Finding Hope In Hard Times “Hope For Your Circumstances”

1 Page 1 Building Lives With Purpose Through His POWER Prayer / Outreach / Worship / Edification / Relationships Copyright 2009 Dale Satrum. All rights reserved. Finding hope In hard Times hope For Your circumstances (Part 3) Intro: How do we find the hope to keep going even in the midst of painful circumstances ? Doesn t it just seem to be getting worse? With all that is going on in our economy and around the world, now we have to worry about a possible pandemic!

2 Our circumstances have not improved? What do we do? How do we cling to some hope despite the circumstances ? Today I want to give you 4 Biblical truths that produce hope even in the midst of our painful when life seems out of control. I. Negative circumstances Are Normal I Peter 4:12 Dear friends, don t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. (NLT) John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.

3 But take heart, because I have overcome the world. (NLT) A. Negative circumstances are part of a fallen world 1. If we embrace negative circumstances as something strange and abnormal, we will always struggle with hope . If we have a belief that nothing bad / painful / or uncomfortable should happen, we re going to be hopeless most of the time. 2. Peter tells us don t be surprised . Jesus promised trials and sorrows. We live in a fallen sinful world with fallen sinful people.

4 Therefore, bad circumstances are going to happen to us. 3. This doesn t mean we live in fear and dread of the next negative event. It just means we embrace reality. In this world, people lose their jobs / have financial struggles / get sick / car accidents / natural disasters / suicide bombers / people get divorced / abused / children are born with birth defects. 4. Everyone in this life experiences negative circumstances just from being in this world.

5 No matter who you are! It is amazing to me how many people have this perspective of me that nothing negative ever happens. I have had 2 root canals in one month / optic nerve in right eye is 50% gone eye drops / 3 years ago my family was in a car accident / I still get moles in my yard! Mailing Address: PO Box 797 Molalla, OR 97038 Pastor Dale Satrum Phone: 503-829-5101 Fax: 503-829-9502 Page 2 Building Lives With Purpose Through His POWER Prayer / Outreach / Worship / Edification / Relationships Copyright 2009 Dale Satrum.

6 All rights reserved. 5. I don t tell you these things to complain or to make you feel sorry for me. I tell you these things so that you understand I am in the same world you are! The one that s painful! We re in this thing together! We all live in this fallen world. B. Negative circumstances do not indicate God s punishment 1. It is so important to not draw this conclusion. Haven t you done this? God, what are you doing? Did I do something wrong? God is the One you need when things go south.

7 If you think He s punishing you, you will avoid Him rather than draw near to Him. 2. Never doubt God s unconditional love for you. Once you doubt this, you lose all hope ! This is what some of you are doing right now in the midst of your circumstances . You are doubting God s love / His goodness / His grace and mercy towards you. AND, you are losing all hope because of this! (character of God) 3. Negative circumstances are the result of living in this fallen world.

8 At other Times , they can be the result of our own poor choices in this life. I know I can be my own worst enemy. Some of my pain is self-inflicted. 4. Instead of drawing a conclusion that will cause me to avoid God, we need to draw a conclusion that will cause me to run to Him. Therefore, when we experience negative / painful situations, we should put our trust in the God who loves us and give Him our undivided attention. WHY? 5.

9 Since God knows painful circumstances are part of life, He doesn t waste them. Therefore, if we truly want to experience hope , we need to give God our attention during these Times . These are Times for divine instruction. You may be in the midst of some very stressful / painful circumstances and you re wondering if God wants your attention. The answer is YES! II. God Uses Negative circumstances To Develop Our Maturity Rom. 5:3-5 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.

10 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (NLT) James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.