A Prayer for Those Who Feel Hopeless
By Lynette Kittle
"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” - Proverbs 23:18
Sadly life can include disappointments, losses, and heartaches. Because it does, when they happen, it can cause a sense of hopelessness when they seem to affect what we thought was going to be our future. Overnight it can feel like we have no future and all our hopes and dreams have been shattered. Without notice, catastrophic events shut down our daily lives, canceling and changing our plans. Tragedies like 9/11 and the worldwide pandemic stopped transportation and public places in their tracks, limiting our freedom to move freely upon the earth.
For many, hopelessness set in as individuals were separated from friends and family, confined to locations, prevented from traveling to their homes, not knowing when or if they would ever be reunited with loved ones.
Businesses shut down without warning, with owners and staff having no hope of reopening or recovery. What people once thought was their future and security was suddenly closed indefinitely. Even doors to churches were closed and locked. Lately, wars and rumors of wars fill our headlines, along with natural disasters affecting our food sources, fuel supplies, and mobility. Yet, Jesus urged us in Matthew 24:6 not to be alarmed.
Where Does Our Hope Lie?
Because life’s uncertainties seem on the increase, where can we find hope when what we’ve hoped for and planned seems to be passing away? As Christians, we can turn to God, who is unshakable, unmovable, and everlasting, in whom we can put our future hope and trust in without fear. Still, in an ever-changing world, it may be hard for us to wrap our heads around this truth. We’ve become conditioned to having the rug pulled out from under us at a moment’s notice.
Yet with God, we can have confidence He is for us, knowing He seeks to fulfill the desires of our hearts (Proverbs 37:4) and to give us what we ask (Matthew 7:7) and need. Matthew 6:31-32 assures us of His care. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
Our Mighty Fortress
Although it’s often hard for us to have hope and believe we can depend on God. Psalm 18:2 assures us, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Even though the earth seems unstable, our hope is in God; as Proverbs 18:10 describes, “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
Let’s pray:
Dear Father,
Today’s world events and uncertainties bring waves of hopelessness into our daily lives. Help me to not look around at the situations and circumstances but to look up where my help comes from (Psalm 121:1). Cause me to fix my eyes upon You (Hebrews 12:2) because You, oh Lord, are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust (Psalm 91:2).
As well, dear Father, strengthen me to put my hope in You and You alone, not in past experiences, the government, or the world. Thank You for assuring me that You will meet all my needs according to the riches of Your glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Help me to remember how Your compassions never fail, Your mercies are new every morning towards me, and Your faithfulness is great (Lamentations 3:22,23).
Fill me, oh God of hope, with all joy and peace as I trust in You. Overflow me with hope by the power of Your Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). Help me to remember my hope in You does not disappoint and through Your Spirit, You pour out Your love into my heart (Romans 5:5).
Father, strengthen my faith with confidence and my hope in You. Let me rest in Your assurance concerning my future and things unseen, trusting Your faithfulness in my life (Hebrews 11:1).
In Jesus’ name, Amen
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Fizkes
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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