Have you ever felt stuck in a situation or relationship where you felt powerless? When we experience devastating defeat, trauma or a loss of control, it can leave us feeling hopeless.
In these painful moments, we have lost the ability to see what is real.
I have been there. My adult life has been a journey through our child’s cancer battle and my husband’s deployments. We’ve said goodbye and buried friends and their children far too often.
Life is painful. It is full of change that is forced on us and change we sometimes lack the courage to initiate.
If hope is an expectation and desire for something good in the future, then hopelessness is the lack of ability to see better days.
The Bible tells us in Isaiah, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (41:10, New International Version)” and in Proverbs “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (18:10, New International Version).”
Throughout the Bible, there are verses like these telling us our hope is found in God.
Whether we like it or not, we are influenced by the people we surround ourselves with. It is for this reason that lifestyle changes, like healthy eating or going to the gym, work best when our friends join us.
When my daughter was diagnosed with cancer at a young age, I relied heavily on the encouragement and positivity of friends. I distanced myself from the naysayers because my heart was already too heavy with the fear of death. I didn’t need others to weigh it down further. The same was true during my husband’s deployments.
I sought out counselors and Bible studies that fostered hope. I found joy in the journey despite the pain. I found the courage to walk away from communities that didn’t offer support.
Instead, I ran to the hope found in Jesus Christ.
Often the reason we don’t change is that we are too afraid to invite others into our lives.
We allow differences to keep us apart. We need to learn from others with different life experiences. We need to support one another as we struggle together toward hope.
If you are looking for a community of hope, find Cru near you here.
©1994-2020 Cru. All Rights Reserved.
