When Hope Is Lost

Finding hope after it has been beaten down is possible. Loss of hope can be caused by divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a career, or any significant rejection. When one loss follows another, accumulative grief can be overwhelming. If discouragement gains a foothold, it can build a bridge to desperation.

Terrible things happen to good people because evil confronts everyone. However, reckless behavior and bad choices also contribute to the loss of hope. Whatever the reasons, one way to manage the problem is to ask Christ Jesus to help you accept what has been so difficult for you in the past.

There are moments in life when you’re vulnerable enough to accept needed change. David penned this prayer in a similar moment: "Rescue me from this mire; do not let me sink. Do not let the pit close in on me. Come near and redeem me." Do not let go of your faith in God for he is your true source for hope. So give thanks and praise to him for the hope you have.  

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O Lord, all peace and all prosperity have long since gone, for you have taken them away. I have forgotten what enjoyment is. All hope is gone; my strength has turned to water, for the Lord has left me. Oh, remember the bitterness and suffering you have dealt me! For I can never forget these awful years; always my soul will live in utter shame. Yet, there is one ray of hope; his compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his lovingkindness begins afresh each day.  

~Lamentations 3:17-23 The Living Bible

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Wait in Faith and Hope – Not in Desperation

Henry David Thoreau acknowledged that "men lead lives of quiet desperation." Even those who isolate themselves have only changed the source of their desperation. William Burroughs in his book writes, "Desperation requires drastic change, and only those who leave behind everything can hope for escape."

Samson desperately needed to be free of the shame and humiliation of slavery. As he was led into the courtyard where thousands of people were gathered, he asked a guard to place him between the two columns that supported the roof of the magnificent Dagon temple where three thousand people were gathered to observe his performance.

With the power God provided, Samson pushed the columns apart causing the roof to collapse, crushing himself and the Philistine officials. God answered Samson’s prayer, bringing Israel's freedom a step closer to reality. Instead of quiet desperation, God invites you to wait with faith and hope, trusting that his purpose for you will be fulfilled. Trust him to give you his perfect peace. 

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And now the Lord speaks – the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength.

~Isaiah 49:5 New Living Translation

Because of [Jesus Christ], your trust can be in God who raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. Now your faith and hope can rest in him alone.

~1 Peter 1:21 The Living Bible

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Devastated and Desperate...but Not Alone

What Joseph's brothers did to him was evil and confirms that evil existed then as it does now. We're surprised when evil disrupts or destroys the foundation upon which we’ve anchored our lives. Whatever good there is to do, the enemy delights in sabotaging that good.

Joseph’s brothers hated him and determined to destroy his peace and security. Joseph surely felt excruciatingly alone as he was forced to leave his home and family. His brothers arrogantly seized the special coat their father had made for Joseph, so he had nothing to hold on to. 

Imagine the desperation Joseph felt as he faced an uncertain future. The enormity of the changes he endured must have been devastating. Yet his faith in Jehovah God sustained him during the dark days of fear and desperation. Psalm 119 portrays that faith. “Keep me far away from every wrong, O God, and help me obey your laws for I choose to do right.” That can be your hope and choice as you go toward an uncertain future. 

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But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end — Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior.”

~ISAIAH 43:1-3a The Message

Upended by Tragedy!

Tragedy arouses feelings of desperation and bewilderment, as the anchors that have kept us safe appear to be swept away. William Burroughs in his book, The Western Lands, noted that “abrupt change can dislodge the belief our world is safe while questioning the legitimacy of our entire belief system.”

When Jacob had to face the death of Joseph, his favorite son, his grief was so intense he felt he would die. He was totally unprepared for this tragedy. When tragedy personally strikes us, enormous energy is absorbed to help us cope because our survival appears to be in jeopardy.

Tragedy often demands changes we’re not ready to make. The writer of Psalm 119 reveals his feelings of desperation and the need for comfort. "I am completely discouraged and lie in dust. Revive and encourage me with your word, O Lord, for my heart is heavy with sorrow. I will cling to your commands and follow them closely." God's word will give you comfort and hope when you face tragedy. 

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Let us praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercy and the God of every comfort. He comforts us in all our suffering to make us able to comfort others in all their suffering with the same comfort with which God comforts us.

~2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 Beck – New Testament in the Language of Today