Steel for Our Souls
“Hold fast to the hope set before us.”
Hebrews 6:19 (ESV)
I am speaking this week at a women’s retreat for the Big Oak Ranch House Moms. These amazing women are moms who, along with their husbands, parent not only their own biological children, but also the children who are residents at the Big Oak Ranch Boys and Girls Ranches. (You can read more about the Big Oak Ranch organization here.)
My goal whenever I speak or teach is always two-fold: to encourage and equip. This last year has been challenging for all of us for a variety of reasons. I wrote about some of them here. Praying through potential topics, the word “hope” kept coming to my mind and heart. “Hope” is one of the Apostle Paul’s favorite words throughout his New Testament letters to churches and pastors. “And now these things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
“Steadfast” was another sacred echo as I read scripture. Steadfastness is the determination to stand firm; a refusal to let anything move you from your goal. The word “steadfast” is found over 200 times in the ESV Bible translation. Steadfast is used most often in scripture to describe God’s “hesed,” his covenant love and faithfulness that is never fails and is always firm and secure.
But steadfast also describes other important aspects of the Christian life such as:
Steadfast purpose - Acts 11:23
Steadfast prayer – Colossians 4:2
Steadfast hope – 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Steadfast heart- Psalm 108:1
Steadfast obedience – Psalm 119:5
One of my all-time favorite movies is Chariots of Fire, the 1981 Best Picture Oscar award winner, based on the true story of two British track athletes competing in the 1924 Olympics. Eric Liddell is a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God and Harold Abrahams is an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice. Chariots of Fire is an inspiring film about achieving victory through self-sacrifice and moral courage.
My favorite line in the movie comes when Eric Liddell tells his sister Jenny, “I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure." In the movie’s climactic scene Liddell runs his 400M Olympic race. As he runs, his head is up with a huge smile spread across his face. His joy is unmistakable. As Liddell victoriously nears the race’s end, his eyes on the finish line, his head is slightly back with mouth wide open, and his upper torso is stretched forward so that his chest is the first thing over the finish line.
We need Christians with faith to run life’s race just like that. We need a faith that looks and leans forward with the hope of the resurrection. Steadfast hope helps us do just that: lean forward while standing firm. When steadfastness (standing firm) is combined with endurance (the ability to keep going) the result is godly grit.
Steadfastness (standing firm) + Endurance (Keep going) = Godly Grit
Godly grit helps us develop steadfast hope, a faith that looks and leans forward much like a runner crossing the finish line. The result of steadfast hope is found with the Apostle Peter’s words of 1 Peter 5:10: “God himself will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Strong, firm, and steadfast are the antithesis to weak, soft, and wavering. Steadfast hope is steel to our souls. Steadfast hope allows us to run life’s race with a fixed focus, a firm stand, and a faithful finish.
Author Elisabeth Elliot once wrote,
“Whether you can take what life dishes out, and the difficult people life puts you into contact with, depends on what you take first. If you take from the grace of God the strength offered, you will find it absolutely sufficient to cover any need. You will find yourself quite amazingly able to bear the hardship of life's bitter battle as a good soldier. But the soldier has to be trained, prepared, and equipped first. Don't rush into the fray and try to "take it" without first taking strength."
So how do we get godly grit? The answer: We cultivate a steadfast heart. We do that as we appropriate the ordinary means of grace that God has so graciously given us: Scripture, prayer, sacraments, and community. Psalm 112 provides a portrait for a steadfast heart with these words:
Surely the righteous will never be shaken…
They will have no fear of bad news;
Their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
For the one who fears the Lord, our circumstances may not be steadfast or secure, but our hearts can be.
Know Fear (the fear of the Lord) = No Fear (of anything or anyone else)
Steadfast hearts and steadfast hope are steel for our souls.