Weeks, Days, Minutes

Disclaimer to today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought: Today I am sharing a message on hope. References are made to substance addiction, divorce, and suicide as three instances where hope is lost. As in all of life's situations there are countless contributing factors and each addiction, divorce, or choice to end one's life is unique. I do not want to oversimplify the complexity of circumstances, yet the faith I have in my God tells me that hope is real and that hope can carry me through whatever life throws my way. Thank you for reading and sharing. Coach Carter

What is it that allows a person to become addicted to a drug? What is that final straw that breaks the camel's back and causes a husband and wife to call it quits and file for divorce? What is the breaking point where someone moves from a state of depression or sorrow and chooses to end their life? These are sobering questions for us all, yet I believe there is a recurring response to each of the questions posed above. When a person feels like there is no way around it, over it, or through it, it is possible that a feeling of hopelessness could enter someone's mind. I believe the moment we lose hope is the beginning of hopeless responses to life's situations and circumstances. Today, I want to encourage you, no, encourage is too light, I want to implore you to never give up and to never quit! The foundation of hope lies in our faith that God has a plan and it is our responsibility to fulfill God's plan regardless of what we are facing. May God's plan be fulfilled in us and through the life we are to live for His Kingdom.

A person can live without food for weeks. When it comes to fluids, the body can only last a few days without water. But, when the topic is hope, a person can become hopeless in a matter of minutes. How is that possible you may be asking? I haven't been there myself, but it is a reality that should not be experienced. Whatever creates that tipping point, the absence of hope is what allows a person to drop into a state of mind where there is no hope left to be found. I started today's message with three questions about addictions, divorces, and the tragic reality of suicide. That is not an all inclusive list of areas in life that are predicated by a loss of hope, but those three hit a cord with me and I wanted to share my thoughts with you today. 

We have been given the ability to choose life or death so we control that choice. Divorce ends just under 50% of all marriages. The choice to give up on your marriage is made with our free will in mind. Substance addiction controls the lives of roughly 50 million people in the United States. People do not choose to be addicted, but there is a choice that is made which continues the pathway of destruction that addictions create. Suicide ranks as one of the leading causes of death for people of all ages. Other than suicide all of the other top causes of death are health related such as heart or liver disease. A person can impact their heart or liver health, but for the most part those are diseases that we ultimately have little control over. Suicide is a mental decision option of which a person ultimately chooses. Where do these three life altering instances cross paths? I firmly believe the answer is found at the point where hope is lost. 

So where is hope nurtured and how is it that any two people in similar situations could have such a varying range in their responses to a life situation? For me, the difference is that my hope is grounded in a promise that has been guaranteed to each of us over and over again throughout the Bible. It sounds easy, almost too easy for me to sit here and proclaim that as long as you trust in God your faith will provide you with a hope that carries us through whatever life throws our way. Instead, I would counter that faith is based in believing, but from there trusting and walking with God takes more than just believing in God. James 2:19 tells us that even demons believe that God is real, but that doesn't mean the evil one places any trust in God. "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." For me, faith is active, growing, developing a stamina which will be there when the trials and tragedies of life hit hardest. When life feels like it is impossible for us to handle, our faith provides us the hope we need through the promise Jesus shared in Mark 10:27 "... with man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." God is able to see us through where this world falls short. 

Romans 8:28 tells us that all thing work together for good, in Isaiah 41:10 God promises that He will be with us and give us strength, and in Luke 1:37 we are told that nothing is impossible with God. I could continue to share scriptures that support trusting in God. Those scriptures are only meaningful and useful if we place our trust in God and allow our faith to create a hope that won't fail. God has a plan, trust Him and allow God to see you through whatever comes your way! 

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. Jeremiah 29:11

Coach Carter