Give people hope
People are sustained and kept by hope. Hope is a very important thing for a person. The Bible makes us realise that even the timing of hope is important.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12). It is not enough to give people hope. Hope must be given in time!
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Do you wonder why people do not stay in a company, a club, a church or a group for very long?
Perhaps there is not much hope in that group for the future. Perhaps they cannot see good things in store for them in the future.
Perhaps they do not see what that group will do for them in the years ahead.
Ways to give hope
Give people hope by making them promises and keeping them.
Every time you break a promise, you erode people’s trust in you. It is very difficult to make people trust you.
When people do not trust you, they will not follow you. The whole of Jesus’ ministry was centred on a promise for the future.
…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also; John 14:2,3.
Jesus’ disciples were made to believe that there were good things in store for them in the future. They knew that Jesus would keep his promise so they had hope.
Give people hope by preaching the Word of God to them.
The Word of God is full of hope. Anyone who preaches the Word of God will not minister discouragement, disappointment and disillusionment.
The bible says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63). The word of God is life! The word of God gives hope!
Rewards
Give people hope by speaking more about rewards than punishment.
People need hope! Discouragement kills! They had hope in the glory and the rewards of Heaven. This was a great source of motivation to them.
You must understand that Jesus’ disciples were so highly motivated that they left their secular jobs for the ministry.
They eventually died for their beliefs, knowing that, "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (Revelation 21:14).
The disciples had hope! Jesus told them, "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:28-30).
Examples
Give people hope by showing positive examples that inspire hope.
In your business or church, you must accept the fact that people need to be motivated. The key to having motivated people is “hope for the future”.
That is why Jesus often spoke of Heaven and the rewards that await his faithful servants. If you want to inspire pilots for instance, show them how many pilots have successfully flown for years and eventually retired.
That is the sort of example that will give hope. If you want to inspire pastors, show them examples of ministers who have made it in ministry.
If you want to inspire young people, show them the example of Joseph who bent over backwards to honour God.
Building
Give people hope by building permanent structures.
People have more hope in permanent things. It is natural to gravitate towards something that is more permanent.
Every pastor who puts up a building inspires hope in his congregation. May you build things that bring hope to those who follow you!
The story is told of an experiment with a mouse that was dropped in a bucket of water in a dark room. It gave up hope and drowned.
The control was another mouse in the same circumstances with a little light coming from a corner of the ceiling.
This mouse strived to survive because of the little light it saw. Many things discourage us but we need hope. We need hope to keep us in high spirits.
May you be a source of hope to someone today! Remember that Jesus loves you, in particular!
The writer is the founder of the Lighthouse Group of churches. E-mail: [email protected]