Countless people the world over face these questions in the midst of personal crises everyday. Some draw strength from religion, family, and friends. Some may find a brief respite in hobbies or leisure activities, only to find their problems right where they had left them. And not only are they still there waiting, they've gotten bigger! The problem with the temporal solutions I mentioned are that none of them proffer a final solution. Religious people can suffer through times of doubting their chosen belief systems. Family and friends can provide only fleeting moments of happy distraction before they too begin to compound your problems!
Reaching a place of hopelessness is a common occurrence in this age of anxiety. The fast-paced, high-pressure society we inhabit can be a tough, cruel place. Ask the small business owner who lost it all when the economy tanked. Ask the single parent scratching, fighting, and clawing tooth and nail to juggle the responsibilities of raising a family and making a living with no spouse to care or help. Ask the alienated, downtrodden, oppressed, uninspired, forsaken, and wretched souls on life's skid row about how fair or pleasant or hopeful life is. Allowing that feeling of hopelessness to creep in creates a psychological disparity between actual and imagined circumstances. The reality of a situation may not be as bleak as a hopeless person thinks it to be, but through the lens of their hopelessness and despair everything is gloomy.
Prior to life becoming so dismal, the world was full of bright prospects for health, happiness, and success for the hopeless person. He had high hopes and goals. He possessed a verve and vigor; vitality, vision, and passion were the order of the day and not doom, gloom, and sorrow. How did a person with such a bright outlook become mired in hopelessness? They were drawing from a limited supply.
The only source of hope that never runs dry is the Lord. The joy that comes from knowing you can cast all your cares on Jesus is a huge asset that a Christian can lay claim to. The value of the confidence in feeling the uplifting Spirit of Christ beside you as you face life's dilemmas cannot be underestimated. Imagine knowing that Almighty God was striding beside you, step for step as you journeyed through life. Is there room for feelings of hopelessness when God is on your side? Can the Lord, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, handle your past-due bills? Can the Great Physician help you to deal with the sickness of a child? I believe He can. The eternal well of hope found in the Lord springs new everyday in the lives of those trusting in Him. Though problems will still arise, those who live by faith may draw from a never-ending supply of help to face the tough times.
If you have been feeling detached, depressed, unfocused, out of touch, forsaken, or forgotten- please, run to the Lord. He alone can ease your burdens. The comfort found in Christ is final not fickle and lasting not leaving. The worldly pleasures that tempt and lure will provide their pleasure- for a season. One drink must lead to another, which must lead to more, which in turn will lead to a life of dependency and slavery to the bottle. Christ is no taskmaster; his yoke is easy and his burden light. The comforts of this world soon give way to more trouble. The peace the Lord offers is everlasting.
The spring of hope found in Christ is eternal. Run to it often to combat the cares and concerns of this world and to prevent them from casting their shadows of despair over your life. The vibrancy of a life lived within and for Christ can never be duplicated by the world. Let faith be the theme of your life, not fear and doubt.
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