The Power of Hope, Anchored In Jesus

As we wrap up 2024, I want to share three powerful concepts that helped me navigate a chaotic year, and they are lessons I am carrying into 2025.

1. God is with you in the middle of the mess.

2. Wake up every day, keep your eyes on Jesus, and do the next best thing despite your circumstances.

3. Trials will always come, but with Jesus, there is hope.

1 God is with you in the middle of the mess

Over the past year, I found myself caught in a relentless storm. I faced one trial after another in my relationships, and reconciliation seemed out of reach. During this challenging time, I struggled with fear—fear of letting God down and the anxiety of making the wrong decisions. I felt trapped in my circumstances, believing that God would abandon me if I chose what I thought was best. After finally making one of the harder decisions I’ve had to make, I was scared; scared that I might never hear from God again. I voiced those concerns to a trusted counselor. I was reminded that God is with you in the mess. At that moment I didn’t fully believe it but I held on to that hope and I have to say they were right. That perspective shift was crucial; it helped me remember that as children of God, we worship and serve a loving Father who sees and cherishes us for who we truly are. No matter our past or our mistakes, He meets us where we are—right in the middle of our brokenness—offering everything we need to move forward.

The story in Matthew 8 about Jesus calming the storm resonates deeply with me. When the disciples found themselves in the middle of a storm at sea, they woke Jesus in desperation, crying out for help. His response, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”. Today the storm the disciples were experiencing can represent the chaos of everyday lives. In moments of chaos, when anxiety creeps in, it's easy to, slip into a thought pattern of why is this happening and lose perspective. But I believe God looks at us in the middle of our mess just like he did the disciples and asks, “Why are you so afraid?”

What situations in your life are you not trusting Jesus with?

What is holding you back from handing the situation over to Jesus?

2 Wake up every day, eyes on Jesus, and do the next best thing despite your circumstances.

The second daily practice I embraced is the importance of waking up each day with my eyes focused on Jesus and committing to doing the next best thing, regardless of the circumstances. There were many days when I didn’t know what the right course of action was—days I struggled to get out of bed, lost my patience, or simply didn’t feel like living. Nevertheless, this simple phrase helped me stay anchored in reality, allowing me to focus on one decision at a time and only consider the facts, rather than spiraling into a cycle of what-ifs or letting my emotions take control.

Oscar Wilde once said, “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” This year brought its share of progress and setbacks. Mistakes were made; I didn’t always make the right choices and often missed the mark. However, I have learned to extend grace to myself. A co-worker reminded me that in challenging situations, we need to process our emotions, discard those that are unhelpful, and use the productive ones to enhance our lives and self-worth. With each mistake comes an opportunity to learn and grow, if we allow it. We can take the lessons learned from our mistakes to improve ourselves and make better decisions in the future, always with our eyes set on Jesus. :)

3 Trials will always come, but with Jesus, there is hope.

Finally, I’m reminded that trials are an inevitable part of life, but I am grateful to have a Savior like Jesus by my side. Choosing to follow Christ doesn’t exempt us from challenges; in fact, it often invites them. But, it does open the door to a genuine relationship with the God of the universe who sees you, knows you, and loves you unconditionally. When faced with a trial it’s natural to wonder, “God, why is this happening?” But as it says in James 1, we should rejoice in our trials because they build perseverance and endurance.

Living in a fallen world filled with sin means that trials will come. But what a privilege it is, as children of God, to navigate these challenges not alone, but with a Savior who directs your paths and provides you with grace and peace.

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