Lately, I have been asking myself the same questions the Psalmist wrestles with: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” (Psalm 42:5) I have directly examined my very soul: “Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil?” Do you understand this place of hopelessness? How do you hold on to hope during those “dark nights of the soul’? Where do you go with your despair, discouragement, and doubt?
ACKNOWLEDGING HOPELESSNESS
A few weeks ago, I sank into a pit of despair. Interestingly enough, it took me by surprise. Although I had recently endured unexpected professional setbacks, intensified relational struggles, and a resumption of physical challenges, I was utterly unprepared when the bottom fell out. I landed squarely at the bottom of a deep, dark pit. What did that look like for me?
Feeling hopeless is like being trapped in a suffocating darkness, where every flicker of light seems to fade away, leaving you in a void of uncertainty. A feeling of heaviness anchors you, making even the simplest tasks impossible. Despair muddies your thinking and disturbs your Spirit, rendering you unable to distinguish truth from lies.
Honestly, hopelessness left me isolated in my bedroom, apathetic about the present, and wary of the future. Unmotivated d, insecure, and erratic, I wallowed for a few days until I found my voice and cried out to God.
Like David in Psalm 42, I acknowledged my hopelessness and despair:
As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!Now I am deeply discouraged,
Psalm 42:1-6a (NLT)
but I will remember you—
Reading through the Psalms, I began to understand that hoping in God (even for those of us who call ourselves faithful believers) is not our default reaction in seasons of despair. At least it is not mine. Like David, we must forcefully, honestly, and consistently remind ourselves–by any and every means possible–to put our hope in God, or we will remain hopeless at the bottom of the pit of despair.
UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL HOPE
One of the crucial ways we hold on to hope is first to understand what biblical hope is. John Piper says that biblical hope differs from worldly hope in that it expects something to happen:
“Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future–it expects it to happen.”
Notice the words of David in Psalm 42, even in the middle of his hopelessness: “I will praise him again” and “But I will remember you.” These phrases suggest that because the object of David’s hope rested in His Savior–even though he was discouraged and sad–he knew his hope would return. His hope was not based on circumstances, other people, or even his mental state–his hope was in God alone.
Paul also makes this connection between faith and hope in the New Testament:
Romans 5:1-5 (NLT)Therefore, since 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.
We 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.“
The assurance of hope is for those of us who have been justified by faith in Jesus. It is not based on anything we do or don’t do (amen!) but solely on what Christ did for us. So, feeling hopeless is not something we need to fear or even be ashamed of as Christians–nor is it a permanent condition!
While we will endure problems and trials that can leave us feeling hopeless, God’s Word tells us that these struggles are meant to develop endurance and character (not to lead us to discouragement and defeat). Endurance produces character, and character produces hope. We have hope that suffering will not be the end of our story. This biblical hope does not leave us empty because God has “given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
WHAT BIBLICAL HOPE GIVES US
I will inevitably be let down when I put hope in my health, status, relationships, success, or mental well-being. Health is tenuous, emotions fluctuate, success is relative, people are unreliable, and the economy is unstable.
Biblical hope, however, is rooted in God’s faithfulness: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NIV).
The Bible tells us we receive strength, perspective, and an anchor for our faith in times of doubt and despair when we hold on to hope.
HOPE GIVES US STRENGTH
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
Psalm 62:5-6 (ESV)
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.“
But those who hope in the Lord
Isaiah 40: 31 (NIV)
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.“
HOPE GIVES US PERSPECTIVE
Such 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.“
Romans 15:4 (NLT)
So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.“
2 Corinthians 4:18 (AMP)
HOPE GIVES US AN ANCHOR FOR OUR FAITH
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
Psalm 25:5 (NIV)
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.“
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.“
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
4 WAYS TO HOLD ON TO HOPE
Maybe you’re wondering how I climbed out of the bottomless pit, put on some real clothes, and left the safety of my bedroom! Was it as simple as opening my Bible and reading the Psalms? Yes…and no.
