I’m thinking. I’m thinking about how Jesus is my hope. With so many things going on in the world and politics, it seems so many people are losing hope about their lives. The funny thing about that whole situation is that maybe they didn’t lose it; maybe they never had it to begin with.
After all, how can you really claim to have faith in God when a political leader can so easily turn your world upside down?
Right now, people are so MAD that if they were a soda can, they’d be fizzing over like a shaken-up cola at a summer picnic!
They are HOT, angry, and peeved.
I personally think hope is what they need more than anything.
What is hope…in my view?
In my opinion, having hope means believing in a better future, even when facing difficulties and uncertainties.
It is this belief or hope that reminds us that life can get better and that our actions can create real, positive changes.
Scrolling through social media and chatting with people makes me wonder if so many have lost that hope.
If there has ever been a time we need it, it is now.
Listen. Jesus is my hope. He should be everyone’s.
Think about it: Hope helps us stay strong, guiding us to overcome challenges and progress despite setbacks (or whoever occupies a political office).
With hope, we gain the strength to dream, set goals, and motivate others!
This is when we will see positive changes in our lives and communities.
Ultimately, having hope is about maintaining an optimistic, faith-filled view.
Do you have that?
Signs you’ve lost hope
Gerald Corey and others, in The Demise of Hope: Observations on Hopelessness in Modern Society, argue that hopelessness is often manifested through various behaviors and psychological patterns.
Let’s use this as something of a self-assessment for you and me.
Are you:
Withdrawing from Relationships?
People experiencing hopelessness often isolate themselves from friends, family, and social activities, including church attendance. They may feel that these relationships are futile or unhelpful in times of distress.
Feeling detached from your usual activities and a sense of indifference?
A clear lack of motivation or interest in life, work, or hobbies often means you may have lost hope. This attitude may demonstrate a belief that you can’t make meaningful changes or contributions.
Negative Self-Talk
What sort of thoughts are moving through your mind?
Internal thoughts about failure, feeling inadequate, or fearing a dark future are highlighted as signs of hopelessness. Just writing about this makes me sad.
Self-sabotaging actions could be a side of hopelessness: In “The Demise of Hope,” hopeless individuals might unconsciously act in ways that reinforce their misery, such as procrastinating or making choices that lead to failure. Do you do this?
Do you have signs of depression or despair? If so, I want you to take this seriously. I’ve felt this way as a result of compounded grief, and it got a tight grip on me. While Jesus is my hope, there is nothing wrong with talking to a mental health professional. Some of the indications of these feelings are neglecting personal hygiene, lack of energy, or frequent crying. Please talk to someone.
Expressing a negative futility all of the time? Verbal expressions of hopelessness, such as “What’s the point?” or “It doesn’t matter,” are highlighted as outward signs of hopelessness in Gerald Corey’s book.
As Christians, we do not EVER need to feel hopeless.
Our faith provides a beacon of hope even in the darkest of times.
I can attest to that because I am in one now. After losing my family (my mom and brother), I felt hopeless.
But, the Bible and the words of Jesus remind me that I am never alone!
Neither are you, Christian Woman. Neither are you.
What makes us lose hope?
Sometimes, when I don’t spend time with God, it’s harder for me to recognize Him at work in our lives.
We can easily lose hope when we don’t spend time with the Lord Jesus.
Listen to me: We find strength, guidance, and encouragement through our connection with Him in our daily lives.
Don’t mess with it. Protect that time, Girl!
We may feel overwhelmed by even the smallest challenges we face when we neglect this connection.
As a result of the distance between us and the Lord, we can become incredibly doubtful.
We might doubt His love, support, and power.
That’s scary.
If Jesus is my hope, I need to stay close to Him so I don’t forget who He is in this world!
He is the God of the universe. The Creator of all things! None is more powerful than Him.
But what we focus on magnifies.
If we focus on what’s happening in the world (and not on the Lord), we can forget how powerful He is.
Turn off the news sometimes. Swap it for your Bible instead!
Neglecting God’s Word Compromises Hope
I cannot say Jesus is my hope without thinking about scripture.
After all, that is how I know Who He is!
God is the hope of our salvation. He is the hope of our lives, He is the hope of our mental health, He is the hope of our ambitions.
Let me show you some scriptures.
| The Good of Hope in the Lord | Scripture to back it up |
| Hope for your life and your future. | “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 |
| Hope for your mental health. | “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.” Psalm 16:9 |
| Hope for your mood. | “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 |
| Hope in pleasing God. | “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147:11 |
We can never lose hope in Jesus!
I mean that as a bit of advice or as an admonition.
I also mean it as a fact.
We will never lose hope if we place our hope in Jesus, the un-FAIL-able, infallible God.
It’s impossible.
Jesus is my hope, and He cannot mess up or make mistakes.
He just cannot.
