Topical Encyclopedia
Despair, a profound sense of hopelessness and loss, is a condition that is addressed throughout the Bible. It is often depicted as a state of mind that can afflict individuals during times of intense trial, suffering, or spiritual struggle. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings on how to confront and overcome despair through faith, prayer, and reliance on God.
Biblical Instances of Despair1.
Job's Suffering: The Book of Job provides a poignant example of despair. Job, a righteous man, experiences immense suffering, losing his wealth, health, and family. In his anguish, Job laments, "Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?" (
Job 3:11). Despite his despair, Job ultimately maintains his faith in God, demonstrating that trust in the Lord can sustain one through the darkest times.
2.
David's Lament: King David, a man after God's own heart, also experienced moments of despair. In
Psalm 42:5, he writes, "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence" . David's psalms often reflect a journey from despair to hope, emphasizing the importance of turning to God in times of distress.
3.
Elijah's Despondency: The prophet Elijah, after a great victory over the prophets of Baal, falls into despair when threatened by Queen Jezebel. He flees into the wilderness and prays, "I have had enough, LORD. Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers" (
1 Kings 19:4). God responds by providing Elijah with rest, nourishment, and a renewed sense of purpose, illustrating divine compassion and support.
Teachings on Overcoming Despair1.
Hope in God: The Bible consistently encourages believers to place their hope in God as an antidote to despair.
Romans 15:13 states, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" . This verse highlights the transformative power of divine hope and the role of the Holy Spirit in sustaining believers.
2.
Prayer and Supplication:
Philippians 4:6-7 advises, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" . Prayer is presented as a vital practice for those facing despair, offering peace and protection through Christ.
3.
Community and Support: The New Testament emphasizes the importance of community in overcoming despair.
Galatians 6:2 instructs, "Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" . The support of fellow believers is crucial in providing encouragement and strength during difficult times.
4.
Endurance and Perseverance:
James 1:2-4 encourages believers to view trials as opportunities for growth: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" . This perspective reframes despair as a catalyst for spiritual maturity.
ConclusionWhile despair is a common human experience, the Bible offers a wealth of guidance and examples for overcoming it. Through faith, prayer, community, and perseverance, believers are encouraged to find hope and strength in God, trusting in His ultimate plan and purpose.
Topical Bible Verses
Revelation 21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Topicalbible.orgRomans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
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1 Corinthians 10:13
There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
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Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
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Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) Hopelessness; despondency; discouragement.
2. (v. t.) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
3. (v. t.) To cause to despair.
4. (n.) Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
5. (n.) That which is despaired of.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
DESPAIRde-spar': The substantive only in2 Corinthians 4:8, "perplexed, but not in (the Revised Version (British and American) "yet not unto") despair," literally, "being at a loss, but not utterly at a loss." "Unto despair" here conveys the force of the Greek prefix ex ("utterly," "out and out"). Desperate, inJob 6:26Isaiah 17:11. In the latter instance, the Hebrew adjective is derived from a verb = "to be sick," and the literally, rendering would be "incurable" (compareJob 34:6, "my wound is incurable"). Desperately inJeremiah 17:9 the King James Version, where the heart is said to be "desperately (i.e. incurably) wicked" or "sick."
Greek
1820. exaporeo -- to be utterly at a loss, be indespair... to be utterly at a loss, be in
despair. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: exaporeo
Phonetic Spelling: (ex-ap-or-eh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I am utterly
...560. apelpizo -- todespair of
... todespair of. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: apelpizo Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-el-pid'-zo) Short Definition: Idespair Definition: I give up indespair...
524. apalgeo -- to cease to feel pain for
... cease to care, become callous Definition: (lit: I cease to feel [my] pain), am past
feeling, cease to care (suggesting sometimesdespair, sometimes recklessness...
Strong's Hebrew
2976. yaash -- todespair... yaash. 2977 . to
despair. Transliteration: yaash Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-ash')
Short Definition: hopeless.
... cause to
despair, one that is desperate, be no hope.
...4531a. massah --despair
... massah. 4531b .despair. Transliteration: massah Short Definition:despair. Word
Origin from masas Definitiondespair NASB Word Usagedespair (1). 4531, 4531a...
