We Always Have Hope | God is My Source!

We know a young woman who is going through a time of depression. Joy and happiness are missing from her life. Her life is aimless and she wonders for what purpose was she born? I’m sure that she not the only one who may feel this way. Often young people observe those around them, especially their peers and as a result they perceive that their own lives are stagnant; they do not see any progress. But this is not unusual. You may feel that you are lacking in relationships, status, opportunities, possessions or affluence, yet it is too early to give up. Everyone advances in life at their own pace. The truth is that change usually takes place more slowly than we would like. But the good news is to those who feel that life has passed them by is this: just be patience; one day you will possess all those things you feel are missing.

Now, those who know Christ need not be overwhelmed with lack of purpose or lack of progress. The Bible tells us that, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever,” 1 Peter 1:23. We have been born again by the seed of the word of God which is not a perishable seed but one that is long lasting, it does not pass away.

And because of this new birth we have hope. Hope that we will experience the presence and the power of God in our lives: the Apostle Paul tells us, “God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,” Colossians 1:27. Jesus, the anointed one and his anointing, lives in us. That is our sure hope that we can experience and participate in God’s glory. This is something we can be excited about and looking forward to. God has not abandoned us to face life on our own. He is along side us. Therefore, we must develop our trust and our relationship with him.

To start, one must be firmly committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us plainly in Romans 12:1-2:

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Thus, we need to give fully ourselves over to the Lordship of Christ. Once we do that, we no longer have to worry about running our own lives. We look for him to guide us in the way we should go. And second we need to allow our minds to be renewed through the word of God so we stop thinking like the world thinks and stop following after the things that the world says are important. The things the world offers (pleasure, money, status, power, surface relationships and unrighteous living) will perish but the things God offers (holiness, purpose, fulfillment, peace and joy) are enduring. Those are thing we should seek after.

Those who have committed themselves to the Lordship of Christ and have allow their minds to be renewed are able to utilize their faith to receive the fulfillment of promises of God‘s word. It is not our need that gets God’s attention, but rather our faith in him and obedience to his word. As we patiently apply these principles and allow God time to work things out according to his will then we will one day receive the fulfillment of God’s revelation to us. This is what the writer of Hebrews tells us: “…that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises,” Hebrews 6:12.

Thus, no child of God needs to let depression or his perception of the world dictate his how he feels or allow his hope and joy to vanish. The Lord has given us many promises for us to latch on to such as Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” And John 10:10: “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” So do not allow the devil to rob you of the hope that God has given you. Resist those tendencies to doubt about the abundant life that Jesus wants you to discover and preserver by applying the principles of God’s word so that you will attain all that the Lord has for you.