Help for Hopelessness

I have noticed that the top downloaded sermon from the messages that I have preached and loaded on to Sermon-audio is one regarding hope. There may be more than one way to interpret that little piece of data, but it directs my mind to conclude hope is one of the great needs of our day.

Hopelessness is an awful feeling. It can come for various reasons. It can be as brief as a passing sense at the thought of an enormous task facing you, or  the dark abyss into which one tumbles who has entered a season of depression. A season of depression also has numerous causes, from hormonal or medical roots to a devastating personal or family loss. The sense of guilt over one's sinful choices, or the sense that one is too great a sinner to ever be accepted by God can cause a sense of hopelessness. 

When hopelessness is the result of something other than a medical root, the solution must always be sought through means other than medication.  Hope is a by-product of faith, which is able to latch on to the possibility of that which seems impossible. When faith grips truth, hope will be kindled and increase until one is once again living with a positive sense that there is a way out!

Hopelessness will be exaggerated in one who places his faith in speculation rather than truth. Once speculation has been uncovered as a deception, or a lie, faith is weakened and hope fades. But when truth is the object of faith, then come what may, hope is kept alive and despair or depression is kept away.

Thy word is truth are words spoken by Jesus. He is the One who also said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. The word is the revelation of Jesus Christ. If you are listening to Him, you are listening to truth. Faith in Jesus Christ is faith in the truth. He is an anchor to the soul of every one who believes in Him. 

Despair and depression, kinfolk to hopelessness, are best dealt with by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Listening to Him as the wonderful counselor we hear, come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus Christ gives hope to the struggling soul. 

Are you struggling with hopelessness? Jesus says, come unto me! Ignore the voices of detractors and naysayers who prefer to create questions and stumbling-blocks, and keep you in a place of hopelessness. Don't let doubts and questions lead you away from Him who is the truth. Hope will increase as your confidence in Jesus increases. 

I know! I've been in the dark place of doubt, where nothing seems right and all is confusing-a place of hopelessness! Hope is found in the God of hope. Trust in Him and hope is sure to increase. With the increase of hope there will be increase of peace and joy! 

If you are going through a dark night of the soul, keep looking unto Jesus. You can't see Him? Keep looking! This is the way of faith. You will see Him clearest at the cross! Run to the gospel and hope will return and grow. Don't stop looking. Endure to the end! We are saved by hope!