Let Hope In Bible Study Lesson

Listen to the news media on any given day, and you probably wonder, Is there any hope left? Soaring energy prices, weather-related catastrophes, economic instability, military conflict, crime, layoffs, suicides—and on and on. Even closer to home, perhaps you struggle with hopelessness about your marriage, children, job, friendships, or other things you hold dear.

We all need hope! When enduring life’s most difficult times, we need to believe that a positive outcome is possible.

• When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.
• When we are overworked and exhausted, hope gives us fresh energy.
• When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits.
• When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.
• When we lose our way and confusion blurs the destination, hope dulls the edge of panic.
• When we fear the worst, hope reminds us that God is still in control.
• When we must endure the consequences of God’s decisions, hope fuels our recovery.
• When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future.
• When we are forced to sit back and wait, hope gives us the patience to trust.
• When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we’re not alone.
• When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope of life beyond the grave gets us through our grief.

Hope isn’t optional. It’s essential to our survival. Hope is as important to us as water is to a fish, as vital as electricity is to a light bulb, as essential as air is to a jumbo jet. Hope is basic to life. We cannot stay on the road to our dreams without it, at least not very far. Many have tried—none successfully. Take away our hope, and our existence is reduced to depression and despair.

When life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope.

Charles R. Swindoll, The Rising Hope: Encouragement for Your Heart (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008).