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Feeling lifeless, lost and discouraged likely means that you’re feeling hopeless and in despair. Hope is necessary to live; in fact it’s anchor to the soul.

Discover 5 ways to find hope and download the FREE 30-Day Hope Challenge printable found below.

5 Ways to Find Hope

1. Our Hope Is In The Lord

The first thing we need to do is recognize that our hope is not in friends, family, coworkers or bosses. Hope is not found in people in general, nor is it in your spouse, your children or yourself. A sure and steady hope is found nowhere else except in the Lord.

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God… Psalm 146:5

Can our hope be misplaced? We might say that we’re hoping for a job, but we’re relying on people to get it. Or we hoping that we can homeschool, but we relying on ourselves to do it. We even put our hope in our spouses relying on them to make us happy and fulfilled.

This is all misplaced hope, and false hope.

Nobody can fulfill your hope bucket, where you suddenly feel hopeful about things in your life. Hope is not a feeling and a response because you now have hope as a result of what someone did. Hope requires us to surrender ourselves to God.

Since it’s possible to place your hope in someone or something, where we’ve placed our hope requires examination within ourselves.

If you've been feeling lost and without hope, it's time to remind yourself about true hope found in God.

2. Hope Is An Anchor To The Soul

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil… Hebrew 6:19

What is the Bible referring to when it says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul…”?

When you think of an anchor, what do you think it’s designed to do?

An anchor has a clear and distinct function. It’s design is to keep a boat or ship in one place. A boat or ship cannot park on the water like a vehicle can park on land. There are too many elements surrounding the boat to allow it to go adrift. It’s as simple as the waves – without an it can slowly carry the boat from one place to another. What about when the winds are blowing and the waves are increasing. How does the boat stay in place? An anchor.

With an anchor having its design and function to keep a boat in place, hope is just like an anchor. Hope keeps our soul steadfast and steady on the secure foundation of Jesus Christ.

Our souls (mind, will and emotions) need reminders about what God says. The Bible is saying that an anchor that is hope is necessary for our souls. Our souls are shaky ground when it comes to circumstances in our lives that are challenging especially, or perhaps when it seems that nothing is happening in your life.

Hope is that piece that helps you stay consistently constant. It helps you to focus and reach out to God, who is your sure hope.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

3. Testimonies Of Hope

Nothing is more encouraging, I believe, than testimonies where other people have stood firm on hope.

A testimony from someone today, 10 years ago, 100 years ago or even thousands of years ago, is a living, breathing, still-speaking evidence of God’s faithfulness.

A testimony shares that when hope is found in God, it’s real; it’s not a wish for something to hopefully happen.

Instead, hope is a perspective so that when there is something that you believe God has spoken to you about, or the storms in life are raging, you can hold fast to hope, because it’s not the end of the story.

Hope is not hope, if what you hoped for happens or takes place. Hope is continuous and constant. When something in your life has manifested, hope is no longer required.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Romans 4:16-18

Reading the Bible, whether old or new testament, and reading books from Christian authors, like this one or this one, are ways to discover and find hope again.

God’s very nature and character is why He’s worthy of our hope in Him.

4. Feed on God’s Faithfulness in Your Life

If our hope isn’t steadfast and secure, we can often look to see that our mind and emotions are factors in where we find our hope placed.

Hopelessness or despair doesn’t come from others, it comes from within ourselves. Hope changes because of our view on the circumstances that surround us. This is why feeding on God’s faithfulness in your life is one of the ways to find hope.

A parent, by nature of how God designed family, is to help the child grow and develop in the ways of the Lord. God is our Father, and He too, will always do what’s best to help us grow. The reason for this stretching and possible uncomfortable growth, is that God is transforming us into His image and likeness. He is refining us and developing our character so that others can see that Christ is in you, the hope of glory!

It’s important then to think about what God has done in your life and how He’s always brought you through. When we think on these things it leads to thankfulness and an attitude of gratitude towards the Lord. Thankfulness changes our expression so that we’re disengaging with how we feel, and instead, focusing on the Lord.

To feed your hope, feed on God’s faithfulness in your life.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

5. Meditate On God’s Promises

God’s Word has many promises and they are yes and amen.

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Hebrews 8:6

God has made promises in His Word that are certain, and we have access to these promises. This is another one of the ways to find hope and secure our hope in Him. I suggest spending time in prayer, reading and meditating on God’s promises, trusting in Him that He will do what He says.

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. Psalm 119:114

I believe Holy Spirit will speak to you identifying where your hope is in. Challenge yourself with this 30-Day Bible Reading Plan on Hope. I believe there will be a fresh sense and restoration of hope in your life.