Francis A. Schaeffer’s 1980 Letter of Hope

On February 22, 1980, Francis August Schaeffer (1912–1984) wrote a letter that offered steady encouragement to believers worn down by their own limitations. “None of us are normal, even after we are Christians… if we mean by that being perfect,” he wrote, refusing the pretense that conversion erases every struggle. The strength of his counsel lay in a clear-eyed honesty about remaining sin and weakness, coupled with unwavering confidence that God continues to restore His people.

Schaeffer was widely known for his apologetic work and for L’Abri (“the shelter”), the Christian community he and his wife, Edith, established in Huémoz, Switzerland. There, students, skeptics, and seekers were welcomed into conversations about truth, meaning, and the claims of Christ. The setting mattered: L’Abri’s ordinary tables and mountain paths became a place where faith was tested and strengthened in real life, not merely argued in theory. Schaeffer’s letter reflects that same lived theology—spiritual courage without spiritual theater.

Realism, Repentance, and Persevering Joy

Schaeffer’s emphasis pointed away from pretending and toward persevering. He urged believers to live “in the fullness of life” within the limits God has given, while “constantly pressing on” into deeper obedience, repentance, and joyful faith. This is a quiet kind of heroism: continuing in repentance when pride wants to hide, continuing in prayer when feelings are thin, continuing in obedience when habits fight back. Such perseverance does not deny the battle; it refuses to surrender to it.

Scripture holds together the same realism and hope. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Yet the same passage anchors the believer in God’s cleansing mercy: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Pressing On Under Grace

Schaeffer’s counsel also echoes Paul’s forward-leaning endurance: “Not that I have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). The letter’s lasting value is its invitation to humble confidence: God’s people need not pretend to be flawless; they are called to keep returning to Christ, resisting despair, and walking on in obedient, grateful faith.