“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope”(Romans 15:4)
I remember some time ago, when I was in my first ministry, that I took a course on counseling. Quite frankly, I don’t remember much of what was taught in that program, but I will never forget one little phrase that has stuck with me over the years. Here it is, “There’s always hope!” I have often heard people saying something to the effect that a situation or person was simply hopeless. And by a contemporary understanding of this word, it would seem that there are some hopeless situations.
However, there is much hope in understanding this word from a biblical perspective. This word does not speak of something like “I hope it won’t snow this weekend,” or, “I hope we can go to such-and-such an event.”
The Scriptural concept is far more reassuring and consoling. A very basic biblical understanding would be that hope is A CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF THAT WHICH HAS BEEN PROMISED (especially by God, in His Word)!
The nation of Israel was at the threshold of being invaded and conquered by the Babylonians (modern-day Iraq), around the end of the 6th century B.C.
The prophet Jeremiah at the time wrote a little Book entitled “Lamentations.” One of my Bibles introduces this Book with the following words: “In the face of death and destruction, with life seemingly coming apart, Jeremiah turns tragedy into a triumph of faith. God has never failed him in the past. God has promised to remain faithful in the future. In the light of the God he knows and loves, Jeremiah finds hope and comfort.”
Listen to Jeremiah’s words recorded in chapter 3:
“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I hope in Him!’ The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”(Lamentations 3:21-26).
Dear friend, THERE’S ALWAYS HOPE! But you must avail yourself of it!
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