4531. maccah --despair
... 4530, 4531. maccah. 4531a .despair. Transliteration: maccah Phonetic Spelling:
(mas-saw') Short Definition: temptation. temptation, trial...
7817. shachach -- to bow, be bowed down, crouch
... shachach. 7818 . to bow, be bowed down, crouch. Transliteration: shachach Phonetic
Spelling: (shaw-khakh') Short Definition:despair. Word Origin a prim....
1671. deabon -- faintness, languishing
... 1670, 1671. deabon. 1672 . faintness, languishing. Transliteration: deabon
Phonetic Spelling: (deh-aw-bone') Short Definition:despair....
Library
WhetherDespair is a Sin?
... OFDESPAIR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whetherdespair is a sin? Objection 1: It would
seem thatdespair is not a sin. For every sin includes...
Question Twenty ofDespair
... Question Twenty OFDESPAIR. OFDESPAIR We must now consider the vices opposed to
the virtue of hope. The first of these isdespair. The second is presumption....
WhetherDespair is the Greatest of Sins?
... OFDESPAIR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whetherdespair is the greatest of sins? Objection
1: It would seem thatdespair is not the greatest of sins....
WhetherDespair is Contrary to Hope?
... OF THE IRASCIBLE PASSIONS, AND FIRST, OF HOPE ANDDESPAIR (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether
despair is contrary to hope?... Thereforedespair is not contrary to hope....
WhetherDespair Arises from Sloth?
... OFDESPAIR (FOUR ARTICLES) Whetherdespair arises from sloth? Objection
1: It would seem thatdespair does not arise from sloth....
WhetherDespair is the Greatest of Sins
... Article Three WhetherDespair is the Greatest of Sins. WhetherDespair is the Greatest
of Sins... 1. It seems thatdespair is not the greatest of sins....
WhetherDespair is a Sin
... Article One WhetherDespair is a Sin. WhetherDespair is a Sin We proceed to
the first article thus: 1. It seems thatdespair is not a sin....
OfDespair (Four Articles)
... OFDESPAIR (FOUR ARTICLES). We must now consider the contrary vices;
(1)despair; (2) presumption.... (1) Whetherdespair is a sin?...
TheDespair of Judas
... CHAPTER XIV. TheDespair of Judas. Whilst the Jews were conducting Jesus
to Pilate, the traitor Judas walked about listening to the...
WhetherDespair Arises from Listlessness
... Article Four WhetherDespair Arises from Listlessness. WhetherDespair Arises from
Listlessness... 1. It seems thatdespair does not arise from listlessness....
Thesaurus
Despair (23 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) Hopelessness; despondency; discouragement. 2. (vt) To give up as beyond
hope or expectation; to
despair of. 3. (vt) To cause to
despair.
...DESPAIR.
...Disturbed (30 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Psalms 42:5 Why are you indespair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within
me?... (WEB NAS NIV). Psalms 42:11 Why are you indespair, my soul?...
Despairing (7 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) ofDespair. 2. (a.) Feeling or expressingdespair; hopeless.
Multi-Version Concordance Despairing (7 Occurrences)....
Savior (60 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Psalms 42:5 Why are you indespair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within
me? Hope in God!... (See NIV). Psalms 42:11 Why are you indespair, my soul?...
Desperate (8 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Beyond hope; causingdespair; extremely perilous; irretrievable; past cure,
or, at least, extremely dangerous; as, a desperate disease; desperate...
Despaired (3 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) ofDespair.... Ecclesiastes 2:20 Therefore I turned about to cause my heart
todespair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured under the sun....
Driven (128 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 2:7 So that you may now take the opposite course, and forgive him
rather and comfort him, for fear he should perhaps be driven todespair by his...
Saving (37 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). Psalms 42:5 Why are you indespair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within
me? Hope in God!... (WEB). Psalms 42:11 Why are you indespair, my soul?...
Tribulation (43 Occurrences)
... you to be ignorant, brethren, as to our tribulation which happened to us in Asia,
that we were excessively pressed beyond our power, so as todespair even of...
Kir-haraseth (1 Occurrence)
... The three kings led their armies against Mesha, who was driven back to seek
refuge in Kir-haraseth. The Moabites were driven todespair....
Resources
What does the Bible say about despair? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3)? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I help someone who is suicidal? | GotQuestions.orgDespair: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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