From Helpless to Hopeful

 There are many helpless people facing helpless circumstances. Consider the spouse desperately trying to hold the marriage together with a partner who just wants out. Consider the single parent working themselves to the bone and constantly juggling schedules to make sure the kids are fed, clothed and where they are supposed to be. Think of the worker doing all he can to earn a living for his family. Even working overtime does not meet all the financial obligations in this economy. Take the jilted lover who is broken up and broken hearted. What about the addict who is so stuck and down and out that they cannot see any hope of getting free. 

My mind drifts to a grieving husband who buried his 27 year old wife this week and is left alone to raise their two year old daughter. His world has come unraveled. It seemed like a nightmare only it really happened. He tries to keep things together for his daughter, but his heart and faith are crumbling. He feels helpless. Can he ever become hopeful again? 

There is a path from helpless to hopeful. You will find that path nestled in the pages of the Bible. Consider David. In his early life, he became very popular after killing Goliath. People sang about Him. They celebrated his bravery and accomplishments. King Saul grew jealous. Twice he tried to kill David by hurling a spear at him. He eventually hunted David down like a fugitive who committed a crime. Twice David had the opportunity to kill Saul. He refused to touch God's anointed. 

We find David in a helpless state in I Samuel 22:1. David was on the run from King Saul. He went to an enemy country to find refuge and pretended to be insane letting saliva run down his face and beard. He ended up in the cave of Adullam. In my opinion this is the low point of David's life. The prophet Samuel told David he would be the next king. He is helpless. Even though he married Saul's daughter, that did not save him from the king's jealousy and obsession with killing him. David ran for his life. Everything was unsettled. To make matters worse, some real low life men joined David in the cave. David needed time to regroup, be encouraged in God, but these men sought David's company and leadership. David left his family, friends, and country to preserve his life. 

In that helpless state David wrote Psalm 142. Here are some of the phrases David wrote. "I poured out my complaint before Him." "I declare my trouble before Him." "There is no one who regards me." "There is no escape for me." "No one cares for my soul." David is helpless. He is depressed. Just where the Devil wants a child of God. 

David does not stay there. He finds hope in God. Check out these statements. "Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name." "The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me." That word will is future tense. David is turning to hope as He considers what God will do in the future. 

David also wrote Psalm 34 from this helpless place in the cave of Adullam. He reminds himself of the hope found in God. In verses 18-19, he anchors himself to that hope. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out o of them all." When David wrote the Lord is NEAR to the brokenhearted that means the Lord is present and approachable. He does not leave us in helplessness. He walks with us. He helps us. He delivers us. Even though we face many afflictions, He brings us through them all. Death, disease, divorce, and other difficulties. David went from helpless to hopeful and so can we if we take it to God and wait long enough. He can bring you out of your cave Adullam. He can replace helplessness with hopefulness. We all could use more of that. 

He Wants You to Know

 What if you could slow life down? What if you get your mind to be still for a few moments? What if you could block out the distractions and press your spirit closer to God? What if you could get so still before Him that you knew He was present in that moment? What if you heard each whisper from His mouth? What if He said to you, "I want you to know ...."

God wants you to know you are loved beyond your comprehension. Rom 8:35-39. You are loved on your best days when you do everything right. You are still loved on your worst days when you sin rebelliously even though you know better. You are not loved more on the one than the other day. The depths of His love is unfathomable. Every other love pales in comparison. His love is perfect, unconditional, and enduring. God wants you to know today that His love toward you is not earned. It was His choice. It was His idea. John 3:16, Romans 5:8 You are loved beyond measure. Will you accept that love and let that form the foundation from which you build your life. 

He also wants you to know you can be forgiven. It does not matter what you have done. Such horrible things that you cannot forgive yourself. Such wicked behavior you have kept it secret. You cannot even speak of it to those closest to you. Even though you live with constant guilt, shame, remorse, and under condemnation, forgiveness is available to you. It does not matter what you have done. He is willing to pardon past and present trespasses. Ps 103:12, I John 1:9 His forgiveness is there for the asking. Jesus died to remove that sin. To remove the guilt, shame, and condemnation. We just have to ask Him for it in repentance. 

He also wants you to know you were created with intelligent design. You are not a mistake no matter the circumstances of your conception. God had you in mind. You are also created with purpose. God wants you to know that your life has meaning. That He fashioned you with an assignment in mind. It is your job to seek God for that calling on your life. You may think you have made too many mistakes and that you are too old as life passes you by. It is not too late to start with God. To find a purpose where you are planted. It could be in less than pleasant circumstances. Incarcerated. Homebound due to poor health. Isolated and lonely. In an abusive environment. God can reveal purpose to you. You can become an intercessor. Your testimony can help others battling what you have endured. You can love people others neglect. Your life has purpose and meaning. Ask Him to show you what to do. 

He wants you to know that even if you have failed, you are not a failure. The Bible is filled with people who failed and yet God still used them. He used a prostitute named Rahab. He used an adulterer and murderer in King David. He used an impulsive hot tempered man named Peter. He used a religious terrorist who murdered Christians named Paul. You are not defined by your failures. You are defined by who God says you are. If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you're redeemed and part of His family. You are not a quitter. God put valuable stuff in your life like perseverance and faith to keep trying. 

He wants you to know that life is hard and life is fragile. Painful moments surface. Death happens. People can wound you deeply. In all of that, God is the place we can run and hide. He is the place we can find strength to get through the hard days and long nights. God is always available to help. Psalm 46:1, Ps 50:15 When life gets difficult, God wants us to know that He will not leave us or forsake us. Joshua 1:9 

These are just a few of the things God wants us to know as we journey through life. Maybe one of these things really hit home. Maybe one or more is just what you needed to make it through the day, the night, the trial, the pain, and despair. He just wanted you know He is there and He cares.