despair | Thoughts About God

From God’s Perspective

Thoughts_About_God — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:06:44 +0000

“We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (JB)

The Thessalonian church had buried her share of loved ones. And the apostle wanted the members who remained to be at peace regarding the ones who had gone ahead. Many of you have buried loved ones as well. And just as God spoke to them, he speaks to you.

If you’ll celebrate a marriage anniversary alone this year, he speaks to you.

If your child made it to heaven before making it to kindergarten, he speaks to you.

If you lost a loved one in violence, if you learned more than you want to know about disease, if your dreams were buried as they lowered the casket, God speaks to you.

He speaks to all of us who have stood or will stand in the soft dirt near an open grave. And to us he gives this confident word: “I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies so that when it happens, you will not be full of sorrow, as those who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and then came back to life again, we can also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him all the Christians who have died” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 TLB).

God transforms our hopeless grief into hope-filled grief. How? By telling us that we will see our loved ones again.

Isn’t that what we want to believe? We long to know that our loved ones are safe in death. We long for the reassurance that the soul goes immediately to be with God. But dare we believe it? Can we believe it? According to the Bible, we can.

Scripture is surprisingly quiet about this phase of our lives. When speaking about the period between the death of the body and the resurrection of the body, the Bible doesn’t shout; it just whispers. But at the confluence of these whispers, a firm voice is heard. This authoritative voice assures us that at death the Christian immediately enters into the presence of God and enjoys conscious fellowship with the Father and with those who have gone before.

Where do I get such ideas? Listen to some of the whispers:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” (Philippians 1:21-23 NIV)

We don’t like to say good-bye to those we love. But if what the Bible says about heaven is true, and I believe it is, then the ultimate prayer, the ultimate answered prayer, is heaven.

It is right for us to weep, but there is no need for us to despair. They had pain here. They have no pain there. They struggled here. They have no struggles there. You and I might wonder why God took them home. But they don’t. They understand. They are, at this very moment, at peace in the presence of God.

by Max Lucado
used by permission

From: For These Tough Times: Reaching Toward Heaven for Hope and Healing
(Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006)

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about-max/

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A Good, Healthy Struggle

Thoughts_About_God — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:06:11 +0000

God is using your struggles to toughen you up!

It’s like viewing a movie after you’ve read the book. When something bad happens, everyone else gasps at the crisis on the screen. Not you. Why? You’ve read the book. You know how the good guy gets out of the tight spot.

God views your life with the same confidence. He’s not only read your story, he wrote it. His perspective is different, and his purpose is clear. One of God’s cures for weak faith? A good, healthy struggle.

Consider it a gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. Under pressure, your faith-life is forced into open and shows its true colors. Scripture says,

“let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”(James 1:2-3)

Join with the Old Testament prophet Isaiah who resolved,

“I will trust in him and not be afraid!” (Isaiah 12:2)

By Max Lucado
Used by permission
From: Come Thirsty

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about/

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

The Despair of Self

Devotionals — Mon, 19 May 2025 07:06:40 +0000

“If we love our Christian brothers and sisters it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life.” 1 John 3:14

When the truth of God touches our hearts, we know we cannot overcome the hardness of heart and pride just by the force of our own reason. It is only through death to ourselves that we can pass into life. There is no real conversion from the life of sin until we realize that our whole nature must be parted with, but we discover that in ourselves we cannot do it.

Through this despair we lose all our life to find a new one in God. Here faith, hope and true seeking for God are born. But up to this point, faith and hope and turning to God in prayer have been practiced only by obligation and method. They are not living qualities of a new birth until we have stopped feeling any confidence in ourselves.

We must feel within the reach of divine love. We must feel that God created us to be a habitation of His own life and Holy Spirit. In dealing with us, LOVE is God’s bait. It will put its hook into the heart and make us realize that nothing is so strong, so irresistible, as divine love.

