4 Ways to Gain New Hope

It seems that seasons of faith happen in waves: One minute you’re riding high on the hope of the Lord, and the next minute you’re wiping out, filled with despair. Like any good surfer knows, you just need to pick up your board and head out to the water again—but why does it feel so hard to recover when we feel hopeless?

Here are some ways you can regain your hope, defeat your disappointment, and build your faith.

1. Make a Conscious Decision to Trust God

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Sometimes you have to intentionally remind yourself of what is true. Words matter. What you allow to shape your thinking will shape your outlook and ultimately your faith.

As a believer, you have far more than positive self-talk to lean on. You have the promises of the Lord. God has already declared His intentions toward you, and they are filled with hope. No matter what you are facing right now, you can choose to trust God.

Begin with the choice to say, “I will believe God even here.” When you make that decision, you’re not relying on your own strength; you’re inviting the Lord to strengthen your trust, renew your perspective, and carry you forward by His faithfulness.

2. Welcome Challenges

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:2–5).

Challenges can be seen as difficulties, and things that are difficult can definitely be stressful. Stress can lead to despair, which leads to hopelessness. However, Paul teaches us that these sufferings ultimately lead to us having even more hope. When a challenge presents itself, greet it with courage and the grace of God that’s already on your side.

3. Praise God More

But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more (Psalm 71:14).

The more we praise Him, the more hope we will have. Be in the habit of praising God; it will help you see the small blessings around you and pick up your spirit on hard days and good days alike.

4. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).

Don’t let the weight of the world blind you to the glory of the prize. Keep your eyes fixed on Heaven; the finish line is worth every step.