In an episode of the TV series of the New Amsterdam, the story of the depressed American Chinese youth, Amy who stepped off the subway platform onto an oncoming train, tells us that depression is a silent killer. In fact, I heard a pastor once preached that it is the 2nd most deadly disease – next to cancer.
A friend once asked me if I have ever thought to take my own life. Honestly, I have never considered suicide as an option to escape from depression, or to stop the pain, grief or sadness. I have thought about disappearing though. What if I don’t come home.. what if I suddenly died – hit by a truck, or killed by someone, or struck by a serious deadly disease? But most of all, I have asked and longed for Jesus to return soon. Not a very noble longing… hopeful longing so the suffering will end…
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NASB
This is the Bible verse for today. This is often my means of not ‘escaping’ depression but my way of ‘facing’ depression. In a word, it’s called Hope. That is also the word that Dr. Goodman (from the TV series) replied his colleague-oncologist regarding sickness.
Hope is a big word – not as emphasised as love or faith. But it is one of the three that remains. 1 Cor. 13:13 Hope is the sandwich filling… faith, hope and love.
My faith in the Word of God gives me hope and enables me to love. My hope that suffering will end soon allows me to continue and persevere in my suffering. My hope that one day, Jesus will return and I will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air, this hope sustains me to persist in choosing joy.
Faith and hope seem synonymous. Faith supports hope as hope is the evidence of faith. Because I believe, I have hope. Because I trust God’s promises are true, I rejoice in hope to doing better today, to becoming a better person tomorrow.
Because I believe that hubby loves me, I have hope that he is striving to be a better husband and father. This hope enables me to persist in love.
In 2019, my high school batch, Builders ’79 from Hope Christian High School are celebrating our 40th anniversary. A classmate proposed that we use faith, hope and love in our theme. So we agreed on: Giving hope by faith in love… We decided that we will raise money to help people with educational and health care needs. We will give hope because we believe that God has been good to us. We want to pay it forward. We trust that God will enable us to reach our goal. We pray that as we hope and trust, we are covered in love – God’s love, our love for God and for our neighbours.
Love motivates us to give hope. Faith enables us to give hope. Hope is a good thing.
Now faith is the assurance of things HOPED for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
How are you, my friend? Are you living hopefully? What are you hoping for? There is a Filipino saying: Habang may buhay, may pag-asa. As long as there is life, there is hope.
Where is your hope? On what do you place your hope? On people? On circumstances? On your own capabilities? All these things do not last. Only God’s Word is eternal. His promises are true and trustworthy. Read the Bible and know God – He alone is the source of faith, hope and love. These three remain.
Hope is the means to face depression.
