To Those Who Feel Like Giving Up Hope

Everywhere I look, I see people who have given up hope…on their spouses, children, family, finances, health, etc. They have been disappointed too many times and don’t want to be hurt again, so they give up hope.

The early Jewish Christians were ready to throw in the towel after they realized that living for Christ led to persecution. They were ready to go back to their old ways (the Jewish religious system) and abandon Christ. Many today would rather live the promiscuous life of sex, drugs, alcohol, and doing what they please because it seems easier than living for the Lord.

In order to see hope restored in our lives, we need a few things:

We need our fight back. I’m not talking about beating someone to a bloody pulp or an episode of Jerry Springer. I’m talking about determination…the endurance and perseverance to keep pushing for what we know is right (Read Hebrews 10:35-36).
We need our faith back. We have given up our confidence in God that He is able to do anything. It may not be the way we want it answered, but He is working. Hebrews 11 is full of examples of men and women of faith who believed God when the odds were against them.
We need our freedom back. Freedom is not the ability to do what we want; it is the power to do what we ought. Hebrews 12:1 says we need to lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us. If you are going to reclaim your freedom to live for Jesus, you’ve got to forgive yourself of past sins (especially if you’ve already gotten right with God), forgive others who have sinned against you, and get rid of some negativity in your life. You need people that will speak life into you. You also need to get rid of current sins…addictions, things you put before God, etc. That’s when you get your freedom back!
We need our focus back. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus…” Now is not the time to focus on your problems; it’s time to focus on the One who can solve your problems and make a way to walk through them.

If you feel like giving up hope, it’s soon to quit! This world needs you. If you are a Christian, you may be the only link to Jesus some may ever have. Don’t quit now! Get your fight back! Get your faith back! Get your freedom back! Get your focus back!