A Source Of Hope
During the weeks since our Year 12 students celebrated the end of their studies with house farewells, assemblies and the valedictory dinner, they have been incredibly busy studying and preparing for their end of year exams. This can be a time of significant stress and pressure for our students which can bring feelings of a loss of control.
In a recent publication from McCrindle research titled ‘Education Future Report 2019’, it was revealed that parents view the top challenges for their children today as being the loss of control through social media, the high pressure stakes of exams, and the complications of modern day life that contribute to additional stress. Whilst these things have the capacity to bring a somewhat negative outlook on the future, it also reveals that there is good reason for us to show each other that hope is something to hold onto and cherish.
The book of Hebrews was written for a group of people who had been persecuted for their faith and were at risk of further persecution, including incarceration and death. With people losing hope for their future and being consumed by fear, it seemed as though they were at risk of turning away from their faith in Christ for the sake of security and safety. Hebrews was written as an encouragement to the people to hold onto a sense of hope, describing hope as an “anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). Hebrews 11 says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”.
Whilst what is directly in front of us at any given time may seem to be too great to overcome, faith and a sense of hope provides us with what is described in Philippians as “the peace of God which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Our prayer is that you find the peace of God in your life which can create or restore a sense of hope and purpose for your future.
