Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

What would you say?  Is there such a thing as a totally hopeless situation?

Let’s be honest: life is depressing at times, and we’ve all been in despair-inducing circumstances. People of faith should never be hesitant to admit this because the Bible is starkly realistic about our human condition of hopelessness. It differs from any other religious text because it admits the ruin and tragedy of life. In fact, an entire book of the Bible called Ecclesiastes carries the message, that apart from right relationship with God, all is meaningless.

“The Bible reveals that the basis of things is tragic” wrote Oswald Chambers, “and the way out is by redemption.” The Bible, and the faith of the Christian, addresses life as it is and says there is only one God and “His name is Jesus Christ…in Him we see mirrored what the human race will be like on the basis of Redemption.”[1]

Yes, the way out of hopelessness is through redemption. Because Jesus offered Himself up to death in our place, our lives aren’t just temporary time passages.  We have been redeemed from hopelessness. We are free from living meaningless, futile lives that simply end in death.

But we’re here now and Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b) And it’s that word, because that makes all the difference. Because of what He did, if you are a follower of Jesus,

life is never truly hopeless. We can take heart because we have hope that goes far beyond this life.

 

Resource reading: Matthew 9:2-22

[1] Oswald Chambers, Shade of His Hand (Fort Washington: Christian Literature Crusade, 1936), 5.