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Hope - Overcoming Despair and Guilt

Having reached the later years of ones life, there is a lot of water that has gone past under the bridge. All of us at one time have been in a place of despair, sometimes shallow and then sometimes very deep. The innocence of life that we remember as children or youth begins to take on a tarnish of apathy or defilement. The hopes, the dreams, the ideals of youth just don't come forth as we had imagined they would. The world can seem very indifferent, cold, and calloused. If that condition is prolonged life is tough; life is hard, and life is painful. How dark, frightening, and lonely an existence that can lead to. People have tried all sorts of methods; just wanting relief, just wanting love, just wanting to be accepted, just wanting things to change for the good. We have tried the best we knew how, but at times things did not work out the way we wanted. Has that happened to you? It has happened to me. If I had not experienced this I could not write about it.


That one word HOPE; If a person has hope they can get up in the morning and make it through the day. When one has no hope, they are desperate, anxious, and just grabbing at anything within reach. This is a frightening existence.


Many of this generation deal with that very situation in their lives. In this day our emotions are bombarded with all sorts of negative filler; it is too easy to get into trouble and also it is easy to slip into despair. Compounded into that are mistakes, failures, wrong decisions, and shameful actions of our past. We can beat up ourselves unmercifully. What can we do? What will really work?


Our quality of Life depends on our perception of reality. If we are look at life from a perspective of truth we see Gods promises. If we are looking from a perspective of error or deception, we miss them.


What works is to learn about God, especially Jesus Christ His Son. Then ask for his help and follow Him. God has some wonderful promises that if followed will work, for He stands behind his Word. His word is true! As we hold on to these promises our lives change.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."


Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;

20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.


Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."


Ezekiel 18:23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?


Lamentations 3:21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.


Psalm 34: 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.


Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."


John 6:28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."


John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.


John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."


Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."


Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.


Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.

16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Leaning on only our own abilities, life will swallow us up and spit us out. We know our limits. Leaning on the Truth of the Bible will acquaint us with the God who loves us, who will forgive us, and who will then help us up. Listening to the secular world will dishearten and weaken us. Understanding the word of God will give us wonderful hope to rest in the God that loves us and takes care of us. Being aware of the truth, the choice is left up to us.

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