Moments of Despair

When all seems unsure, and life hands you one of those uncertain moments; at the point when tomorrow seems bleak, and the thought of a better day seems inconceivable; when you’ve reached your wits’ end, and have exhausted all your options; it helps to look to God as a rock, an assurance of a better tomorrow.

If you have ever watched the news, you would have, at some point, seen an image of a malnourished child in a war-ravaged zone. Such images, although broadcasted with caution, always stir up deep emotions: emotions and questions laced with anger and compassion towards the people inflicting this pain and the ones who suffer. In as much as you understand that these conflicts are sometimes based on some sort of rational judgment, you can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a better way to resolve the initial argument.

So when I read Bible verses such as, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world”, I appreciate the pain and uncertainty of life, and I am reassured that in spite of how it may seem at the moment, a better day will come. So why do we have to suffer? Why is there so much pain all around us? The truth is that a lot of this pain is caused by the selfishness of men who refuse to obey the golden rule: Love your neighbor as yourself. Why else would someone kill another in an attempt to rob him of his car? Or why would a woman run away with a man who is already married? In truth, humans, by our very nature, are selfish and self-absorbed, and barely have the slightest desire to think about the person next door. So we experience these grave dangers as we go through life.

But God, in His unfathomable mercy, has devised a plan to help us live through our lives with minimal pain. His plan is based solely on having His only son sacrifice his own life. This sacrifice offered everyone mercy in the place of Judgment; a second chance to get it right in the place of eternal condemnation. This sacrifice offers the pathway to a life full of success in the face of failure. As long as you live on this planet burdened with selfishness, you are bound to experience moments of despair when it seems all hell has broken loose and nothing works the way you want it to. In those moments, remember that you have a choice: to continue in the path of human selfishness, or to turn to the path outlined by God, your rock. One thing I can assure you of is that on God’s pathway are the levers to overcome these moments.

So whatever you are despairing about right now, take it as an opportunity to see God act on your behalf as you turn to Him for help. He listens when we pray, He sympathizes when we cry, and He comforts us when we mourn, so turn to Him for help instead of taking your anger out on someone else. When you are down and low, feeling out and finished, turn away from the reality of what confronts you and turn to God in prayer, knowing that He answers whenever we call Him. So stop fretting in your low moments, instead turn to your rock.

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