The Wrong Side of Hope
Hopelessness — a feeling that we’ve all felt at one point or another. In a time where the world is divided and in pain, it’s easy to feel like these dark seasons will never end. Let’s define hope for a second. By definition, hope means “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” So, when the world is in times of trouble, where do you place your hope?
Think about the mind of a child. It’s innocent, pure, and completely unclouded by the troubles of the world. A child isn’t filled with worry, wondering if their parents will provide for them — it’s expected that they will. This is why Mark 10:15 (NIV) says, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” God wants His children to live with a hope and a confidence that their Father will always provide.
Why do we place our hope in Jesus? It’s simple: the key to enduring life’s storms is by believing in something greater than ourselves. We all know this, but somehow we still manage to go through life making the storm bigger than our God. From racial injustice to a global pandemic, so many have found themselves in situations of feeling hopeless. But we believe that putting our hope in that secret place — the place that the world can’t touch — is where we get the strength to navigate life with full clarity.
So, how can we do this practically?
1. Get a vision on the storm.
You know how they say to avoid the grocery store when you’re hungry? Well, you should probably avoid making serious decisions until you gain a God perspective. There’s a lot of need and a lot of problems that need to be solved in this world. But they won’t be solved with more worldly solutions. If humanity is the problem, then humanity is not the answer. As hard as it may be to believe this, we’re not experiencing anything that hasn’t already happened in Biblical times. That’s why we need to take our cues from the word of God so that we can fully understand the change that we’re meant to be in this world.
2. Check your idols.
That person you’ve put on a pedestal. That political candidate you trust or fear with your life. That situation that you are letting control your life. That certain dollar amount in your bank account that gives you a false sense of security. Hope is not tied up in humanity, our government, or financial gain. Our hope is tied up in one name: Jesus. The sooner we stop placing our hope in the false gods that surround us, the sooner we can start looking up and placing our faith in the God above us.
3. Train your faith.
Faith is more than just a principle we believe in, it’s a muscle we have to build. In bad situations, our bodies naturally go into fight or flight mode. In the spiritual realm, we go into faith or fear mode. When a situation arises or the news reports another negative headline, you have the power to choose whether or not you’ll be filled with faith or crippled by fear. When we feel that fear start to creep in, arm yourself with the word of God. Remind yourself that God is with you and he’s for you. Speak the word over your life and tell yourself that if there is fear, it didn’t come from God. You know how you can be in the gym and you may not want to do more reps with weights, but somehow you find the strength to keep pushing? That’s what we do when we choose faith. We’re consciously pushing the fear out and pushing ourselves into the arms of Jesus.
How will you challenge yourself this week to place your hope in Jesus?
Watch the full message “The Wrong Side of Hope” on YouTube.
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