Faith & Inspiration

The Power of Hope

By Kelli Beaucage

"Well, he's leaving," my friend breathed into the phone. "Everything will be finalized next week." I was speechless. My friend's 15-year marriage had disintegrated, leaving her feeling helpless, empty and confused. I hurt for her as she related the details of her husband's affair with another woman, and her desperate attempts to mend the relationship. In her despair, she had completely lost hope.

As I listened, I knew she needed more than pat answers. She needed something of substance that she could hang on to - and assurance that despite her inner turmoil, she could trust that there would eventually be light at the end of her dark tunnel. What my friend needed was hope.

Hope - such a powerful word, yet so misunderstood in today's society. Many think of hope as merely wishful thinking. However, the Bible defines hope as "confident expectation. "

Loss and Despair

Many people today have lost hope, especially those who have suffered the loss of a marriage, a job, or a loved one through death. Loss tends to paralyse us and create the sense that the future is hopeless. Despair is a lonely place. We feel as though nobody else can identify with our pain, even if they have walked a similar path.

Real comfort doesn't come from the empathy of others, though that can certainly help. Lasting comfort comes when hope is birthed in our hearts - a confident expectation of a good future. There is only one source of this type of hope: God.

Hope for the Future

The Bible is rich with promises of hope, reminding us that God is the source of all comfort. "For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jer. 29:11).

When we place our trust in God, drawing near to him through his Son Jesus Christ, we can have true hope - a confident expectation that He has a good, loving plan for our future. He comforts us in our pain, encourages us in our despair, and provides grace when we feel as though we cannot go on.

As I talked with my friend, I encouraged her in God's loving hope. I assured her that she was valuable beyond measure and reminded her of the many wonderful qualities that God had placed in her. Most of all, I encouraged her to go on with her life, for she was in the hands of truly remarkable God.

If you are experiencing despair, I encourage you to turn your heart to God. As hope is birthed in your heart, you will also receive the grace, power and motivation to go on, with confident expectation of a purposed-filled future.

Kelli Beaucage is a freelance writer and ordained minister. She and her husband, Leonard, pastor a church in Saskatchewan, Canada. If you would like to interact with her about this article, e-mail: kelli@lifetoolsforwomen.com

Do you know God personally? Read:
Peace with God

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