Why The Church Should Never Stop Giving Hope

You can never give people too much hope.

Hope is what gives people the faith to push through hard times. Hope is what makes people hold on when they are on the verge of throwing in the towel. Hope for a better tomorrow is what makes a teen push away those lingering suicidal thoughts. Hope is a powerful force.

The Bible has a very different perspective on hope – it is not the kind of hope we see in the dictionary. While the dictionary definition of hope makes it sound like leaving things to fate, the hope of the Bible is a powerful force and a raw material for faith.

In the book of Romans, we are reminded of how Abraham hoped against hope (Romans 4:18). In other words, when the situation got hopeless, he still remained hopeful.

Hopeful is a powerful word. It literally means full of hope. The hope Abraham had was not based on some wishy-washy belief system. On the contrary, it was based on the promise of God. See, God had promised him that he would make him a father of many nations. And even though Abraham was well advanced in years and his wife was barren, he ignored the circumstances and hoped against hope.

The best gift pastors can give their congregants is hope. When Christian faithful cant make sense of all the chaos around them, all they want is some hope. But not hope that is based on realism, eastern-religion-wisdom, or some other man-made solutions. But hope that is firmly rooted in the scriptures.

This is the kind of hope that does not disappoint.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5, TLB

People are bombarded with all manner of negative reports from social media and the internet at large. The church should more than ever before take her position as a city of refuge – a place where the righteous can run to for some hope.

Remember Jesus’ sentiments about Peter’s looming turning-back?

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31-32, NKJV

The omniscient Lord knew Peter was just about to get hit hard with a really bad season. And even though he delivered the bad news to Peter, he still gave Peter hope through it all. Notice how he gave him hope by;

1. Praying for him

It is not just enough to pray for those who are going through hell – it also helps to let them know you are praying for them. if you flashback to the last time all hell brook lose in your life, you might recall how hard it was to pray. In such moments, just knowing that someone else is praying for you can make a HUGE difference.

2. Giving him a purpose

Jesus reminded Peter of his purpose – and that gave him hope that even though tough times were ahead, an even greater purpose was ahead of him. The master was entrusting him with the responsibility of feeding his sheep. Understanding that you have a greater purpose in life will infuse you with the energy you need to surmount an obstacle on the path to destiny.

Every Christian should never forget they are ambassadors – and what better way to represent God’s kingdom on earth than to give hope especially in such moments of hopelessness as these?