Reading my Bible helped. I had to “preach” the truth forcefully and consistently to drown out the lies. I also spent a lot of time in silence and solitude (trying desperately not to throw myself repeated pity parties) by shutting out the noise to try and hear God’s voice and allow the Spirit to fill me with His love and grace. I also wrote in my journal, listened to good music, and made space to feel all the things…even the most painful, soul-crushing, and heartwrenching.
And here I stand on the other side, trying to offer hope to those barely holding on–I empathize. I relate. I can hold space for you in your hopelessness.
I can also humbly share what God taught me because I know it will not be the last time I experience hopelessness on this side of eternity.
H – HONESTLY HONOR YOUR STRUGGLES
Acknowledge your feelings of hopelessness, discouragement, and despair. Don’t pretend everything is okay when it’s not. And don’t feel ashamed or apologize for how you feel. Confide in a trusted and safe family member, friend, or counselor who will listen and sit with you without judgment or criticism. Allow yourself to feel all the things.
O – OPEN-HEARTEDLY OFFER GOD YOUR DESPAIR
Like David in the Psalms, pour out your heart to God. Bring it all to Him. Don’t hold back from God–He already knows your heart better than you do–but He wants you to come to Him with your pain, doubts, fears, and despair. Get alone with God regularly in silence and solitude, and let Him heal your soul.
P – PERSISTENTLY PRAY GOD’S PROMISES
Preach God’s promises to yourself as often as you can! Keep your Bible open. Write out scripture verses and post them where you will be forced to read them. Memorize God’s Word through songs. The only way to defeat the lies that will keep you stuck in the pit of hopelessness is to fight them with God’s truth.
E – EAGERLY EXPECT GOD TO MOVE
Remember what John Piper said about biblical hope? It expects something good to happen in the future. We know, as believers, that our story ends well and that future glory awaits everyone who trusts in Jesus. But God is working for your good right here and now. Expect God to move because He is faithful and good!
BIBLE VERSES AND QUOTATIONS ABOUT HOPE
Because I know that even the simplest tasks become overwhelming when you struggle to hold onto hope, I created this list of my favorite Bible verses and quotations about hope. You can download and print it for yourself or a friend who may need to know there are ways to hold onto hope, even in seasons of despair.
LET’S HOLD ON TO HOPE TOGETHER!
My sincere prayer for you echoes Paul’s words to the church in Rome:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.“
Romans 15:13 (NLT)
I want you not only to hold on to hope but to overflow with hope as God’s Spirit fills you with His love, joy, and peace. It is possible, my friends! The kind of hope God gives is an anchor for the soul–not to weigh us down but to keep us secure.
AT THE CROSSROADS wants to offer you a safe place to pause, pray, and process as you struggle with the pain and isolation of feeling hopeless. If you put your hand in mine, we can walk this part of our faith journey together (remember, I have been there!). Sign up by filling out the form below, and you will receive weekly blog posts, monthly newsletters, free faith resources, and more!
If this post spoke to you in any way or if you know someone who would be encouraged by reading it, would you mind leaving a comment, sharing it on social media, or even letting a friend know? My heart is to help as many people connect faith and life, even when it is complicated, messy, and uncomfortable. And I would love to have you along for the journey!
thank you…… i need this so much right now
Praying that you can lean into God to provide you hope during your difficult season. So grateful that this post spoke to you!
Thank you. These words had been very helpful. Knowing that am not alone. There are others who are facing the same struggle.
This is a beautiful way to hold on to hope even in the trials. Thank you for this, my friend!
I appreciate your kind words! Thankful that God provides hope that anchors our soul during seasons of doubt and discouragement.
Your blog post brought me comfort and reminded me to put my hope in God and not in external circumstances, at a time when I am dealing with a difficult situation . Thank you for sharing. Amen.
So thankful that the post brought you hope, Alivia! I will continue to pray that you lean into the Lord and trust Him, despite your fears. He is faithful, and we can trust His promises.