How's Your SoulSample

Why Does My Soul Have Hope?

Have you ever wondered why we put candles on birthday cakes and then blow them out? In all the meal-related moments in our lives and cultures, there is no other setting where we encourage another person to blow across our food. I don’t go to a steakhouse and tell the waiter, “I’d like my steak medium well. And could you exhale on it, please? Medium well with a dash of saliva.”

Yet this is an essential element of birthday parties. There is something fundamentally wrong with that. I have watched grown adults eating from cakes that their four-year-old blew on. Think about that. If you’ve ever seen a small child blow out candles, you know it’s not just air wafting across that pastry.

There is another tradition associated with birthday parties that is just as confusing as blowing out candles: making wishes. Have we really thought this through? I remember my thirteenth birthday. I was in seventh grade, and Chelsea, who is now my wife, was at my party. I blew out the candles, and Mom leaned over and said, “Did you make a wish, buddy?”

I did make a wish—I wished that Chelsea would kiss me. I didn’t tell Mom that, though. All I said was, “Yes, Mom.” But I was wishing and wanting and hoping for a kiss from my crush.

It didn’t happen. Well it did, actually—when we got married she definitely kissed me, and more besides. But I was hoping for a kiss more like in my seventh grade year.

I have never met a person who cites the power of a birthday wish as the reason their dreams came true. If we aren’t careful, though, we can end up treating the all-important element of hope a bit like birthday wishes.

We all believe in hope, value hope, and promote hope. There’s nothing wrong with that—of all people, Jesus followers should be people of hope. But let’s be honest. How is hope going to help? Why is hope any better than a birthday wish? In and of itself, hope can’t conquer discouragement. Hope can’t change our circumstances. Has hope ever grown arms and legs and saved us? Ultimately, hope in hope is no hope at all.

Hope is essential for the human soul, but we must make sure our hope is based on something greater than wishful thinking. Hope is only as powerful as that to which is connected.

That’s what makes our hope in Jesus such a safe, secure place for our souls. The book of Hebrews says: We who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us (Hebrews 6:18–20 NLT).

As Jesus followers, our hope is unique among all other hopes on the planet. It is not attached to our emotions, plans, relationships, or finances, but to Jesus. Our souls have a sure, steadfast, immovable anchor that we can turn to. His name is Jesus, and our hope in him is never misplaced.

Respond

What are some things you’ve wished for that haven’t come true?

Have you ever felt hopeless? How does that affect your soul, especially if you are without hope for an extended period of time?

Why is Jesus the best source of hope for our souls?