Each week these lessons focus on a thought and scriptures that will encourage people who are discouraged and weary. I realized recently that some people are beyond mere discouragement. They have fallen into a state of hopelessness. They can read a dozen devotions and quote scriptures about hope, yet, nothing helps because all hope has slipped away. The New Testament uses the word for ‘hope’ 90 times, which can also be translated expectation, anticipation, confidence, and faith. Those in a state of hopelessness expect and anticipate nothing. Jesus came to a lame man who for thirty-eight years had been laid by a pool at the sheep gate, believed to have healing powers. Jesus asked, “Do you wish to get well (Jn 5:6)?” You would expect the man to say yes. However, he had reached a state of hopelessness and only responded with excuses why he had not received healing. Clearly, for him no hope or anticipation that his situation could change remained in him.
Some today would teach that he just didn’t have enough faith. The lame man is an excellent example that because one’s hope or faith is gone doesn’t mean God has given up on you or that He has no power over your state of hopelessness. On Paul’s journey to Rome, his ship encountered one of the Mediterranean Sea’s ferocious storms. It reached the point when everyone on board including Paul gave up hope. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved (Acts 27:20 NIV). ‘We’ included Luke, the crew, and Paul. Verse 24 further indicates Paul hopelessness when the angel came and said, Do not be afraid, Paul. The grammar literally means, Stop being afraid, Paul. Note that God didn’t say, “Oh! Paul is afraid and has lost hope so there is nothing I can do.” The angel continued the message from God, you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.
A state of hopelessness can lead to the desire for death. After Jezebel’s threats, Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers” (1Ki 19:4). The Lord neither abandoned Elijah nor answered his prayer. Instead, while Elijah was sleeping, God sent an angel that brought him a jar of water and baked him a bread cake. The deepest level of hopelessness happens when a person’s emotional pain reaches a level in which they believe they can’t endure any longer and take their own life. King Saul feared being taken captive fell on his own sword (1 Samuel 31:4). The emotional pain from Judas’ guilt brought him to this point; he went away and hanged himself (Matt 27:5). Yet, there is another side for those who have stared down this precipice of suicide because of their pain—God intervenes. Sadly, I admit I have stood on this ledge more than once but God was working and I’m still here. After an earthquake opened the doors and loosed the chains in the jail at Philippi, the jailer drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here (Acts 16:27, 28)!” Instead, the jailer believed in the Lord Jesus, and received salvation. Death is never the solution.
People can fall into the state of hopelessness through various causes. The man at the pool had put his hope in the wrong things. He blamed people. I have no man to put me into the pool . . . while I am coming, another steps down before me (Jn 5:7). He had placed his hoped in a religious superstition. For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted (v4). Unforgiven sin drove King Saul and Judas. Both could have repented and received forgiveness. It appears that Elijah was hoping for results, which weren’t part of God’s plan.
In the pit of hopelessness, you feel completely alone. Yet, Jesus promised He would never leave us. David wrote, Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me (Psa 139:7-10). Jesus experienced the feeling of abandonment; About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying . . . “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME (Mat 27:46)?” Know that hope still exists even in a state of hopelessness. Our hope is a living hope, the resurrected Christ.
Sustaining Word for the Week: You may be in a state of hopelessness and feel completely alone and that nothing will ever change. He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5).