Hope Beneath the Rubble

I had a love/hate relationship with a game we used to play in high school youth group: Sardines. Similar to hide and seek, one person hides while everyone else searches. But here’s the twist—when you find the hidden person, you squeeze into their hiding spot with them.

The goal is supposed to be avoiding discovery, but I always found myself waiting for that moment when someone would crawl into whatever cramped space I’d chosen. Suddenly, I wasn’t alone in the darkness anymore. We were together, usually stifling giggles and sharing the unique intimacy of a shared secret.

Standing on Holy Ground

In our world today, countless people are searching for hope, feeling alone and engulfed by darkness, longing for someone to simply sit with them and hold hope when they can’t hold it themselves.

As Christian communicators called to display God’s glory through our stories, we have the profound opportunity to crawl into dark spaces with others—to be present in their pain and point them toward light.

Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of not knowing what to say when someone approaches you at a book signing and shares their deepest struggles. Perhaps after your next retreat, someone will tearfully confide about their broken marriage or wounded soul.

What do we get to do in those sacred moments? We get to stand on the holy ground of their suffering and hold hope for them.

Finding Hope Beneath the Rubble

I remember responding to a devastating earthquake in Nepal as a trauma counselor. Rubble stretched everywhere—devastation beyond imagination. An entire village waited for me to bring them a word of hope, and I felt utterly inadequate.

I knelt among the debris and begged God to show me where hope could possibly be found, because I couldn’t see it anywhere. As I prayed, something caught my eye: the cross that had once crowned the village church was now lying among the wreckage. 

The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, “There is always hope beneath any rubble, and it is the cross.”

Our Sacred Calling

As Christian communicators, we have the privilege of reminding people of that hope. We don’t need all the answers—we simply need to use our platforms to point others toward the One who does.

He is the one who crawls into dark spaces with us, even when we want to hide. He is the hope beneath every pile of rubble in our lives, and we get the sacred privilege of reminding others of His presence.

Question: What is one way you can help someone hold onto hope today? Please share a current or past opportunity you’ve had to bring hope to a person in need.