Hopeful are the Hopeless

I’m a bit of a Pinterest follower. I know it can suck up a lot of time but I've gotten some neat ideas from the site. And not only have I pinned them but I have actually used them. Anyway, I saw a pin that said, “I feel like I’m always waiting for something that will never happen.” When I read that I thought that that was surely the definition of hopelessness. How sad this person must be to always be longing for something that will never actually occur.  

I’m studying the Beatitudes now and this Pinterest led me to verse 4. I’m stopped in my study with this verse as I take it apart and put it back together. (Yes, my friends call it “cleaning a corner with a toothbrush.”):

Matthew 5:4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

God blesses the hopeless. He makes them happy and hopeful again. One of my favorite theologians and teacher calls this verse, “Happy are the sad.” I say, “Hopeful are the hopeless.”

This word “mourn” is a term of intense grieving over something that is lost or gone forever. Many theologians argue over what that is. I could be the death of a loved one. It could be an irreparable loss. I could be grief of the loss of a relationship with God because of our sin. Whatever it is it is a sorrow so severe that it takes possession and overwhelms. It makes you feel helpless and hopeless. And this is what God blesses?

Yes, Jesus said that in this hopeless situation He shows up with comfort. The happiness doesn't come from the situation but it comes in God’s response to it. He sends comfort through the “comforter.” It’s no accident that the Holy Spirit is called our comforter. The Greek word is “paraclete.” (I know. It reminds me of parakeet too.)  It means the part of our Holy God who consoles, helps, counsels, comforts, encourages, uplifts, refreshes, and stands before the Father on our behalf as our advocate. He is in us and with us and goes before us. We don’t face the awfulness of life alone.

And the best part is that Jesus makes the promise that in this distressing time we will be comforted. It’s not a sometimes or a maybe. We will have the comforter. Now that is hope in our hopeless circumstances. A friend of mine just last week said, “Things are so bad in my life and I’m really going through the wringer. But I don’t know what my state of mind would be if I was not a Christian. God makes it OK.” And I could relate to the feeling. I've been there. And God made it OK. 

God makes it OK.

God gives hope in hopelessness.

God gives us relief that we are not facing things alone.

Something good is going to come of our most retched situations.

Just wait and see.

Happy are the sad.

Hopeful are the hopeless.