By Andrew Murray

From: ‘Teach Me to Pray’
Used by permission.
published by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

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Sacred Romance

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In Her Brokenness

Devotionals — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:01:48 +0000

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

Author Carol Kent lived by her Daily Scheduler! You might say she was “just a bit driven!” classic workaholic. In fact, her sense of accomplishment came only when she checked off the things on her ever-present “to-do” list!

But she tells of the day when a major crisis in her life left her totally heartbroken. And there was nothing on her “list” that could fix it! She says,

“I discovered when you’re at the bottom emotionally and spiritually and all your resources have been used up, Jesus is enough!”

Now Carol calls herself a “recovering workaholic.” She deeply feels the pain of others, weeps with those in despair… understands their hurt and their brokenness.

My dear friend, someone in your life needs you. Today, put reaching out to that one friend right at the top of your “to do” list. Show her Jesus!

By Vonette Bright
used by permissions

Feeling or Fact: What Will You Stand On?

Thoughts_About_God — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 08:01:21 +0000

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” Deuteronomy 31:8

Let me be very honest with you: I don’t always feel God’s presence. Sometimes He seems a million miles away. Sometimes He doesn’t even seem real. Can you relate? What do you do during times like that?

I know that feelings are not reliable. They change according to the weather or what’s happening in my life. God’s word does not change. No matter what our circumstances, God is present. He has said, “I will never leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) He is the same compassionate God on good days as He is on bad days.

So, what am I going to stand on – facts or feelings? I must choose, then act accordingly. Let me share with you two exercises that help me lift my mood from despair to hope.

1. Singing God’s truths. One of my morning routines is to spend twenty minutes on the treadmill. About eight in the morning, I grab a hymn book and head for the exercise room. While I’m on the treadmill I sing God’s praises.

2. Repeating God’s truths. I write out a Bible verse so I can read it again during the day. Sometimes I say it out loud and then I add, “This is the truth and I stand on it.”

Some of the verses I use are:

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22,23).

As I affirm God’s truths, my feelings catch on to the message and move over from despair to hope.

Jesus, I thank you that you have said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18) Knowing that you are with me now, I will move ahead with confidence. Amen.

Questions: Have you been struggling with despair? Are you relying on feelings instead of fact? How can you affirm God’s truth in your life today?

By Helen Lescheid
Used by Permission

The Cry of the Hungry and Thirsty

Devotionals — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 09:01:19 +0000

What happens to us, as Christ seekers, when ill winds of adversity whip around us?

The cry of the heart….“We would see Jesus.” (John 12:21 KJV)

The cry of the hungry and thirsty…a cry that sometimes cannot be identified. Some nebulous something or other.

Yet, most of the time, those who cry out don’t even know they are searching, for, they (we) attempt to fill that void in our lives by pursuing all sorts of other things.

But what happens to us, as Christ seekers, when those ill winds of adversity whip around us? Many times, we fall apart.

Cries can be heard in the wilderness. We cry out in our hunger and thirst. We find no comfort, no peace.

And yet, sometimes, the Lord allures, persuades, and draws His people into wilderness valleys. Hosea said, “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there.” (Hosea 2:14-15a NKJV)

The only word used in the Old Testament for wilderness is midbar. It doesn’t mean a sandy desert; it means a pasture (as an open field, where cattle are driven) and implies the meaning of a desert as a deserted place. It also means speech and comes from a word meaning to speak.

Wilderness is a lonely, uninhabited wasteland, yet, a place where God will draw you in order to speak to you. Where you are set apart from the madding crowd.

To a place filled with His presence.

A place where He will speak comfort to you.

In the Hosea verse, comfort (or comfortably) actually means heart and also means speak into a heart tenderly, friendly, and comfortably.

So there, in the midst of your heartache, your afflictions, your trials, He will speak tender comfort to your heart and bring forth vineyards from the Valley of Achor, meaning the valley of trouble.

