A Hopeful Exile

“Is God finished with our ministry here?”

This question rippled through my mind after I’d heard yet another piece of discouraging news. Setbacks and difficult circumstances had been piling up and, as the team leader for our university ministry, I bore their weight in a deeply personal way.

I was afraid I’d failed as a leader, and that as a result, God had abandoned our ministry and me. It was one of the lowest moments I’ve experienced as a full-time missionary.

The prophet Ezekiel experienced something similar. In Ezekiel 11:13, he cries out, “Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?” God had commissioned him to pronounce judgement on the rebellious nation, and witnessing those judgements come to pass firsthand led to his cry of hopelessness.

Many things drive us toward hopelessness — tragedy, death, disappointment, and more. We ache with pain and wonder where God could possibly be in the midst of these things.

Ezekiel 11:16 shows part of God’s response. He reassures Ezekiel that, even though hope seems lost, His purposes have not failed. Perhaps most importantly, He reminds Ezekiel that His presence is with the people who are exiled among the nations. He himself is their sanctuary.

As we journey through all of the pain and hardship and temptation toward hopelessness, God himself is our sanctuary. Even in the lowest moments and darkest places, he is with us. Because of this, we can choose hope, standing firm in God’s promised presence and looking toward the joys of our heavenly home.

Lord, this world can be a lonely and hopeless place. Thank you that, as your child in Christ, you are always with me, even in the darkest times. Help me to trust that this is true, and allow me to sense your comforting presence in tangible ways. Produce in me deeper hope in the midst of hardship. In Jesus Name, amen.

Go Deeper — What events or circumstances cause you to feel hopeless, or to question God’s presence or love? Admit these feelings to God and ask him to comfort you with his presence. Consider memorizing one or more of the following passages as a way of holding fast to hope during hard times: Hebrews 13:5, John 14:23, Romans 8:38-39.

Read Further — If you feel crushed in spirit this article, which shows how some of the greats in the Bible felt the same way, may give you some hope.