Being Hopeful

Hopeful in lights

Dealing with any difficulty, day in and day out, can slowly chip away at your soul. It doesn’t matter if it is a destructive relationship, depressing situation, debilitating loss, or devastating crisis. The impact can be the same. Just getting out of bed each morning can take more and more resolve as your strength to face the discouragement fades.

There are several people in the Bible who often felt just like this. But the one who was most vocal about it was David. He experienced so many challenges in his life. Even though he was chosen by God as a King, he faced a jealous predecessor, numerous enemies and then made major mistakes and heartbreaking decisions. David felt life very deeply, openly voicing his emotions by writing them in the Psalms.

One such Psalm is Psalm 42. Some attribute it to the “sons of Korah.” But many others believe David to be the real author, suggesting it was penned as David fled from his son Absalom. In any event, the author plainly describes a time of persecution and personal suffering. There is an unmistakable tone that shows the longing for God’s personal presence.

Psalm 42:5 specifically provides one of the best approaches to challenge our heart when we find ourselves struggling with, or surrendering to, disappointments, frustrations or failures.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior, and my God.

Instead of conceding to hopelessness, the author confronted it, demanding a reason for the despair. “Why are you downcast? Why so disturbed?”  But then without hesitation, the author declares a solution to the sorrow: HOPE – in God. There was no complaining, just a quick and confident answer to his struggles.

Being hopeful may take practice. Just like David spoke to himself in this Psalm, you can do the same. Don’t allow bad feelings to weigh you down. Instead, question yourself, lecture yourself. There can be many reasons to be depressed, but they don’t have to define your life. Whether or not you “feel like it,” you CAN put your hope in God.

Hope is a small word but has an incredible power when it is in the right place. This is the secret to living through any crisis, any depression, any struggle. And it is not just an emotion. Our hope in God is a determination, a confidence in the stability of God’s power, no matter what happens.

God is the anchor of our hope. When we turn to Him, our perspective will shift beyond our current circumstance. Focusing on His unchanging nature, we can trust Him for peace and through Him find the courage and strength to persevere.

"What gives me the most hope every day is God's grace;

knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face,

knowing that nothing is a surprise to God." -Rick Warren