Question 1

What is the source of hope?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 11:7When the wicked die, their hopes die with them, for they rely on their own feeble strength.Luke 12:16-21Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”It is foolish to hope in our own strength. No matter how talented we are or what we may have accomplished in life, we all eventually will die.Psalm 60:11Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless.Psalm 127:1Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.Psalm 146:3Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.Isaiah 31:1What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers and depending on the strength of human armies instead of looking to the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.Human help is often unreliable and can only do so much.Matthew 6:19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.”1 Timothy 6:17Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.Money and other earthly resources can be lost, destroyed, or stolen, and they won’t matter in the end.Psalm 22:5They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced.Psalm 25:5Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.Psalm 25:21May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.Psalm 33:22Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.Psalm 39:7So, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.Psalm 40:11Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.Psalm 71:5O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.Psalm 130:7O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows.Romans 4:20-21Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.Hebrews 6:18-19So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.God is the only perfect source of hope. Only he is completely truthful, perfectly good and trustworthy. Only he is all-powerful. And only he holds the key to eternal life.

Question 2

How can God help me handle times of hopelessness?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 86:11Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!John 14:6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”1 Corinthians 15:17-20If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.In times of hopelessness, we can find hope by remembering that Christianity is true—God is real, Jesus came and died for our sins, and Jesus rose from the dead.Psalm 10:17Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.Psalm 34:18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.Psalm 40:2He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.Psalm 147:3He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.In times of hopelessness, we can find hope by remembering that God loves and cares for us. He knows, listens, heals, and helps us.2 Samuel 24:14“I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied to Gad. “But let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands.”Psalm 40:11Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.Lamentations 3:22-23The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.Hebrews 10:23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.In times of hopelessness, we can find hope by focusing on God’s character, for he alone is loving, faithful, and merciful.Psalm 119:43, 49, 74, 81Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. . . . Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. . . . May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. . . . I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word.In times of hopelessness, we can find hope by reading God’s promises in his Word.Nehemiah 6:15-16So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.Mark 10:27Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”Luke 1:37“For the word of God will never fail.”Luke 18:27He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”In times of hopelessness, we can find hope by remembering that God specializes in doing the impossible!

Question 3

What can I do when life seems hopeless?

Accepted Answer

1 Samuel 1:1-10Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. . . . Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. . . . Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.Psalm 18:4-6The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.Psalm 61:2From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,Psalm 130:1-2From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.Jonah 2:7As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.When life seems hopeless, we should pray to God, for he alone is the ultimate source of all hope and help.Acts 16:24-25So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.Romans 5:3-5We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.Romans 12:12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.When life seems hopeless, we can sing praises to God, for that will honor the Source of all our hopes.Proverbs 10:28The hopes of the godly result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.Romans 5:1-2Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.Ephesians 2:12In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.When life seems hopeless, we should trust in our sovereign God, for he manages time and eternity.Psalm 27:14Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous.Isaiah 40:31Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.When life seems hopeless, we should patiently trust God to act in his good timing.Haggai 1:9“You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses.”When life seems hopeless, we should continue to submit out r time and other resources to God, for his eternal investments never fail.Psalm 18:4-6The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.Psalm 69:13I keep praying to you, Lord, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation.Hebrews 10:23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.When life seems hopeless, we should keep an eternal perspective, for earthly hurts and troubles will disappear at heaven’s doorstep.

