Hopelessness affects most people at some point in their lives. Often this phenomenon is situational and short lived, although sometimes hopelessness is a symptom of depression or even a clinically diagnosable disorder. Hopelessness may be identified as a sense of emptiness, withdrawl from family and friends or other aspects of previous involvement or enjoyment, feelings of fear or anxiety, and a lack of purpose or drive (APA, 2015). One may experience a change in sense of self or lack of identity, relationship struggles, work or career challenges, and a loss of life purpose and spiritual engagement.
C. S. Lewis (1980) stated, “Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do” (p. 119). Frankl (2006) suggested that “a man who could not see the end of his ‘provisional existence’ was not able to aim at an ultimate goal in life” (p. 70). All people go through situations in life that seem overwhelming, but hope moves one forward. For those who adhere to Biblical faith in Christ, hope, as Lewis proposes, moves beyond this temporal earth into the realm of the eternal.
Thus, this blog will focus upon the uniqueness of Biblical hope. To begin, hope is found in God’s word (Romans 15:4). Hope is also a strong and trustworthy anchor for one’s soul (Hebrews 6:19). Furthermore, hope grows when trust is placed in God (Jeremiah 17:7) and cultivates joy and peace in one’s life (Romans 15:13). Hope initiates boldness in a believer’s life (2 Corinthians 3:12) and brings breakthrough as all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26). Finally, God is for us! He has good plans for one’s life (Jeremiah 29:11) and works on one’s behalf (Romans 8:31).
King David approached his life circumstance through hope in the Lord. These verses describe how he defined living in hope:
•Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your hearts be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord (Ps. 27:14 AMP).
•Be strong and let your heart take courage, all of you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord! (Ps. 31:24 AMP)
•Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness (Ps. 33:18 AMP).
•And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You (Ps. 39:7 AMP).
Finally, hope is cultivated through gratitude, which is known to increase positive feelings . Questions focused upon hope include: What aspects or things in life are you thankful for? What has happened today that you are thankful for? Who listens to you and supports you in your activities and future goals? What difference does God make in your life?
These are attitude and heart-changing questions. Perhaps you could write the answers to these questions down on paper or write a thank you note to someone who has done something kind for you? Maybe you could tell someone who has brought positive reinforcement or change into your life that you appreciate them? Finally, you can choose to enact gratitude through taking care of yourself, limiting any negativity in your life, enjoying the beauty that surrounds you, and choosing to learn from your failures (Hallet & Donavan, 2019). Most of all, look toward the God who hears and comes to meet our every need (Psalm 52:8-9).
References:
American Psychological Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). APA.
Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning. Beacon Press.
Hallot, K., & Donavan, J. (2019). Trauma treatment toolbox for teens. Pesi Publishing & Media.
Lewis, C. S. (1980). Mere Christianity. Simon & Schuster.
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