What to do when you feel hopeless

What To Do When You Feel Hopeless

Sermon Outline

Jonah 2:1-10

Seven Steps Jonah Took That You Should Also Take:

  1. When you hit rock bottom, look up to God.

“​​Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.” (Jonah 2:1)

  1. Pray with passion.

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me.” (Jonah 2:2a)

  1. Find out why you’re feeling so hopeless.

3 You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. 4Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’ 5“I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. 6 I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever.” (Jonah 2:3-6)

Potential Causes of Hopelessness:

  • You feel like you’re in over your head.
  • You feel like you’ve hit rock bottom.
  • You feel out of control and powerless.
  • You feel overwhelmed.
  • You feel rejected or lonely.
  • You feel remorseful and regretful.
  • You feel overwhelmed by fear.
  • You feel trapped.
  1. Ask God for help and be specific.

“I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!” (Jonah 2:2b)

  1. Focus on the goodness of God to you.

“As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.” (Jonah 2:7)

  1. Reject false solutions and accept God’s grace.

“Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies.” (Jonah 2:8)

  1. Show gratitude to God, in advance.

9But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone. 10 Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.” (Jonah 2:9-10)

Through singing praises.

Through giving back to God.

Through recommitting your life to Christ.