Today it seems like many Christians are just existing – not really living. Perhaps that’s you. You have faith, but some days you feel your hope waning.
Maybe you realize the Christian life is a whole lot harder than you had anticipated.
Maybe the demanding twists and turns of life have caused you to lose hope… and even to despair.
But Jesus died and rose again to give you new life – filled with hope.
And if you will embrace Him and experience Him personally in your life, He will walk with you step by step, filling you with joy, faith, and renewed hope.
Here’s how you can regain the hope that’s yours in Christ: Remember “H-O-P-E.”
“H” – God HELPS you. If Jesus died for you, don’t you think He will listen to you and help you in your despair? If you listen very closely, you can hear Jesus calling your name today – just as He did for Mary Magdalene when she despaired at His tomb. New life stood right beside her… He stands right beside you today as well, and He will help you.
“O” – God OPENS to us the possibility of comeback after defeat. Jesus came back, so you can too. Even after sinful failings and defeat, you can be restored and renewed. Peter was a great man in so many ways, but he fell – hard. He wept bitterly over it and must have wondered if Jesus was done with him. But all that stopped when Jesus reached out to him again at Galilee. From then on, Peter was a bold fisher of men. What a comeback!
“P” – He PROVIDES you with an answer in the darkness of doubt. After the Resurrection, “Doubting Thomas” wasn’t there when Jesus revealed Himself to His disciples. And when he heard that Christ was alive, he said he wouldn’t believe it until he put his hand in Jesus’ nail-pierced scars. And guess what? Jesus condescended to this man’s doubt because He knew Thomas really wanted to know Him. God gave cynical Thomas the answer he needed; He can do the same for you.
“E” – He ENABLES you to conquer death. Death is the ultimate and final enemy. And when you know Christ, you know the risen Christ. Because you have a personal relationship with Jesus, you can live every day in the fullness of His power. You can live sustained and strengthened by His presence living in you. You don’t have to wait to get to heaven to enjoy the experience of knowing the Risen Christ; you can know Him now.
Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Just as surely as the sun is going to come up today and tomorrow and the next day by God’s sovereign power, even more certain are the faithfulness, the mercies, and the love of God that are new every morning.
No matter what despair, defeat, doubt, or death you may be facing, every day is a fresh new day to live for Jesus – with hope!
