Peace amid Pain - The Treatment through three verbs: Third verb: Fix

To complete the treatment, there must be a third verb which is “Fix” which comes here like the sailors throwing the anchor on a rock to dock and fasten the ship; The Apostle Peter did not say : Put your hope but he said: fix your hope. The same was mentioned also by the Apostle Paul saying: “to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:18,19).

The word “completely” comes in some translations as: “up to the end”; In King James translation, it comes “to the end” which means fix your hope every day upon your God. Therefore my brother, amid your pains, sufferings and your daily fears, fix your hope upon your God and put your trust in Him, for He: “He is the Rock, His work is perfect.” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Remember what the Apostle Paul said to us: “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.” (Hebrews 10:35). Then you will be able to say with the Apostle Paul: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18).

Brother, if you are fixing your hope somewhere else, you cannot enjoy this treatment formed out of the mentioned three verbs. If you throw your anchor and fixed your hope upon your richness and wealth, The Apostle Paul recommends saying to you: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

The Apostle Paul describes his journey in the sea amid the stormy winds and the attempt to save the ship as it came in the book of “Acts”, chapter 27 saying: “But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose…they used cables to undergird the ship…they dropped four anchors from the stern,…Striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves” (Acts 27:14, 17, 29, 41). Unfortunately, the undergirding and the anchors have not saved the ship from the stormy winds. I would like to put before you another kind of undergirding which is: gird up the loins of your mind and another type of anchors: not upon illusions or on richness and wealth but upon the blessed hope which will be realized soon.

Brother, the solution to all our problems and sufferings is the hope in the coming of the LORD; There will be no pain, crying or tears and we shall stand before God who will crown us. But should this coming causes fear to you for having the feeling of default, I put to you the rest of the verse: “Fix your hope completely on the grace.” which grace?! “The grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 11:13) We shall not be able to stand before the Holy Lord God based on our deeds and righteousness for we were saved by the Grace and dwelled in it and fix our hope fully in it. If we are going to stand before God based on our deeds then no one could, for we have no excuse to stand before Him but His deed and His Grace.

When the night gets dark and groaning increases, we can do nothing but to lift up our eyes on our God who is able to protect us and save us from every evil, as Isaiah the prophet said: “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; not one is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26)

Let us everyday enjoy our salvation and don't allow Satan to explain to us the reason for our pains and sufferings, but gird up our minds by not ignoring his deceitful thoughts. And fix our hope everyday upon the rich grace of our Lord.

Magdy Samuel