How can we find strength in God's promises when feeling like "my hope has perished"? The Valley of Lost Hope – Lamentations 3:18 “So I say, ‘My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.’ ” The Sudden Turn – Lamentations 3:21-24 “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’ ” What We Learn in the Cry and the Turn • God gives space for honest lament; Scripture records it word-for-word, validating how raw despair can feel. • Hope returns the moment the sufferer “calls to mind” the unchanging character and promises of God. • Strength is not summoned from within but received from the God who is faithful, compassionate, and ever-present. How to Find Strength in God’s Promises When Hope Feels Gone 1. Remember Who God Is • “I, the LORD, do not change” (Malachi 3:6). • “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). • His immutability makes every promise permanently reliable. 2. Recall Specific Promises • Mercy: “His compassions never fail” (Lamentations 3:22). • Presence: “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). • Renewal: “Those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). • Good Purpose: “All things work together for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). • Future Hope: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19). 3. Speak Truth to Your Soul • Like the psalmist: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? … Put your hope in God” (Psalm 42:5). • Replace “my hope has perished” with “great is Your faithfulness.” 4. Shift Eyes from Circumstance to Covenant • Circumstances fluctuate; God’s covenant love (hesed) never does (Psalm 136). • “No word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37). 5. Practice Active Remembrance • Memorize verses—keep them visible on cards or phone lock screens. • Journal daily mercies; yesterday’s list fuels today’s faith. • Sing Scripture-saturated hymns that anchor the mind in truth. 6. Lean on the Body of Christ • “Carry one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). • Hearing others recite God’s promises reinforces them when personal strength feels depleted. Why These Promises Cannot Fail • God’s Character: “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). • Christ’s Fulfillment: “For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20). • Proven Track Record: “Not one word has failed of all the good promises the LORD gave” (Joshua 23:14). A Closing Encouragement When the heart whispers, “My hope has perished,” Scripture answers, “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed.” The same faithful God who carried Jeremiah’s broken nation carries you. Call His promises to mind, cling to them, and watch hope rise anew with every morning’s mercies. |
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