In despair?
Are you in despair? Do you have friends or acquaintances who are despairing of life and its circumstances? If so, there is Good News. Jesus is the hope of the world. The Scriptures tell us that without hope in Jesus, we are the most miserable people.
There are many things in life that we cannot control. Problems with our health, our finances, or our families sometimes come to us through no fault of our own. At other times we may be partially or totally to blame for the problems we face. In any of these situations, Jesus wants us to turn to Him. He wants us to trust Him and wait patiently on Him even when life is at its worst. This is because Jesus is a redeemer. A redeemer is someone who can keep our bad experiences from being wasted. No matter whether our problems are caused by ourselves or someone else, Jesus can use these problems for our good. He wants to use these experiences to show us that He can take what seems very bad and make it into something beautiful.
Sometimes our circumstances can be so frustrating or pathetic that it is hard for us to see light at the end of the tunnel. It is hard for us to imagine how God could bring anything good out of such bad situations. When we feel this way, we must ask God for more faith. God is faithful and will give His children good gifts, including the ability to put their faith in Him. The more we trust Him on a daily basis, the more “natural” it will be to put faith in Him when tough decisions and circumstances stare us in the face in the future.
Jesus Himself knows what it is like to face very difficult experiences. During His time of earthly ministry, he had no place to call home; there was not even a mat in the corner of the room that he could call His. The religious people who called themselves followers of God hated him. A day before his death, all of his close friends deserted him. And as he hung bleeding on a wooden cross, it seemed to him that even God had forsaken him.
Have you ever committed your life to Jesus? If not, now is the time to do so. As you commit your life to Him and follow His teachings, you will find that He is able to lift you from the grip of despair.
Jesus invites us to come to Him. He wants us to taste and see that He is good. This invitation is always open.