We’ve all been there, right? Someone who you depended on has let you down. That job that you hoped to get didn’t materialize. The report from the doctor was not what you thought it would be. Life gets more complicated than you are prepared to deal with. Yes sir… things, people, circumstances, health, the future… life can be filled with uncertainty. Maybe this day, today… you are struggling with something that you cannot even fully explain or express to those you love. Things seem bleak… dark… hopeless. Friend, listen to me… there is hope and that Hope is in Jesus.
If you are a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, you have a hope that can free you from all the darkness and uncertainty that lurks in the hidden places of your mind. You just have to appropriate it, embrace it, believe it. The “it” is sincere faith in Jesus. This is not a shallow belief, nor is it steeped in self-dependency. Its effectiveness is not based on your good works, energy, or wit. The power that you need to make it through the dark times of life is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you do not know Jesus as Lord, then you need to accept Him first as your Lord and Savior. Then you can begin building a faith that will sustain you. If you need to know more about asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, click here… then come back here to reconsider what I am telling you.
If you are a believer, like I am, then you likely just need to be reminded of a few things. I am not insinuating that you are not a legitimate Christian, nor am I trying to get you to doubt your salvation. However, I am saying that we have the propensity to fall back into old flesh patterns and try to deal with life in our own power. We often try to figure out things without even consulting Scripture. How crazy is that? Scripture holds the key… it always does. Consider what theses verses say about hope:
- Romans 15:4 tells us that the scripture was written to instruct us about how to live our lives and “that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” So, where do gain the knowledge that will aid us in discovering the hope we so desire? It comes through the encouragement of the Scriptures.
- Psalm 119:114 tells us that God is our shield and hiding place when life gets tough. This verse also tells us to hope in His word. Isn’t it odd how we usually want to wallow in our own pity and hide in our own anger and frustration, rather than embrace the comfort of God in those moments of retreat?
- Romans 5:1-2 says “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” My goodness, there is a lot to think about in these two verses. Concentrate on the words “faith” and “grace.” Earlier in this article, I mentioned that we must exercise sincere faith in Jesus, not anything that depends on our own strength or craftiness. We only gain access to His grace through sincere – full – faith in the finished work of Jesus in our lives. If you do not understand what that means, let’s talk about it sometime. If you do understand, this is a reminder for you to depend on Jesus, not yourself for the answers and strength that you are seeking.
I’ll finish up here. There are dozens of verses that could be helpful to you in battling the struggles of life. You can click this link to get access to many more than I have cited here. God bless you. As I submit this article for your consideration, I am praying that the Lord will help you and give you peace. Amen.