If you put your hope in the Lord Jesus, you will have peace and joy that transcend any earthly circumstances!
It won’t matter who leaves this world.
It won’t matter who is running it.
All that matters is God is still on the throne!
A deep-seated sense of hope, serenity, and happiness stems from having faith in His promises.
He provides steady support as you face life’s challenges, helping you find true happiness and purpose in all areas of your life.
How do we believe the Bible promises even when life seems hopeless?
It can be very hard to trust the promises of Scripture when we face tough situations that make us doubt.
I think it’s important to remember that in moments of doubt, the Bible offers a reassurance of hope.
The Old Testament
God remained faithful regardless of who the leader or king was in the Bible.
He will remain faithful now.
“Real hope is based on God’s word, not my wishes.” Pastor Rick Warren
By grounding ourselves in prayer, Christian meditation on the Word, and a supportive group of Christian friends, we create space for the assurances embedded in the Bible to bubble to the surface of our hopeless lives.
Feeling sad and skipping out on your Bible or prayer? That’s like forgetting to water a plant and then wondering why it’s looking more wilted than a sad head of lettuce that’s been in your fridge for months!
Instead, drawing close to the Lord and embracing His spiritual truths can give you the strength to persevere. I know I keep saying this over and over, but I hope (no pun intended) that it will be branded on your brain.
I want this truth to stick to you like a toddler to a parent at a crowded grocery store—no escape, no chance of freedom! Ha!
It’s in your head, Anna Mae! Get it? The movie?
Anway.
Hope helps us to keep on going.
The best part is that it will transform our perceptions of hopelessness into opportunities for spiritual maturity and a deeper understanding of God’s unwavering, unending love and faithfulness.
Prayer and Connectedness with God
Jesus is my hope. So, why would I ignore or be lazy about spending time with Him?
Listen, when you feel hopeless, the last thing you need to do is neglect your prayer time. Connecting with Jesus during these moments of despair will provide solace and clarity.
Taking the time to pray can help you find peace amidst the turmoil.
It will guide you towards a renewed strength and hope, which you can only obtain by being in His presence.
Nothing else can provide it.
Nothing else will.
Nothing else can!
Jesus is our living hope.
By reaching out in prayer, you not only get comfort, but you can also open yourself up to the possibility of healing after being injured or hurt.
Jesus is my hope because He makes me feel hopeful. Being with Him allows me to feel His presence deeply.
In my prayer closet, the weight of my worries begins to lift as I express your deepest fears and desires.
He is the One support who will always ‘answer the phone.” Jesus is my hope because He is always available.
Jesus is hope when there is no hope.
Moments of prayer and contemplation remind us of His promises.
The Holy Spirit has a way of planting just the right Bible verse in your heart as you pray.
Do you want peace? Pray.
Desiring comfort? Pray.
Want to renew your hope? Pray.
Whatever is going on…P-R-A-Y!
God is working it out.
I hope this blog post has reminded you never to lose hope.
Place your trust in Jesus. Stay close to HIm, and you will never be disappointed.
He works in good things, He is at work in bad things, He’s even at work in NO THINGS. He’s God.
He’s using everything in our lives for good.
God works all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Yes, Jesus is my hope and anchor!
Without staying connected to your hope Source, you can easily get caught up with what you see, feel, hear, and think, leading you to a place where negativity thrives.
Then, the personal doubts fester.
The hustle and bustle of daily life can drown out the Holy Spirit, making it difficult to maintain a clear perspective.
This disconnection from Jesus (your source of Hope) may result in a loss of direction.
I know I have felt as though I was flailing through life when I abandoned my daily time with the Lord.
Not long after, I felt an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. I couldn’t see the possibilities and potential that lay ahead. All I could see was what was in front of me at that moment, and that was loss.
Therefore, nurturing a steady relationship and communion with your Jesus – your hope Source is absolutely essential.
I love Rick Warren’s sermons. Check this one out about hope.
He said when people are in a storm, they look to everything but God. Maybe that’s why people are looking to politics for hope.
He talks about wishful hope, certain hope, and expected hope. You gotta watch. Great sermon.
Final Recap about My Hope Is in Jesus
You can’t really rely on anything outside of God to keep your life steady.
Christian Woman, true stability and purpose only come from having a connection with the Lord Jesus Christ.
When things get messy and uncertain, it’s that solid faith that keeps us grounded.
It will help us tackle problems and give us peace that nothing else in the world can offer.
As we deal with life’s ups and downs, chasing after quick thrills or stuff usually ends in letdowns; only by trusting God can we find a deeper meaning that cuts through all the chaos around us.
Now. Say it with me: “Jesus is our Source of Hope.”
Sources:
Rodriguez-Hanley, A., & Snyder, C. (2000). The demise of hope. In Elsevier eBooks (pp. 39–54). https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012654050-5/50005-1
