Discouragement is a malady of the soul. People simply need encouragement to combat this. Ideally we encourage ourselves daily. But most people need some help and some hope. We frequently hear the phrase “I don’t want to give people false hope”. That bothers me, because hope can never be false. Hope is what people need to keep on keeping on. Hope in the world’s system or even in people can be faulty. But hope in God is always sound.
World War 1 hero Marshal Ferdinand Foch stated “There are no hopeless situations; there are only men and women who have grown hopeless about them”. Things may be hopeless from a human point of view, but with God all things are subject to change! Hope is a God thing. Hope gives us the power to keep on. Hope alone won’t obtain things, but without it, we will give up.
John Maxwell states” when you believe in people, you water the seeds and give them the chance to grow. Every time you put your faith in them, you’re giving life-sustaining water, warmth, food and light.” We should aim to encourage people because we never know who is struggling with discouragement around us. A word of hope can turn the thoughts of discouragement and give the energy to believe again.
God is the author of hope. The apostle Paul stated that God and Jesus give us hope. Hope is a spiritual thing that energizes our soul. Godly hope is defined as anticipation with pleasure, expectation or confidence. It is positive and energizing.
1 Timothy 1:1 “God our Savior and Christ Jesus commanded me to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.”
With God nothing is too hard or too dead for a resurrection. Whether it be a relationship, a personal or financial challenge, just realize with God things can change. Let’s be hope dispensers to the people we meet this week.
For further reading:
