Hopelessness shrivels the soul and saps our vitality and joy in living. If things get dark enough, we may be tempted to give up entirely. Suicide is the last decision made by some who conclude that death is preferable to continuing on without hope. There are many ways to commit suicide that don’t involve actively ending our physical lives. We can self-medicate and “check out” with drugs, alcohol, sex, sports, entertainment, etc. We can withdraw into a hollow shell of our true identity, alienating ourselves from those who love and can help us. Some people become angry and lash out. People who have no hope can be very dangerous. What do they have to lose?
Have you ever been in what seemed to be a hopeless situation? Is that where you are right now, or maybe you know someone who is despairing? If so, this article can help.
The Origin of Hopelessness
When Adam and Eve sinned, they alienated the human race from the life of God and gave the keys of authority and dominion on the earth to Satan. Since then, the devil, who is the father of lies, has stolen, killed, and destroyed, keeping untold millions in a dark prison of hopelessness.
But even though Adam and Eve rejected God’s rule in their lives, the Lord did not abandon them or us their descendants. In that time of seeming hopelessness, God injected hope into the human story by promising that someone in Eve’s line would rise up to defeat Satan.
The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 (ESV)
When Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph, the Son of God infiltrated a hopeless and dying planet full of spiritually dead people infected with a terminal disease called sin. He came as the fulfillment of the promise God made to Eve in the Garden of Eden. The light of hope was finally dawning on humanity!
the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned. Matthew 4:16 (ESV)
Jesus understood that his mission was to liberate the prisoners of hopelessness.
And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21 (ESV)
Jesus came to lay down his life for those who had no hope. He surrendered to the hopelessness of death, but, when he rose again, he lit a torch of hope that burns brightly to this day.
All who put their faith in him, will always have hope, no matter how bleak things may get because Emmanuel, God with Us, is alive eternally.
The Gospel is a beacon of hope to those in darkness. We who follow Christ, are messengers of hope to those around us, who live in darkness still.
For those of you readers who may not yet know Jesus, the Restorer of Hope, today is your day to finally surrender your heart and hopelessness to the only one who can help you. What is stopping you? Don’t be like the Jews who could not and would not acknowledge his right to rule.
Once we surrender to the God of Hope, hopelessness will be finally and forever extinguished!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 (ESV)
Or perhaps you are already a follower of Christ, but you have slipped in your faith. All you need to do is repent and once again declare your resolve to fully trust Jesus in every situation.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, I repent for living a self-directed life all these years. I now surrender to you as best as I am able. Holy Spirit help me to do this! I acknowledge your right to rule my life, and I receive all the blessings you died to give me – hope, forgiveness, eternal life, the Holy Spirit, and the privilege of being your child! I exchange my hopelessness for the joy of trusting you. Thank you that you rule over all things and are working all things in my life for good. I now know that you are the God of good endings. Hopelessness has no place in my life. Amen!