Vineyards, as a fertile place, a place of growth in circumstances, a place to glean a harvest, this is where Jesus will meet you. And you will sing there, as Hosea said.

The Hebrew word for sing means ‘to heed, to pay attention, to respond, to begin to speak, specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce.

So that which causes affliction, as the valley of troubles, will be an entrance, a gateway to hope, as a cord of expectancy.

Oh, to see Jesus when we are in that lonely wasteland of hopelessness, to walk with Him there, to hear Him speak comfort to our discouraged soul, that we may pay attention to His voice. And there, we will find our vineyards, as sustenance, supply, and growth, in Him.

Our hope is renewed in Him. And we sing His praises, for that which had been a source of calamity has become a source of redemption and blessing.

A valley of trouble. A strange place to find vineyards, isn’t it? But it is God’s doing.

“This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:23 NKJV)

Yes, God knows your need while you’re in that wilderness experience. He knows how long you’re to stay there and just what you need while you’re there. Mainly, you need Him.

And Jesus is there to walk you through the wilderness and to bring you out of it.

The cry of the hungry and thirsty? Yes…

“We would see Jesus.” (John 12:21 KJV)

By Lynn Mosher
Used by Permission

Collapsing Floors

Devotionals — Tue, 07 Nov 2017 09:01:14 +0000

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9

A recent newspaper article reported the story of a sad accident in a small town. When over 100 people gathered in a small room built over a garage, the floor gave way under the weight and the crowd fell through the splintered wood. While none was injured seriously, several received medical treatment for minor wounds. It was reported that onlookers rushed into the garage using strong beams in an attempt to brace up what was left of the floor, but their efforts proved futile.

Calvin Miller writes, “Christ is the grand overcomer. By receiving Jesus into our lives, we erect the inner bracing (emphasis mine) that enables us to withstand the pressure of all our outer circumstances…we gain the power to control life and not be crushed by it…”* The pressures of people, circumstances and perhaps even malicious evil threaten to destroy the foundations of life. Prolonged illness, extended periods of joblessness, betrayal by those we thought friends make us feel as though everything we trusted to provide stability has disappeared.

The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to live with “collapsing floors.” In writing to his friends he said, “We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going…We live under constant danger to our lives because we serve the Lord, but this gives us constant opportunities to show forth the power of Jesus Christ within our dying bodies 2 Corinthians 4:9-11 (The Living Bible).

And the same message Paul heard from God in the midst of his troubles is for us: “(God) said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Thank you, Father, for the “collapsing floors” of my life because I am learning to know that you will never leave nor forsake me.

Take time this week to thank God for the difficulties you have faced, and for how God has provided stability in the midst of them.

*Into the Depths of God by Calvin Miller

By Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission

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RATS

Devotionals — Tue, 19 Apr 2016 11:00:46 +0000

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalms 27:13-14, NASB

In a Behavioral Psychology class years ago, I remember hearing about an experiment with rats. The rats were put in a tub where they swam till they were close to drowning and then removed. A short time later they were placed in the tub again. Their survival time increased significantly. Why? It was the hope that they would once again be rescued. Hope is a powerful motivator, even for rats.

In the dark moments of my soul when I feel like I’m going down for the count, I identify with the Psalmist in his despair. A shadowy gloom can lead me to hidden recesses of blackness if left unchecked. But this hopelessness can be replaced by anticipation that there is a good God who will act!

This God who is good also has all power, knows every detail of my life, and loves me with a perfect unconditional love. This confidence in God allows me to lift my head to face the overwhelming dark moments with incredible hope.

Our hope as Christ-followers is not an optimism that the circumstances will necessarily change, but rather a conviction that God will give us the needed resources to walk forward. With this realization, the darkness fades and our hearts take courage in the hope of God’s love and presence.

Dear Father, Thank You for Your goodness, love, presence, and power that brings hope to the despairing and courage to the fearful. I will wait for you. Amen

Read Isaiah 40 and reflect on the character of God.

By Mike Woodard

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