HOPElessness vs. HOPE

HOPElessness vs. HOPE:

The Battle We All Must Face, Fight, and WIN!

By Darlene J. Harris

I want to share a dialogue with you about the war we are engaged in between ¹HOPElessness and HOPE. If we don’t embrace and believe the truth about this war, we are positioning ourselves to be vulnerable to the pitfalls, lies, and dangers of HOPElessness.

I have fought the war between HOPElessness and HOPE. I have struggled with anxiety and depression. I have felt like I was losing my mind. I have felt like the world was crashing in on top of me. I don’t know if you can identify with what I’ve said, but this is the reason HOPE is essential to me. Without HOPE, I believe I would have soon perished.

As you know, abuse of any type ushers in darkness filled with shame, guilt, torture, anger, and self-doubt. Once darkness claims its place in our hearts and minds, the battle begins to take place.

The battle

The battle between HOPElessness and HOPE is real. HOPElessness is often accompanied by despair, while HOPE is accompanied by faith and trust. These are two compelling forces engaged in a battle for our lives.

Listen to the battle.

HOPElessness speaks, “I will not hide because I live front and center for all to see. Your friends and family members will miss or ignore the telltale signs I give. I will see you in your dreams because I get to turn your dreams into nightmares. You will have nightmares over and over again.” When HOPElessness feels it has won, it reiterates, “I have one more cry to make. I am a never-ending pit of coldness and darkness waiting to give you a place to live.”

HOPE interjects, “NO! I have something to say!” HOPE speaks, “I am concerned with your future and not your past. I, HOPE, am about miracles, and I’m about keeping promises. I’m about changing your perspective on life, and I’m about living life to the fullest. I, HOPE, come with certainty and strength! I am not about giving up. Please hear me! There is an answer to all of your questions, but there is a time and a place for everything.”

Faced with a decision.

I don’t want you to think that choosing between Hope and Hopelessness is easy because it is not. Hopelessness pulls on the heartstrings of yesterday and Hope pulls to the future. For me, the grip of anger, shame, and guilt were like a magnet; I had to find another way to live. I chose to be full of Hope.

Whenever I would feel the world caving in on me, I would repeat the 23rd Psalms. Thus, if this Psalms got me through a spell of anxiety, maybe other scriptures would help me too. I found many verses that resonated in my heart, but for this article, I’m choosing Romans 4:18 (NIV) and Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV).

Romans 4:18 (NIV) “Against all HOPE, Abraham in HOPE believed …”

Jeremiah 29:11(NIV), “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.” God kept His promise to the children of Israel. This same promise is applicable today for you and me.

Then the words of a song filled my heart.

“My Hope is Built,” My HOPE is built on nothing less Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name…

You might be faced with this same decision; do you allow HOPE to have its perfect place in your heart, or do you allow HOPElessness to have its way!

What will you choose? Will you believe the words of HOPE even if you don’t always feel HOPEFUL or will you believe the words of HOPElessness? This is the decision you and only you can make!

¹Hopelessness vs. Hope written 03252019

Edited by Tiffany Clark