What Does a Christian Do When All Hope Is Lost?

 September 10, 2024

Tuesday

We all face difficult periods in our lives. Some of these may be severe. Good people have bad things happen to them as much as bad people. They get divorced, get terminal diseases, lose their jobs, have their houses repossessed, can't find a job, fail their tests, and live their lives in loneliness. Some very good people might tell you that their prayers go unanswered. In fact, they might tell you that they think they are talking to the walls when they pray. Sooner or later, many of them will lose hope. Even Christians can fall into this trap.

The problem is that people are hoping for things to happen instead of hoping in Someone. Sure, they pray but their hope isn't in whom is being prayed to but what is being prayed for. Thus, they wait for the supply instead of upon the One who can change everything. It just might be that the thing being prayed for isn't actually needed.

Let's take a terminal disease, for example. I had a friend who had liver cancer. He knew that he would die. I suppose we all know we will die someday but his death was more immanent. His first hope was not for healing but in the One who held life and death in His hands. My friend's greatest need was for grace to run the race to the end. He did with an amazing witness in his life for the Lord. His funeral service was packed with young people with whom he had a tremendous impact. The service was over three hours long because these young people wanted to tell what a difference he had made. Sure, there were lots of tears but heaven celebrated his entry. According to the Bible, he received his crown of righteousness. 

Most people can't identify with that because they aren't hoping in God. They are hoping in something they believe they need. They will live in anxiety while my friend didn't show any. He never lost hope because he hoped in God. God was faithful and strengthened him until the week he died. In fact, he appeared to be in good health until the Tuesday before he died on Saturday. 

Most people will worry before they will hope in God. Worry pays a debt that hasn't been made yet. Worry steals the joy and peace from our lives. Worry makes a bad situation much worse. On the other hand,  hoping in God never runs out of hope. It brings joy and peace. The Holy Spirit empowers that hope.

When we lose hope, we should realize that we aren't as close to God as we thought. If we were, we would know that nothing comes into our lives that He didn't allow. And if He allowed it, He's got this. The best thing we can do is draw as close to God as we can. He is the God of hope. He is the God who seeks our joy and peace.

Some will think this is too simplistic. They want something more complicated that gives them a revelation that will make their crises go away. But remember the line in Psalm 23, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." It doesn't say that God takes us out of that place. It says that God's rod and staff give comfort.

Too often, we are like Peter getting out of the boat on his way to Jesus. He walks on water until he starts seeing the wind and the waves. He focuses on his problems instead of focusing on Jesus. Of course, he sinks. We all do when we take our eyes off the Lord.

Know that God does not want you living a hopeless life. Know that He will empower you with hope if you will go to Him. Even now, you can go to Him. You can pray until you know you are in His presence. How will you know? You will receive joy and peace.

Romans 15:13 (NASB) ¹³  Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.