A second
basic reason for hopelessness comes from not having a sense of mastery in your
life. That leads to helplessness, limitedness, oppression, powerlessness, and
feeling uninspired. And it also leads to a feeling that things can never
change. First let me say that there are a couple of things that will never
change and these things should bring about a sense of comfort: God/Jesus Christ
and His Word. 1 Samuel 15:29 explains this concept: “And also the Glory of
Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should
change His mind.” 1 Samuel 15:29
implies that man changes his mind on a regular basis and therefore change is,
again, inevitable. So, change is a sure thing in everything else in this world.
Ecclesiastes
3:1-8 talks about there being a season for everything under heaven. There’s a
time for opposites to happen in our world. That being true it means things will
not always be the same. There will be change. Look at verses 1, 2, and 4 of the
passage in Ecclesiastes:
There is an appointed time for
everything, And, there is a time for every event under heaven – A time to give
birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted
. . . A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to
dance.
So things
will change. Maybe not always the way we want them to or to the exact opposite
of the way they are right now, but change has its appointed time in our world,
as directed by God.
In
Romans 5:3-5 it tells us that one thing leads to another in an orderly, God
ordained manner. One situation leads to a change in the situation, which leads
to another change until we have hope that does not disappoint:
And not only this, but we also exult in
our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and
perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not
disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
I know I’m nowhere
near exulting in my tribulations, but that doesn’t change the fact that things
will change: from tribulation to perseverance to proven character to hope. I
just haven’t gotten to the hope part, yet.
Along
with this idea that things will never change is the hopeless idea that things
will never get better. However, as Romans 5:3-5 states, things do get better. I
would say hope is better than tribulation. There are also verses and passages
that talk about a future worth living for; things will get better in the
future. I especially like the ideas in 1 Timothy 6:19: “storing up for
themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may
take hold of that which is life indeed.” Ultimately, there’s a better life once
we get to heaven: “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day
and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” {2 Timothy
4:8)
There
are other passages of Scripture that talk about the fact that things might be
uncomfortable or less than desirable right now, but by trusting in God we can
learn to rejoice in the salvation God has provided for us. Psalm 13 tells us
that David felt dismayed, even depressed and had trouble believing that God
would act in a timely manner, that God had forgotten him. His primary questions
all start with “How long . . .” as in how long will God forget him, hide His
face from him, have to rely on his own counsel, have sorrow all day long, and
how long will the enemy win. But David concludes the Psalm with the words of
hope that God will eventually make things better: “But I have trusted in Thy
lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing to the
LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” (Psalm 13:5-6)
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