Question 4

What might feelings of hopelessness lead to?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 143:4I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.Feelings of hopelessness can paralyze us with fear, which, then, produces even more hopelessness.Job 6:11“I don’t have the strength to endure. I have nothing to live for.”Feelings of hopelessness can drain our strength, crippling our endurance and leading us to forget our passion and our purpose. Again, that produces even more hopelessness.Ecclesiastes 2:17So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.John 5:5-7One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”Feelings of hopelessness can create bitterness, driving a wedge between us and the people trying to encourage us. When Jesus asked the lame man if he wanted to be healed, the man didn’t answer Jesus’ question. Instead, he began complaining about how no one would help him. His bitterness blinded him to the hope standing right in front of him.Ecclesiastes 9:3It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.Isaiah 22:13-14Instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has revealed this to me: “Till the day you die, you will never be forgiven for this sin.” That is the judgment of the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.Feelings of hopelessness can prompt self-indulgence and an ever-increasing appetite for more. This will produce an ever-increasing hopelessness that we will never be satisfied.Job 17:13-15“What if I go to the grave and make my bed in darkness? What if I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister? Where then is my hope? Can anyone find it?”Psalm 88:15-18I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.Proverbs 13:12Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.1 Thessalonians 4:13Dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.Feelings of hopelessness can lead to despair, which can make us want to give up.Numbers 11:15If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”1 Samuel 31:4Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to run me through and taunt and torture me.” But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.2 Samuel 17:23When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.1 Kings 16:18When Zimri saw that the city had been taken, he went into the citadel of the palace and burned it down over himself and died in the flames.1 Kings 19:4Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”Job 3:20-21“Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.”Job 7:13-15“I think, ‘My bed will comfort me, and sleep will ease my misery,’ but then you shatter me with dreams and terrify me with visions. I would rather be strangled—rather die than suffer like this.”Ecclesiastes 4:1-2Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them. The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless. So I concluded that the dead are better off than the living.Jonah 4:3, 8“Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” . . . And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.Matthew 27:5Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.Feelings of hopelessness can make us feel worthless, sometimes to the point of having suicidal tendencies. This does not mean God has abandoned us. Even Elijah—a great and godly prophet—had a period of great hopelessness in the middle of his ministry. Satan would have loved to see Elijah end his own life during this dark time, but even in despair, Elijah shared his struggles honestly with God. In response, God gave Elijah rest. Then he gave Elijah food. And then, once Elijah was ready, God gave him direction. In fact, God directed Elijah to Elisha, a partner in ministry who could carry on what Elijah had begun. When hopelessness makes us feel worthless, we, too, can turn to God. He cares for us, and he knows what we need. He will provide.

Question 5

How can I maintain hope in discouraging circumstances?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah 31:25“For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”Matthew 11:28Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”Romans 8:27-28The Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.Galatians 6:9So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.Hebrews 12:3Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.We can become discouraged and lose hope when we are weary, tired of difficult circumstances, or not seeing the expected results of our good work. When that happens, we should remember that God is in control and that he is the Source of our rest and hope. Even when we don’t see results, he is working in and through us.Daniel 2:10-19The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.” The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant. Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.Daniel 3:21-28So they tied them [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego] up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed . . . So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. . . . “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” . . . Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.”In discouraging circumstances, we should not panic! Instead, we should start praying. We will discover God’s presence and gain hope.Isaiah 26:3You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!Matthew 6:25-34“Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”Even though our circumstances may be discouraging, if we are pursuing God’s work, he will surely give us what we need to complete anything he has given us to do.Romans 12:12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.If we are losing hope during discouraging circumstances, we should remember that God is sovereign and loving and be patient and prayerful. This will lead us to discover the joy of knowing God cares for us.Psalm 119:43, 74, 81, 114, 147Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. . . . May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. . . . I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word. . . . You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. . . . I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.Romans 15:4Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.During difficult and discouraging circumstances, we should read, study, and apply God’s Word. God’s promises will inspire, encourage, and motivate us.Psalm 62:5Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.Psalm 27:14Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.Psalm 31:24So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!Isaiah 8:17I will wait for the Lord, who has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my hope in him.Isaiah 40:31Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.Although this may not be easy, during discouraging times, we should wait quietly and patiently for God to work. His plans never fail.

Question 6

How can I help those who feel hopeless?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 119:43, 74, 81, 114, 147Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. . . . May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. . . . I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word. . . . You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. . . . I rise early, before the sun is up; I cry out for help and put my hope in your words.Romans 15:4Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.Hebrews 6:18-19So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.Hebrews 10:23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.To help those who are feeling hopeless, we can encourage them to see life from an eternal perspective. When we realize that for believers this life is such a small slice of eternity, our available solutions expand greatly. This life is not all there is, and we see only a tiny part of the picture.Job 29:13“I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.”Job 31:16“Have I refused to help the poor, or crushed the hopes of widows?”Psalm 69:20Their insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn and comfort me.Matthew 5:16“In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”Matthew 25:34-40“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”Hope can grow from the smallest acts of kindness. That may include offering someone a simple comfort, like a glass of water. It may include spending time with them and listening to what’s on their heart. It may mean helping to meet their basic needs or the needs of their loved ones. It may mean coming alongside them in a time of special difficulty, such as a sickness. These actions reflect God’s love, shining light into the dark times of peoples’ lives.

Hopelessness