Hope After Hurt Week 1

“Dying of Despair”

Over a ten-year span, it turns out that the one factor most strongly predictive of suicide is not how sick the person is, nor how many symptoms he exhibits, nor how much physical pain he is suffering, nor whether he is rich or poor. The most dangerous factor is a person's sense of hopelessness. The man without hope is the likeliest candidate for suicide. We cannot live without hope.

Hope isn’t just an emotion but an essential life tool.

— Dr. Shane Lopez 

Hope After ___________________ Hurt. 

We often get stuck in the most painful part of our story. 

Handle

Mishandle

Where does it hurt?

Injury

Infection

Romans 12:19 — Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 

Ephesians 4:31 — Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 

Hebrews 12:15 — Be careful that no one fails to get God’s grace. Be careful that no one loses their faith and becomes like a bitter weed growing among you. Someone like that can ruin your whole group.

1 Samuel 1 

2 Elkanah had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 

3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the Lord. 

4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 

5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. 

6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb. 

7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 

8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” 

9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 

10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 

11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 

12 As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 

13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 

14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 

15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. 

16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 

17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 

18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 

19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 

20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.”

How do I handle what I don’t have?

How do I handle being provoked/irritated?

How do I handle the times when my hurt affects others around me?

Hurting people hurt people.

— John Maxwell

How do I handle being misunderstood?

How do I handle when I have to wait?

Galatians 6:9 — And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

What still needs birthed in my life?

“You know we are going to die right?” 

“Maybe. But if we die, we're going to die walking."