Is there any hope?

Nate Carter in his book, God Never Panics, tells the story of an S-4 submarine that was rammed by a merchant ship just off the coast of Massachusetts several years ago. It quickly sank into the cold dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean, trapping the entire crew. Every effort to rescue the crew failed. During one of their attempts a deep-sea diver heard faint tapping coming from the inside of the sunken sub which he recognized as being Morse code containing the message: “Is . . . there . . . any . . . hope?”

Although hope is the wind that propels us forward, it does not keep us from feeling the pressure and strain of life. If you live long enough, chances are that you are going to face some storms. No one can live life entirely free of pain, trouble, and difficulty. We often struggle with internal emotions created by anxiety, stress, burnout, and tension. Anxiety’s assault can rob us of joy and leave us emotionally bankrupt.

Perhaps there has been a time in your life when you asked the question, “Is there any hope?” Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible. Problems and conflict are products of living in this world. Unfortunately, they cannot be avoided. In fact, God’s Word confirms it: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous person, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

Waiting upon God and living in His presence – these are the two spiritual actions that will resurrect hope within you as it increases your faith. God’s Word says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). It is in the moments of crisis that we can feel God’s arms surround us.

If and when we find ourselves facing the kind of difficulties that threaten to overwhelm us there are three principles we can employ that will open the door called hope:

Principle # 1 – Trust in God, not in ourselves. In tough times the human reaction is to panic. We sense our inability and lack of resources to overcome the problem. We sang a song in Sunday School when I was a boy, “God will make a way for me.” God’s Word is clear, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Principle # 2 – Don’t look at circumstances; look to God’s Word. It is easy to become distracted by overwhelming circumstances. When we trust in God every giant is dwarfed, and that will give us hope. Hope is the soil in which the seed of faith germinates. As it grows it becomes the foundation on which faith is built.

Principle # 3 – Don’t run and hide – Accept the challenges you face and give your challenges everything you have. The initial human response to conflict is to withdraw. Some who face difficult problems have the underlying impression that if they run and hide the problems they are facing will disappear. Others view the difficulties they face as a hopeless inevitability. The constructive way to deal with the problems and crises we face is to give everything we have to the challenge, knowing that God is on our side. 

Never forget that God’s Word says, “All things work together for the good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28).” Therefore, when you find yourself assailed by doubts and pummeled by questions, you can rest knowing that God is in control. When you are weak, He is strong. When you are lost, He knows the way. When you are afraid, He is courageous. When you fail, He forgives. When you are persecuted, He defends. When you fall, He is there to catch you. He is sovereign, and that means He is in control.