Hope so as not to despair?

There are many verses in the Bible that essentially say, “God will give you hope so that you won’t despair."

Hope?

Just so I won’t despair?

That's it?

I was really “hoping” for more than to simply not despair.

But as I thought about it I could understand its value. Hope was keeping me from slipping into despair and that would have led me to making all sorts of bad decisions.

Such thinking has the real possibility of me wallowing in despair for hours and days. I've lost years in despair! No doubt despair is also a predecessor to depression.

All of this happens when we take our eyes off the Lord AND then start to doubt what He has for us, and instead focus on the problem. Who did what. What wasn't fair. And of course the proverbial "WHY" - "Why did this have to happen to me?"

I don't want to go there ever again, and neither should you. It's ugly. People can see it stuck all over you. Really! Who wants to hang-out with despair? it's feels like death. But God gives us hope to keep our eyes on the prize.

How many women and men in the Bible took their eyes off the Lord? Most falling into the spirit of despair. It shows up again and again through-out the Old Testament.

Even if you're not a believer, you will be just as subjected to this law of God just as any believer would. What's worse, you won't have any power greater than yourself to turn to. Friends can't give you sustainable hope. They don't know your whole story. They don't want to know your whole story. They've got their own story to live.

It's when we turn away from God that we miss out on some precious little gems of blessings when challenges come our way. When instead we can turn to God's Hope. His hope - carries us through "the valleys" over to the other side that's filled with green pastures, and there He can restore our souls once again to hope, so as not to despair.

Continue to shine His Light, and be a Traveling Light for the world!