First of all, if you've not read this book, let me strongly encourage you to do so. With that being said...
The word "hopeless" is so depressing. Just the word itself conjures thoughts of slumped shoulders, downcast faces, and heavy hearts. Hopeless. Dictionary.com defines hopeless as:
1. providing no hope; beyond optimism or hope; desperate
3. impossible to accomplish, solve, resolve, etc.
4. not able to learn or act, perform, or work as desired; inadequate for the purpose
A few situations currently occurring in my life (in an indirect way) have left me fighting a feeling of hopelessness. The things that I want to happen seem impossible; no, are impossible. They won't just go away, or work themselves out nicely like a TV show. Money won't just appear, relationships won't suddenly mend, sick bodies won't inexplicably become healthy. Unless... we pray. Unless I pray. When God gets involved, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. And if nothing is impossible, then there is always HOPE.
It's easy to say that we always have hope in God when there's no need for hope. When everything is bright and sunny, calm and peaceful, hope is easy. But when nasty words like cancer, divorce, and empty check book appear, hope takes work. It requires some effort to hold onto hope when all seems hopeless. After all, what if I hope, and am disappointed in the long run? I know you've thought this too! But if I say I believe in God and in his Word, then I have to believe it all. the. time. I can't allow those "what-if's" to whisper in my mind. I can't afford to entertain ideas that are contrary to God's perfect Word. After all, "faith is being sure of what we hope for." Certainty leaves no room for doubt. So today, in the face of some hopeless (from a human perspective) situations, I choose hope. I choose to believe in my faithful God. He will never fail. His Word will never fail. Trust it. Count on it. No alternatives, no Plan B. Just pray, then pray some more, and see God come through.
Well said, Merissa. Thanks.
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