath me begin to wane. Thoughts rush through my mind: What if I fall? What if I can’t do it? What if there is nothing on the other side?
“Our hope will not stand firm when placed in man’s hands, in our striving or in our perfectly planned out circumstances.”
I’ve been on this tightrope many times before. And believe me, it was not a graceful sight. Trying to balance on an invisible string can be a tricky place to be if you aren’t sure where to place your feet.
What causes us to be afraid to hope in the in-between, to even get on the tightrope of hope to begin with? Is it disappointment? Fear of failing? Insecurity?
To know how to walk the tightrope of hope you must begin at where you’re looking. If you’re trusting in perfect circumstances to get you where you need to go, your hope will not stand firm. Like Peter walking on the water, your steps are determined where your gaze is focused.
Our hope remains firm as we keep our eyes on Jesus. Despite the storm beneath your feet, your hope will remain steady as you look to the One who holds all things together (Colossians 1:17).
So why do we place our hope in our own hands when it can only be found with the One who is our Hope? If we could give ourselves what we hope for then our efforts would be fruitless, and our hope would be in vain.
Steadiness to walk the tightrope of “not yet” is found in what has already been given to us by God through His Spirit. Your strength to stand firm is not found in doing more, but in resting in Jesus. As you look to Him trusting that He will navigate your storms, He will get you from where you stand, to the other side of His promise.