Hope in difficult times is always possible as we look to the Lord Jesus, our Savior. The people of Israel had drifted away from the Lord and brought judgment on themselves. God sent judgment to wake them up so they could repent. God is merciful and sent judgment to bring restoration.
Like a good parent, the Lord disciplines us not to harm but to correct destructive behavior. Even though Isaiah the prophet had to preach a message of judgment to the people, he also preached a message of hope. Isaiah 12:1 In that day, you will sing: “I will praise you, O Lord! You were angry with me, but not anymore. Now you comfort me. [1]
Isaiah knew that praising the Lord was uplifting and infectious. When we begin to praise the Lord in difficult situations, this helps others do the same thing.
Putting our Hope into Action
We live in a world that seems upside down in many ways because of sin. As believers, we are the light in the darkness. People today are looking for hope, and as believers, we have hope because of our faith in Jesus. When the news is depressing, we have the Good News of Jesus. The Lord has allowed us to intercede for people and the world’s nations. The Lord may call you to pray for someone because no one else is! You are His representative to those who don’t know the Lord as a believer. What a fantastic privilege it is to make a difference.
The Hope We Have in Jesus
Paul writes about our hope in Jesus when we place our faith in Him. Romans 8:24 We were given this hope when we were saved. [2] Just like faith in Jesus, when we have hope, we patiently wait for something we can’t see with our eyes. We have the hope that one day we will live in heaven with Jesus for all eternity. When we build our life on the foundation of Jesus, He has promised that no storm will be able to shake us. As followers of Jesus, we can find hope by believing God’s word even in difficult times.
The Scriptures do not say storms of life will not come. Storms of life can strike anytime and can be overwhelming, but we know that Jesus is always the rock in the storm. Today you may be in a great storm and struggling, but there is always hope in Jesus. The Lord can put the pieces of our lives together again as we trust Him to work out His plan. Psalm 18:2The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.[3]
To learn more about hope in difficult times, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/worship-after-revelation
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.