“I feel much better now that I’ve given up hope”
I saw that on a bumper sticker.
Would that really work? Is giving up on hope the answer to hopelessness?
But isn’t giving up on hope a form of hope in hopelessness itself?
And therefore it isn’t giving up on hope at all?
Instead it’s a decision to put one’s hope in cynicism!
Sometimes I feel that way anyway.
Especially at the end of a long week where I’m further behind than when I started.
Dazed. Dizzy. Exhausted.
Reaching desperately for a firm grip within the spinning carousel of life, I sometimes clutch onto the lie of hopelessness.
But does the world stop spinning when we give up hope?
We all know it doesn’t work that way.
Giving in to hopelessness and despair doesn’t lead to peace and serenity.
Just the opposite.
It makes us weak, and strengthens the enemy of our souls.
It reduces our capacity to face life’s challenges.
We lose self-respect, perseverance and character.
Because if we run we will be pursued.
And the strength of the pursuer grows in direct proportion to the loss of our own strength multiplied by the length of our retreat.
Until we are overtaken and consumed.
So what’s the solution?
It’s important to know first what the solution isn’t.
It isn’t giving up on hope.
But it isn’t putting hope into that which is hopeless.
It’s by putting hope in our only hope: Jesus Christ.
The only One who has conquered death and hopelessness on our behalf.
His outstretched hand is an invitation to share his victory and receive the gift of Salvation, eternal life and the steadiness of his firm grip.
We only need grab hold.
Leave a Reply