How to Have Hope in a Hopeless World

Hope in a Hopeless World

As I sat at the kitchen table many years ago, tears filled my eyes as I opened one bill and then another. My fingers trembled as I looked at each amount due, knowing I had charged more than I could repay any time soon. I felt hopeless.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt hopeless? Maybe one you created yourself, like I did, or maybe an overwhelming circumstance that just fell on you?

I love the word HOPE because it’s God promise of more to come. It’s His promise of refreshment and reassurance when the road ahead looks rough.

It’s His promise that helps us to rise above life’s challenges and distractions. And, it’s His promise of strength that moves us forward to take the next step of faith with confidence.

But hope doesn’t just magically appear. We must pray for it, invite it in and hang on to it. We must meditate on God’s word and fix our eyes on Him.

Seek God’s Face

When we seek God’s face and focus on Him we are practicing hope. It’s the phrase, “practice makes perfect,” that motivates us to seek Him consistently.

Let’s look at the promise God gives us when we feel hopeless:

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:30-31 NIV

There have been plenty of times when my weariness translated into hopelessness. Like the year I struggled with a schedule that was beyond overload. I couldn’t balance my roles as wife and mom with my job and the long list of extracurricular activities I had signed up for. When I was faced with depression my juggling act came to an end. Or the time I learned a precious friend was diagnosed with cancer and all we could do was pray and wait for decisions to be made about her health and her future. Or the time I got in over my head with credit card debt and had to figure out how to pay it off without impacting our family resources.   

We often see these kinds of situations as hopeless. It’s as if we have no control over what’s taking place and we grasp at any and everything to make it right. But our key verse reassures us that there is hope in a hopeless world. 

Hope Filled Life

Living a life filled with hope requires us to commit to the Word, read the Word and stay in the Word. Our comfort lies in God’s faithfulness, protection, strength and grace. His love is endless. He hears our pleas and answers our prayers according to His Will.

Rick Warren says, “What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.”

I am beyond grateful that HOPE abounds in Christ. He calls us by name and loves us unconditionally. He comes alongside to keep us steadfast and on track. He unselfishly shared His Son to cover our inequities and to give us a hope and a future.

Let’s remember when facing overwhelming and seemingly hopeless situations that we can turn to God to renew our hope.

Study Questions: 

1. Can you remember a time when you responded to a situation with hopelessness?
2. How did you deal with the challenge?
3. How did God renew your strength?