Hope In A Fallen World

Hope. We all need hope. Hope is more than anticipation, it is looking to the future with some amount of faith and confidence that life is going to work out. The value of owning a dose or two of hope to draw from in this fallen world has immeasurable benefits. Having hope can save your life and maybe even the life of another. Though hope is an intangible item to own, it cannot be carried in your hand, it is indeed stored and carried in your heart. Planting a little seed of hope in another’s heart may be the greatest simple treasure of all especially in today’s fallen world. Hope.

The Lack Of Hope

The lack of hope is known as hope-less-ness. Hopelessness is a sad state of affairs. When a person is without hope it is like the wind has been completely removed from their sails. That person no longer wants to invest in life. Their passion for “anything” is gone, totally depleted. Hopelessness can cause a person to withdraw from social contact. Isolation can deepen hopelessness into despair, severe depression, and impaired outlook for the future. No longer having any hope for experiencing any good in life can bring suicidal thoughts and, God forbid, even suicide. The lack of hope is a very serious state of being in our fallen world.

Possible Causes of Hopelessness

The causes of hopelessness vary as widely as there are human beings on the planet. Hopelessness can start with basic needs not being met, homelessness, hunger, unemployment, delinquent debts, health issues, drug addiction, and certainly relationship woes. Being rejected, constantly criticized, or abused is another major cause of of despair. Overall there is no shortage of what can cause you to feel hopeless. It is not unusual to become overwhelmed with the difficulties of life and become hopeless from time to time. However, it is imperative to acknowledge what is causing us to feel hopeless so we can begin to combat it. Hope is essential in overcoming problems no matter which one you are struggling with. So… where do you find hope when life’s problems cause you to feel hopeless?

Never Ending Supplier Of Hope

Jesus is the never ending supplier of my hope. When life’s problems start to overwhelm my ability to see the solution to the other side I surrender it fully to Him in prayer. I remind myself that He has always been faithful to hear and respond to my prayers. I remember that He is far wiser and can see the future way clearer than I can and that when His answer comes it is the best for every individual involved. Just as the 1863 hymn “The Solid Rock” written by Edward Mote declares, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, all other ground is sinking sand.” This never ending supplier of hope is yours too every time you call on the name of Jesus in prayer. Jesus never fails. This my friend, is how you too can have hope in a fallen world.