School shootings, murder-suicides, human trafficking, broken homes, opioid drug crisis, terrorist attacks… It’s no wonder prescriptions for depression and anxiety medicines are at an all-time high! Is there any hope at all?

These are the questions of our times.

The age that we live in cries out for justice. Rightfully so. Our youth march on Washington demanding answers, demanding solutions. Unfortunately, there is a terrible reality we must face. We live in a fallen, sinful world. Even our best efforts will only make a dent in eradicating evil from our world. It’s like a physician treating only the symptoms but not the root cause of the disease. In fact, we are incapable of treating the root cause of this disease. For this disease is one we all carry and one that no one has a cure for.

This disease is sin and that sin permeates out from each of us to everything around us and will not truly be dealt with once and for all until the true Prince of Peace reigns.

Our family has experienced great tragedy and loss as I’m sure you have. I am not just offering trite answers to complex situations. Our 17-year-old son was killed in a drunk driving accident on August 30, 2015. Our oldest son almost died that same night and spent several weeks in the Trauma ICU unit and then several more in the inpatient rehab unit learning to walk again.

Yet, we have hope.

Not fanciful thinking.

Not wishing upon a star.

No, our hope only comes from a supernatural source. No human being or anything created can give this kind of hope.

Our family has found God faithful right there in the midst of tragedy and even amid our unanswered questions.

How did we find such hope?

Scripture. God’s Word counteracts a lie that most of us find so easy to believe- that God may have been loving enough to send his son Jesus to die for us, taking care of our biggest need, but he’s not interested in taking care of our little daily issues.
Reflecting on what really matters. Life, death, eternity. Love God. Love others. If I were the devil trying to tempt people to squander their lives, I would simply keep them buried in urgency and obsessed with trivial things. Otherwise, they might just take the time to reflect on life and death in eternity and wake up to the things that matter most.
Keep searching for truth, godly wisdom, and answers to those deep questions.
Allow God’s love and healing into the deepest hurts so He brings the healing that only He can bring. Start by simply talking to Him in a quiet palace where you can be completely honest. Then, wait to hear from Him. He longs to help but is a gentleman and will wait for you to ask!
Set your mind on the hope set before us: Heaven! I know it’s hard to imagine a world without evil. A world without evil people. Without evil deeds, whether they’re done in secret or out in the open. A world where everyone loves God and loves his fellow human being. But Heaven is a reality and a promise for those who long for His coming!
Seize hold of the hope God offers for you today–and don’t let go! Jesus doesn’t just offer us life in some distant future after we have trudged through this miserable life here on Earth. He talks about a life that is available to us now. Hope should rise at the thought that God intends abundant life for us now and in the future. Jesus has said “I come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
When hell’s lies assault your mind (and they will come, trust me!), cling to this promise, dear friend, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13)