Hopelessness, a sense of helplessness and pessimism, can be characterized as a perception that the individual has no reason to try. Hopeless people see no relationship between their actions and outcomes. They believe they can do nothing to affect the future and in turn they become less optimistic about it.
Hopelessness may spiral downward within the victim feeling more helpless with each individual failure. If people consistently consider themselves to blame for all their troubles, they may become depressed and helpless, no longer trying to improve their lives. They fail to see any way that can solve the problem and brighten their future. Efforts to assist the hopeless could focus on moving them to a more realistic and optimistic option and help them to focus on God’s power available to them to help meet their needs (J.W. Lund).
Hopelessness is a growing epidemic in the USA, the wealthiest nation on earth with many of the best universities in the world. We want our church to become a Lighthouse of Hope in our community, in our nation, and around the world, through our local, national, and international gospel outreach.
Today’s sermon gives three biblical reasons for hope to overcome the feeling of hopelessness, based on Apostle Paul’s Letters to the Corinthian Church, and the reassuring story of Job in the Old Testament.
