Written by Kimberly Karns
“A light at the end of the tunnel,” while cliché, can be the most encouraging words to an individual who has fallen into an abyss of depression. Despondency. Despair. Loneliness. Sadly, these adjectives describe the reality for many in our country.
Swallowed by a sinking feeling of hopelessness. The feeling of depression is being in a cage without a key. A person needs to know there is an end in sight; a hope of a better tomorrow.
A variety of circumstances contribute to this slippery slope many find themselves on. Social media pressure and cyber-bullying gives many teenagers anxiety about their image. A loss of job, home, financial reverse, apprehension about the future: all lead to a sense of worthlessness. Many of these events happen through no fault of the individual but the feeling of failure is profound. This numbness, coupled with addiction and vice, can lead to very regrettable and life-altering actions.
Our society lacks a sense of hope – a true hope, a bright promise of a better day. Hope is more than wishing, of wanting a better outcome to our current situation. The strength of a person’s hope comes from the strength of their desire. Hope in God is guaranteed to have a good outcome. Hope in God is based on confidence that God will provide as He has promised. I Peter 5:7 instructs us to cast every care on God because He truly cares for us.
The outcome of active faith is not limited to our own ideals and limitations. God’s outcome will always be perfect, not in our view, but really, what is most profitable. “Exceedingly, abundantly” is how Paul describes the way God does things in Ephesians 3:20. We never have to fear letting go of our problems and allowing God to take over handling them. He is our Creator and knows the beginning from the end. He will never lead us astray. Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to them that love God.”
Putting trust in God should never be identified as a weakness. Rather, it is a reverent person that accepts the fact we are not equipped to face all of life’s ups and downs on our own strength. As mortals, many things supersede our personal resources. When God created man, it was never His design for us to handle our problems on our own. He designed for man to look to Him for guidance as proclaimed in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
A true hope exists! Promises from God are something we can count on if we allow Him to work in our life. There is great sorrow to be spared when one turns to God and allows Him to put the pieces back together. Isaiah 40:31- “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
