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We have developed a short study on Hope for anyone who would care to receive a copy. Just drop us an email and we will be happy to send it right out to you. Shalom - Mike -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hopeless “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 One of the common emotions I find people struggling with is an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. This often leads a person to be extremely depressed and suicidal. They have a deep sense that life is useless and there is no chance of circumstances ever improving (I will never be better, I will never improve). When these feelings become intense enough, there is a huge sigh of defeat in a person’s soul and a conclusion is drawn: “It’s hopeless.” Repeatedly in scripture we find God referred to as the Hope of Israel. We are told that He is our hope. In fact there are nearly 130 uses of the word hope in scripture, and the majority of them are references to God. Consider the following passages from the Psalms. “Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption”. Psalm 130:7 “Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and forever” Psalm 131:3 “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.” Psalm 146:5 We cannot change our feelings, but we don’t have to let the feelings run our lives. If I have an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, I can deny the power of that feeling to make my decisions. However, if I let the feeling of hopelessness take control and do not judge it, I will quickly land in despair simply because I am denying the existence of God. How? If God is our hope, and we believe that we or our situation is hopeless, then we are in essence saying that there is no God. If God is hope, then hopelessness equals God-lessness. It may be true that I feel hopeless, but it is NOT true that I do not have a God. Therefore, I cannot be without Hope. He is my hope; in Him do I trust. Verses for Reflection “The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They acted corruptly; they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” Psalm 14:1 “Therefore My heart is glad, and My glory rejoices; My flesh also shall rest in hope.” Psalm 16:9 “Therefore, girding up the loins of your mind, being sober, perfectly hope for the grace being brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13 “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of those believing in God through Him, He who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.” 1Peter 1:21
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