Written by Dawn Rutan
I recently came across this definition of despair from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
“Despair, ethically regarded, is the voluntary and complete abandonment of all hope of saving one’s soul and of having the means required for that end. It is not a passive state of mind: on the contrary it involves a positive act of the will by which a person deliberately gives over any expectation of ever reaching eternal life”(http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia/view.php?id=3797).
While that may be true in a few cases, I don’t believe it applies to most people who would characterize their current life as “despairing.” Even David and Paul spoke of despair in ways that had nothing to do with the loss of the soul (Psalm 69:20; 2 Corinthians 1:8 and 4:8).
I’ve also seen despair described as the determined doubt or denial of God’s character and ability. I think that definition misses the boat for most folks as well. I can only speak from my own experience, but my times of despair are mostly doubts that anything will improve and doubts of my own ability to endure. I have no doubt that God is in control and that He cares how I feel and what I experience. I don’t know how much free will God actually attributes to us, but it’s the choices that I control that scare me, not the part that God controls.
That actually leads me to a greater appreciation of God’s sovereignty. If He is ultimately in control, then I can trust that He will preserve and sustain me through whatever trials He allows in my life. If He knows my thoughts and has numbered my days as Psalm 139 says, then He knows the limits of my endurance and He can either remove the trials in time or He can further strengthen me by His grace.
“Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 31:23-24 ESV).
“As for You, O Lord, You will not restrain Your mercy from me; Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness will ever preserve me!” (Psalm 40:11).
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22).
Minister, author, and hymn writer John Newton wrote the following in his published letters:
“Your sister is much upon my mind. Her illness grieves me: were it in my power I would quickly remove it: the Lord can, and I hope will, when it has answered the end for which he sent it… I wish you may be enabled to leave her, and yourself, and all your concerns, in his hands. He has a sovereign right to do with us as he pleases; and if we consider what we are, surely we shall confess we have no reason to complain: and to those who seek him, his sovereignty is exercised in a way of grace. All shall work together for good; everything is needful that he sends; nothing can be needful that he withholds” (166).
It seems to me that it is possible to have hope in the midst of despair, or perhaps it’s a matter of semantics. Desperation in this life leads to greater hope in the life to come, as well as greater faith in the One who holds all things together.
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” –Jude 24-25