There's Always Hope

Life includes heartaches, losses, and hurt. Sometimes these components come in rapid succession or in simultaneous onslaught. These attacks can cause great sorrow and burdens on the soul. When the burdens are especially weighty or particularly numerous, the soul can head toward discouragement and despair. A sense of hopelessness can emerge if the believer is not careful.

These heavy feelings of overwhelming discouragement and despair emerge when the believer sees no hope in his situation. There is, however, always hope. The situations of hurt and sorrow in a Christian's life always have purpose. They may be for the purpose of correction, to remove a sinful habit or temptation from the believer's life. Often, however, they are designed by God to accomplish His purpose of sanctification within the heart of His children.

The trials can be for the purpose of developing greater maturity. "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).

The trials can be for the purpose of purifying the believer's faith so that he can give greater honor to God. "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (I Peter 1:6-7).

The trials can be for the purpose of producing more fruit in the believer's life. "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2).

Each of these truths gives purpose to the loss, provides hope in the midst of the loss, and serves as a cause for joy in spite of the loss. When such wonderful and noble purposes are recognized, the believer can have hope in the midst of sorrow.

In order to properly deal with the sorrow (which is, by the way, very real and very human), the believer must then direct his thoughts to encouraging truth. The right words have the power to bring peace and joy. "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad" (Proverbs 12:25). There is hope in knowing God and in believing His Word. He is the God of hope, and He can give hope abundantly. "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" (Romans 15:13). There is always reason to hope in God and to wait for His salvation - for His goodness, which will always shine on His children again. "I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD" (Psalm 27:13-14).

In difficult times like these, God wants to hear from His hurting children. He invites them to come to Him. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

The deliverance may not be the specific answer that the believer is seeking, but God can always give His children the help to come through the difficult time with a heart that honors Him. Sometimes the believer just needs to wait for that answer from God. "Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised" (Hebrews 10:35-36). Jesus Himself shows the example of enduring through difficulty. "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3).

The believer needs much grace from God in order to get through such troubling stages of life. The good news is that God has more than enough grace to meet every need, and He is more than willing to give it freely to all who need it and humbly seek it. "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16). "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed" (II Corinthians 9:8).