After a diet/trivia question gone wrong, I perused the internet to find out how long someone could live without food. I stumbled across an article written a long time ago about an old survival rule of thumb called the “Rule of Threes.” The rule of threes says you will live:
- Three weeks without food
- Three days without water
- Three hours without shelter
- Three minutes without air
And then, as I scrolled down into the comments section I came across an appended list that added “Three seconds without HOPE.”
That really hit me.
No matter what we are going through, we have to have hope. Hope in something, anything, is essential or life just wouldn’t be without living. Just thinking about living a life without something to hope in and look forward to is crippling.
Where do we go to find hope?
Automatically I think of my loved ones. They give me hope. I want to grow closer to them, grow with them, and see them succeed. For some people it is treasured possessions, like a house they adore, the goal of being able to purchase something they want. For some people it is a steady bank account.
But the more that I think about it the more I realize that people and things can’t give us the kind of eternal hope that we desire. As much as I would be crushed if my family were taken from me, I see evidence each day that life is fragile. You won’t find hope in a book (although you should try this one), house, bank, or possession. They can be taken in an instant. They won’t give you eternal security.
Do you want hope? Infinite hope?
The hope that can come from being a believer in Jesus can give you something that will give you endless hope. Knowing that our God sent his Son to die for our sins should give you enough hope to overcome anything you go through in life. Even physical pain and suffering, to the point of death, is overshadowed by eternal life in heaven.
This hope is certain, it’s not a suggestion. These promises have and will stand the test of time. It’s reassuring to know in the back of your mind that not only will God not give you more than you can stand, but even to the point of physical death all is not lost. In addition, when you go through trials when all you can think about is your faith in God, it will affirm your belief in him.
You might be without hope right now. I hope not, but I can promise you the only true hope you can have that will last past 3 seconds, hours, days, and weeks is being a follower of God. He promises that believing in Him leads to eternal life in heaven.
Put your faith in God if you haven’t already. If you have, understand that God’s promises that can’t be taken away. That is something to give you hope.