Despair – the most devastating evil
The evil to which we’re most vulnerable and why it’s Satan’s favorite temptation
Message to my fellow Americans (continued below):
Every where I look today I see the world filled with despair; only a few trust the government – legislative, executive, judicial, the bureaucracy; very few trust the media – broadcast, cable, Internet, social; very few trust our leaders – local, state, federal; it is increasingly difficult to trust our institutions including our churches. What can we do?
The devastating evil of despair
Despair: “the complete loss or absence of hope”
The most wide-spread temptation fomented1 by Satan is despair.
This state of mind removes hope and promotes lethargy2 and inaction. It is “the easy way out” of dealing with the problems humanity faces. The mind bogged down with despair can just “do nothing”.
No need to analyze one’s problems; no need for self-examination to admit the mistakes one has made that cause or at least contribute to the problems; one can just sit on their butt and “let the world pass by”.
One giving in to despair does nothing to protect their family, friends and neighbors from joining them in their despair.
If enough people experience despair, then the whole culture will begin deteriorating rapidly; charlatans, false prophets and would-be dictators will prosper greatly and begin exercising ever more power over the people.
Unmitigated despair leads to individual destruction, broken homes and families, churches and other institutions necessary for a functioning society. Graft and corruption at all levels – local, county, city, state and federal governments – contributes to ever more despair of their citizens.
Despair can lead to exactly what Satan (the adversary) desires – the destruction of humanity including the loss of humanity’s only hope for the future – salvation offered through Jesus, the Christ by the mercy and love of the Creator, God, the Father.
God is the only source of life and hope
Hope: “a confident expectation that something desired will come to pass”
Every human being should be on their knees before God, the Father praising Him and showing our appreciation for giving us life and His love and His mercy.
Every human being makes choices from the day they are born until they die. Many of those choices will result in mistakes; without some guidance, those mistakes far outnumber our successful conclusion to dealing with life’s problems.
The guidance starts when we realize our place in the universe and our belief in our Creator forms. Every human innately knows that there are forces at work in this universe that we not only do not understand but are incapable of understanding.
From that lowly position of knowing that we are hardly different from the animals in our world – all are born or hatched or otherwise come to life, live for a relatively short period and then we die. Our bodies return to the elements from which we’re made and – again – in a relatively short time, all are forgotten and leave little trace that they ever existed.
But – thank God! – those humans who diligently search for meaning in their existence will find knowledge of our Creator and – thank God! – if we learn to listen and continue our search, we’ll hear or read or feel His communication to us.
Once that communication is established and our faith begins to develop, God provides our salvation from despair.
It’s called HOPE!
Hope is the motivation for continuing to live and grow;
Hope is comfort for one who has failed and provides the courage to correct our mistakes and learn to succeed;
Hope is what allows us to forgive others for their mistakes – we know they can do better if they keep trying;
Hope is what makes it worthwhile to work and plan for our future and the future of our families – especially our children. We want their lives to be an improvement upon ours with fewer mistakes (if we teach them) and their ability to start on the highest rung we’ve reached on life’s ladder and thus give them a head start on their lives.
Hope is what allows us to face the death of our parents and others of previous generations and still continue to improve our lives and the lives of future generations.
Hope is what allows us to face the certain knowledge of our own death and that of our peers – we have the hope of a future resurrection and eternal life if we are strong enough to avoid despair.
Hope is a gift from our Creator; it makes life worthwhile; it gives us reason to never give up the struggle to better our own lives and those around us; it gives us reason to share that hope with those experiencing despair and to help lead them to develop their own hope for their future.
Hope believes in the future:
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Ephesians 1:18–21 (NIV84)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11–13 (NIV84)
Hope is based on faith:
1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV84)
Hope requires our waiting with patience:
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:22–25 (NIV84)
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5 (NIV84)
Hope comes from God:
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV84)
