The
Power of Hope
By
Kelli Beaucage
"Well,
he's leaving," my friend breathed into
the phone. "Everything will be finalized
next week." I was speechless. My friend's
15-year marriage had disintegrated, leaving
her feeling helpless, empty and confused. I
hurt for her as she related the details of her
husband's affair with another woman, and her
desperate attempts to mend the relationship.
In her despair, she had completely lost hope.
As
I listened, I knew she needed more than pat
answers. She needed something of substance that
she could hang on to - and assurance that despite
her inner turmoil, she could trust that there
would eventually be light at the end of her
dark tunnel. What my friend needed was hope.
Hope
- such a powerful word, yet so misunderstood
in today's society. Many think of hope as merely
wishful thinking. However, the Bible defines
hope as "confident expectation. "
Loss
and Despair
Many people today have lost hope, especially
those who have suffered the loss of a marriage,
a job, or a loved one through death. Loss tends
to paralyse us and create the sense that the
future is hopeless. Despair is a lonely place.
We feel as though nobody else can identify with
our pain, even if they have walked a similar
path.
Real
comfort doesn't come from the empathy of others,
though that can certainly help. Lasting comfort
comes when hope is birthed in our hearts - a
confident expectation of a good future. There
is only one source of this type of hope: God.
Hope
for the Future
The Bible is rich with promises of hope, reminding
us that God is the source of all comfort. "For
I know the thoughts that I think towards you,
says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of
evil, to give you a future and a hope"
(Jer. 29:11).
When
we place our trust in God, drawing near to him
through his Son Jesus Christ, we can have true
hope - a confident expectation that He has a
good, loving plan for our future. He comforts
us in our pain, encourages us in our despair,
and provides grace when we feel as though we
cannot go on.
As
I talked with my friend, I encouraged her in
God's loving hope. I assured her that she was
valuable beyond measure and reminded her of
the many wonderful qualities that God had placed
in her. Most of all, I encouraged her to go
on with her life, for she was in the hands of
truly remarkable God.
If
you are experiencing despair, I encourage you
to turn your heart to God. As hope is birthed
in your heart, you will also receive the grace,
power and motivation to go on, with confident
expectation of a purposed-filled future.
Kelli Beaucage is a freelance
writer and ordained minister. She and her husband,
Leonard, pastor a church in Saskatchewan, Canada.
If you would like to interact with her about
this article, e-mail: kelli@lifetoolsforwomen.com
Do
you know God personally? Read:
Peace with God
