WHAT TO DO WHEN IT FEELS HOPELESS

7 STEPS FROM JONAH 2:1-10

1.  

When you hit bottom, you look up to God.  

“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.” Jonah 2:1 

The disciples privately asked Jesus, ‘Why couldn't we drive that bad spirit out?’ Jesus answered ‘This kind can only be forced out BY PRAYER.’”Mark 9:28-29  

2.  

Pray passionately.  

“Jonah said ‘In my distress and deep trouble I CRIED OUT to the Lord and he answered me.’” Jonah 2:2 

3.  

Identify the cause of my hopelessness.

“You cast me into the deep water, and I sank to the bottom of the sea. Everything was churning around me, and I was engulfed by powerful waves that overwhelmed me. Then I thought ‘I’ve been banished from God’s Presence and I’ll never get to see your holy temple again.’ I was scared to death, afraid I was drowning with water choking me and seaweed wrapped all around my head. I kept sinking down to mountains that rise off the ocean floor. I felt locked in a prison forever . . .”Jonah 2:3-6

8 CAUSES OF HOPELESSNESS

CHECK any that you may be feeling

• FEELING  
  
  I'm over my head.
  
  
  “You cast me into the DEEP water”
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  I've hit bottom. 
  
  
  “I sank to the bottom of the sea”
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  Out of control and powerless.  
  
  
  “Everything was churning around me”
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  Overwhelmed.  
  
  
  “I was engulfed by powerful waves that overwhelmed me.”
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  Rejected or lonely.  
  
  
  “Then I thought ‘I’ve been banished from God’s Presence’
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  Remorse and regret.
  
  
  “and I’ll never get to see your holy temple again.”
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  Crushing fear.  
  
  
  “I was scared to death, afraid I was drowning with water choking me and seaweed wrapped all around my head.”
  
  
• FEELING  
  
  Trapped.
  
  
  “I felt locked in a prison forever”
  
  

4.  

Ask God for specific help.   Pray the Word of God.  A. The Complaints.  B. God's Truth.  C. The Promises.

“From the deep in the world of the dead I ASKED FOR HELP and you listened to my cry.” Jonah 2:2b 

“Call to me in your times of trouble. I will save you, and you will honor me." Psalm 50:15 (NCV)   

5.  

Focus on the goodness of God to me.  Change the channel of my mind. 

“When I had LOST ALL HOPE, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your Holy Temple.” Jonah 2:7 (NLT)   

6.  

Reject false fixes and accept God's grace.   Whatever you think about more than God is an idol.  

“Those who look to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8  

“You, O Lord, saved me and brought my life back up from the pit.” Jonah 2:6b 

7.  

Express gratitude to God in advance.  

“I will sing a song of thanksgiving, and I will sacrifice to you, and I will do what I have promised you to do because salvation comes from the Lord!”Jonah 2:9 

1. Through  

singing.

2. Through  

giving back to God.  

3. Through  

through surrendering to our mission.   

“For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 (NIV)   

“So the Lord ordered the great fish to vomit Jonah onto a beach.” Jonah 2:10 

NEXT WEEK: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET A 2ND CHANCE