There is Hope for the Helpless

Feeling helpless is the worst feeling in the world. I have seen what I thought were some of the strongest people I knew feeling more helpless than any. There are many things that can make someone feel helpless. There are many things that can make us feel hopeless. But, there is hope for the helpless!

Hopeless (adjective) – feeling or causing despair about something.

To be without hope is a very sinking feeling. God’s word tells us there are trials of various kinds. Financial issues, relationship problems, health concerns or diagnosis, and many other negative circumstances.  Hopelessness is a sign of depression or anxiety. Or it could be a symptom of addictions to people (being used for love or sex), drugs, alcohol, gambling, food, or other behavioral addictions. 

Over 3 Decades of Hopelessness and Feeling Helpless

John 5:2-6 MSG

Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, with five alcoves. Hundreds of sick people—blind, crippled, paralyzed—were in these alcoves. One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, “Do you want to get well?”

Talk about feeling hopeless! What hope could possibly be left? You know that when Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?” that he must have thought it was a cruel joke.

All Hope is Lost

We have lost our way. It seems inevitable. No way out. There is no answer. It feels like a cruel joke. There is only pain, numbness, and a dark tunnel – no light at the end.

The strongest people in the world are those who seemingly are facing the end. But somehow, they found their way out. They found hope. They were finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And maybe it wasn’t the easiest road out of a hopeless and helpless situation. But they were able to grab hold and hang on (persist).

Mark 5:25-29

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes (just grab hold), I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

We can put our trust in many things. And even those things can give us temporary hope. A hope that something will change, something will get better. I want to encourage you. There is hope. His name is Jesus Christ. Okay, I am NOT getting all spiritual on you. I am speaking the truth.

There is Hope for the Helpless – It Is Jesus Christ

Jesus is our hope – literally. For Jesus is the living Word of God. Our faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Jesus) which gives us hope. So where is your hope? What do you hope for? Faith (the Word of God which is actually Jesus) is the substance or reality of what we hope for – Hebrews 11:1. See my blog post – Hang On, Help is on its Way.

It is not too late. If you are not already, take every moment of your every-day-walkin’-around-kind-of-life with Jesus. Remember, the supernatural and amazingness of our life and relationship with Jesus should be ordinary to us. That’s our hope, our peace.

Challenge of the Day: Name your struggle. Call it out! Tell it that it has no more power over you (don’t go by your feelings). Speak life – cry out to Jesus. There is hope, there is Jesus (the Living Word of God) for any hopeless situation you face in your life. Your hope is in Jesus. And that’s for real! So be it!