HOPE IN DISCOURAGING TIMES
"Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for," Job 6:8.
Job was a man to whom everything seemed to be going on well. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, one tragedy after another besieged him. Before he could make sense of what was happening, it was all over. Job became an object of mockery, and false accusation. He had lost everything in one day. Still Job remained hopeful in the Lord: “For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. 8 Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, 9 Yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.” Job 14:7-9. As long as one is grounded and rooted in Christ, there's a possibility of rising again.
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God." Psalm 42:11.
David was greatly troubled. He had challenges on every side. Many times he felt discouraged, abandoned and alone. But David refused to stay down. In 1 Samuel 30:1-6, he and his men had just returned to Ziklag when they discovered their camp had been burned to the ground. The Amalekites had taken all of their wives, children and possessions. In the midst of the losses, David’s own trusted men started talking about killing him. Yet David encouraged himself in the Lord. He pressed into God and found strength. David refused to wallow in self-pity! He ran to the Lord and was encouraged. Are you facing challenges today? Even in the darkest nights of troubles, betrayal and sorrow, there is still hope. Psalm 30:5.
"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10.
Delay in answer to prayers can cause discouragement. The Oxford dictionary defines the word discouragement as ‘a loss of confidence or enthusiasm; dispiritedness.’ It can be described as demoralization, despondency or low spirits. The opposite of discouragement is encouragement and to encourage means to ‘give support, confidence, or hope to.’ It can also mean to ‘uplift, invigorate, fortify or embolden.’ We are discouraged when there's a gap between what we expect and what we experience; when there is a gap between what we hoped would happen and what actually does happen. Discouragement takes your eyes and focus away from the Lord, and His Word. It undermine your resolve and can even cause you to forsake your purpose. Discouragement can cause you to give up on your goal and dreams.
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12.
One cause of discouragement is deferred hope. Perhaps you have been believing God for something and it does not seem imminent. Maybe you've fasted and prayed, yet the answer seems delayed. Have you given up and lost hope that your situation will improve? Deferred hope makes the heart sick. It leads to frustration, despair. So when your expectation is delayed or postponed, look to the Lord: “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you” Psalm 39:7. When you place your hope in Christ alone, you won’t be disappointed. Hebrews 6:19. Deferred hope is not denied hope. "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24. A delay is not denial. God may seem silent but that doesn’t mean He's far away. God's always at work behind the scenes. Therefore we must not give up. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1. Hope is the fuel that keeps faith alive. Faith help us to stand on the promise of God we’re hoping for.
WHAT IS HOPE:
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13.
There is a common saying: "while there is life there is hope." Meaning as long as we are alive and breathing, there is still hope. The human idea of hope is “to wish for something without certainty of its fulfillment or coming to pass."
But in the Bible, hope is different because of the one through whom hope comes. It carries an expectation that the outcome will actually come to pass. The Biblical hope is more than daydreaming, wishes or desiring. The believers hope is rooted in Jesus Christ. Our hope is a reflection of the trust we have in God and our confidence in His Word. Hope is looking expectantly towards the future based on our faith in God. When we have hope, we can navigate the turbulent storms of life without despair. When we hope in God, we find the confidence and strength to face any challenge that comes our way. Hope in the Lord teaches us patience. It brings encouragement. A word of hope can turn the thoughts of discouragement and give us the courage to believe again. Hope is an unshakable trust in God, despite life's circumstances. God is our hope! He has promised to deliver us. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. It is the belief that circumstances in the future will be better. Hope is joyful and confident expectation! Hope is the belief things will work, especially when it seems otherwise. It help us to stay calm and peaceful when something less than desirable happens. Hope enables you to keep pressing on till you get your desired result. It is believing when things looks hopeless. Hope help us to hold on when we face tough times. It is to look forward with confidence or expectation.
IN HOPE BELIEVED:
"who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Romans 4:18.
Life can be discouraging at times. Obstacles and adversities show up unexpectedly. So it’s easy to lose hope and give up. But the Lord's is calling us to press forward in our faith. Against all odds, Abraham in hope believed, and so became the father of many nations. Are you in a seemingly hopeless situation? Don't give up! Your can stand against the odds of life.
1. Have a solid foundation.
There is no other foundation upon which to build your life than the foundation of Jesus Christ. Psalm 40:2 says, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Be born again and stay connected to God. He is the God of hope. Stand on on the solid Rock!
2. Remember the goodness of the Lord and you'll have courage to confront today's difficulties. Psalm 103:1.
3. Read and meditate on the Word.
4. Forgive yourself. Don't live the rest of your life in self-pity, regret, bitterness, anger and self hatred.
5. Keep praying. Tell the Lord to give you the strength and courage to get back up when life knocks you down.
6. Learn from every experiences.
If you made mistakes, learn from them. But don’t get stuck in the past. The past is only a point of reference. "The Sovereign LORD has taught me what to say, so that I can strengthen the weary. Every morning he makes me eager to hear what he is going to teach me." Isaiah 50:4. In every trial there’s a lesson, so glean it and move forward.
7. Do not be afraid.
8. Have faith in God. No one and nothing can steal your joy or your peace when your hope is in God. Let your faith be unshakable and unconditional. Unconditional faith is blind trust in God and His promises. It is unshaking and unwavering! Unshakable faith is built on the confidence of God’s ultimate purpose. Its the faith of 'not my will, let your will be done.'
9. Refuse to be a victim of circumstances.
You can choose to smile today and be hopeful, regardless of the circumstances. You can be a victor and not a victim! Refuse to speak negative things about yourself, such as, "I am useless." "I am a failure." "I'm ugly." Avoid low self-esteem. Resist the tendency to see yourself as a “victim”. Don't give in to self pity and condemnation.
10. Be resilient; refuse to give up!
Resilience is the ability of an object to return to form after it’s been bent, stretched or compressed. It also means to bounce back! No matter how many setbacks you’ve faced in life, it’s never too late to bounce back. You must cling to faith.
11. Maintain your integrity.
12. Praise God in every circumstances.
Focus on Him instead of your circumstances. Remain joyful. Romans 12:12. Wherever there is joy there will be hope.
13. Do no compare yourself to others. You are a unique person, set apart for a specific purpose.
14. Be patient.
Patience is the proof of faith. It is the force that keeps you from giving up. Faith will always require a time of patience.
"The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." Psalm 34:18.
THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE:
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” Titus 1:2.
In the midst of discouragement and trials in this world, we have the hope of eternal life. Our citizenship is in Heaven. The world and its troubles are temporary. It will soon come to an end. The Lord Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for us! Soon He'll come to take us home. We have a hope of eternal life because God has promised it. So we must live with that consciousness everyday. “.. everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:3.
If you are ready to accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, then pray this prayer: “Lord God, I come to You today. I know I’m a sinner and I cannot save myself. I acknowledge that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the Cross to save me and He resurrected on the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to Him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I’m saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God.
(HYMNS) HO! MY COMRADES, SEE THE SIGNAL
1. Ho, my comrades!
see the signal waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing,
victory is nigh.
Refrain.
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”
2. See the mighty host advancing,
Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling,
courage almost gone!
Refrain.
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”
3. See the glorious banner waving!
Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph
over ev’ry foe.
Refrain.
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”
4. Fierce and long the battle rages,
but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander,
cheer, my comrades, cheer!
Refrain.
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,”
Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven,
“By Thy grace we will.”
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Thank You, God, for the abundant life and living hope I have in Jesus Christ.
