We can have many troubles in this life. It can rain down physical illness and disease; we can be flooded with unfavorable circumstances; the winds of spiritual attacks can beat against our soul. And many times these temporary trials and tribulations will reveal the foundation of our life.

For example, if Christ is my rock and foundation, it’s not the end of the world if I fail to live up to my own moral standards, or if someone takes advantage of me, or if my bank account shrinks, or if my career doesn’t develop as I’d hoped, or if my relationship status never becomes what I desire.

Sure I might be disappointed and upset, but I know that God is a good Father that gives good gifts to his children. So I look back to the cross remembering what Jesus has done for me, giving up his life for me. And I look forward to heaven remembering this world is not my home, I’m merely passing through.

This changes me. I’m no longer controlled by my reputation, by money, or power; I’m not controlled by my own morality. When Christ is my foundation, my shame and guilt melt under the grace of the cross because I recognize Jesus was shamed and found guilty for me. With my feet on the rock of Christ and eyes toward the reality of heaven, I’m freed to hold lightly to the things of this world and to not take myself too seriously; this frees me to serve others, even those who wrong me.

But if money is my foundation and this is my ultimate home, I can no longer serve people and use money. No, I have to serve money and use people; this is as good as it gets and I’ve got to get it will the getting is good. But even when I do get those things money can buy, I realize soon enough the luster begins to fade. So I’m stuck in a spiral always chasing never catching that which truly satisfies.

Or if my foundation is my spouse, and I look to him or her for complete satisfaction, it might work out for a little bit. But soon enough my spouse will let me down, probably because the weight I’m putting on him or her will crush them. In that moment, my foundation washes away right from under me.

Or if my foundation is my own morality, when I’m just awesome, I tend to be prideful looking down on others. But eventually I’ll mess up and let myself down, and I’ll be crushed. The very thing I put my hope into, has been wiped away.

So, to help you reveal the foundation of your life, here are some questions to ponder:[2]

• What occupies your mind when you have nothing else to think about?
• What is that person or thing that you are most fearful of losing?
• After a hard day or in a moment of despair, where do you consistently run for comfort?
• Ask yourself this: “Is there something I desire so much I’m willing to hurt others and/or disobey God to get it?”
• Complete this statement: “I would be happy and fulfilled if only [fill in the blank]”?
• Do I feel that God loves me more or less based on what I do or don’t do?

These questions can begin to reveal the foundation of your life, where you’re putting your hope and trust. Now to be clear the answer to those questions may not be bad in of themselves. A job isn’t necessarily bad. Desiring and having a spouse isn’t necessarily wrong. Watching TV or eating good food is not inherently sinful. Money by itself is not evil. Closer to home for me, desiring a healthy church can be good thing. Wanting to be moral is fine and good.

However, when we begin to place our ultimate hope in these things that’s where it starts to go wrong. A good thing that becomes an ultimate thing becomes a bad thing; or we could say a “sand” thing.

[2] These questions come from a variety of sources and my own thoughts.