When Hope Feels Distant
“Where then is my hope? As for my hope, who can see it?” – Job 17:15
There are seasons in life where hope feels out of reach. When the weight of loss, misunderstanding, or suffering presses hard, even the strongest believer can feel abandoned, unheard, and questioning the point of it all.
I remember a time when I experienced a deep personal disappointment. A dream I had prayed over for years collapsed in front of me. I felt alone, even though I was surrounded by people. I kept serving, kept smiling, but inside I was tired. My prayers felt empty, my connection to Got was distant and I wasn’t sure how to keep going. That’s when this scripture spoke to me in a new way, not as the cries of a man who had given up, but as the honest expression of someone who desperately needed God to show up. As I kept calling out to Him, He did.
In Job 17, Job doesn’t mask his pain. He tells God how dark things are. But even in his despair, he doesn’t stop talking to God. He doesn’t walk away, he leans in. Job may not see hope in the moment, but he still directs his cries toward God. He knew the only place he would find peace was from the One Who had been with him through it all. That’s powerful.
Here are some ways you can trust your heavenly Father through difficult times, too:
- Talk to God honestly. You don’t have to clean up your prayers. Just talk. Tell Him exactly how you feel. He’s not intimidated by your doubts or questions. He draws near to the brokenhearted.
- Start small with hope. Job couldn’t see it, but hope wasn’t gone, it was just buried under the weight of his grief. Begin by finding one promise in God’s Word to hold onto. Write it down and speak it daily, even if your emotions don’t follow yet.
- Don’t isolate. Job was misunderstood by his closest friends, but that didn’t stop him from seeking God. Find even one person you can be honest with who you trust to encourage you. A pastor, a mentor, or a friend. Sometimes hope comes back through the kindness of someone who listens.
- Keep showing up. Stay in the Word, even if it feels dry. Worship, even if it’s with tears in your eyes. Hope has a way of growing in hearts that keep turning to God, even in the silence.
Today I want to encourage you to follow the example of Job by remembering that hope isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s just the next prayer. The next breath. The decision not to quit. God didn’t rebuke Job for his honesty, He met him in it. He will do the same for you. If today feels heavy, you are not alone. Hope is not lost just because you can’t see it clearly. Jesus is still near, still working, still listening. He promises beauty from ashes and light in the darkness. Let Job’s story remind you that even in your lowest moment, you are never beyond the reach of God’s hand or His plan.
Today’s scripture reading: Job 17
1 “My spirit is crushed, and my life is nearly snuffed out. The grave is ready to receive me.
2 I am surrounded by mockers. I watch how bitterly they taunt me.
3 “You must defend my innocence, O God, since no one else will stand up for me.
4 You have closed their minds to understanding, but do not let them triumph.
5 They betray their friends for their own advantage, so let their children faint with hunger.
6 “God has made a mockery of me among the people; they spit in my face.
7 My eyes are swollen with weeping, and I am but a shadow of my former self.
8 The virtuous are horrified when they see me. The innocent rise up against the ungodly.
9 The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.
10 “As for all of you, come back with a better argument, though I still won’t find a wise man among you.
11 My days are over. My hopes have disappeared. My heart’s desires are broken.
12 These men say that night is day; they claim that the darkness is light.
13 What if I go to the grave and make my bed in darkness?
14 What if I call the grave my father, and the maggot my mother or my sister?
15 Where then is my hope? Can anyone find it?
16 No, my hope will go down with me to the grave. We will rest together in the dust!”
📓 Journal:
- What area of my life feels hopeless right now?
- What is one way I can open my heart to God today, even if I don’t feel strong?
The Daily Dose 