How You can Hang on to Hope
How can you hang on to hope when everything seems to be working against you? Here is how to stay hopeful no matter the situation.
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. Job 13:15
The troubles, the pain, and adversities of this world, will sometimes cause you to despair and give up hope. But remember, Jesus offers you hope beyond the immediacy of your pain. Alexander Soizhenitsyn knew how to hang on to hope. He was a political prisoner in Russia for many years. Forced to work 12-hour days at hard labor while existing on a starvation diet, he became gravely ill, and doctors warned he would die. One afternoon, he stopped working, even though he knew the guards would beat him severely, he just could not go on any longer.
At that moment, a prisoner-also a follower of Christ-approached him. He had a cane in his hand, and with his cane, he drew a cross in the sand. Soizhentsyn said when he saw that cross, he remembered the anguish his Savior had taken on for him; and he realized that on the cross was where the battle was ultimately won. He got up, went back to work, and survived.
When you hang on to true hope, you can overcome the worst adversity in life! Job said, “But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God (Job 13:3).” The best Person to go to in times of distress is God, desire all the more an audience with Him, for He will never let you down or condemn you. Friends and family members may not have the answers, and they may even sometimes make your situation worse with their words and criticism.
The attitude of Job in Job 13:15 indicates that, because he had not been present to hear the interaction between God and Satan, Job could not know the significance of these words, which delivered a direct answer to Satan’s taunts in verse 1:9 and 2:4-6. Job’s declaration proved his unconditional trust in God. Ultimately for Job, God was enough. Make God the only reality in your life!
Seven Ways to Hang on to Hope
- Acknowledge God as the source of your life.
- Family members and friends will accuse you wrongly because of what you are going through but channel your complaint to God.
- Do not let the voice of people break you down.
- Know that the Lord who knows your ways will help you and after your test you will come out as gold.
- Remain steadfast in your faith.
- Know that God is the righteous judge and will vindicate you.
- Your redeemer lives and will relief you.
Consider this:
- Are you allowing your problems to define you?
- Do you acknowledge that God is the source of your life?
Prayer: Father, You are my Lord and savior! You are my Shepherd; I shall not want. Help me Lord to depend on You no matter the circumstances. Amen!
Read: Job 13:1-15
