Can there be hope?
The world we live in is full of pain and turmoil. You'd have to be living under a rock not to see that. The unlucky people live in countries torn by war, famine, disease, and poverty. Since you're on the internet you are probably lucky enough to live in one of the richer parts of our world, but does that free you from sufferring? Lies, greed, rape, disappointments, broken friendships, bitter families, failed ambitions, loneliness, gossip, the pain of losing a loved one - there are many things that cause us grief. We know that something is not right. Our world is not as it ought to be. How can we have hope in such a world? Is this the best that life has to offer?
The answer is that life has far more to offer. There is hope - hope of a life free from all suffering. Life as it was designed to be lived. Jesus came once to our world, 2000 years ago, to offer real spiritual life. A restored, personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. A life that has hope despite our tainted world. However, Jesus also promised that he would return, this time to create a new Earth, with no sufferring, war, or sickness. And the people who inhabit it will be transformed. They will no longer be selfish, no longer lash out at others because they will no longer hurt. Relationships will be whole and complete, without the miscommunication, misunderstanding, and conflict they have now. This is life as God intended it, and Jesus promised to return and make it so.
The Christian can live with hope because they know that this new, restored Earth is their final destination. How does that help us deal with our suffering right here right now? We can live with purpose, knowing that every part of our lives, even the difficult and painful parts, are playing a part in God's bigger picture. We are working towards something greater than ourselves, something eternal. Something certain. It is possible for the Christian to be certain that they are going to live forever with God in the new Earth. And with that certainty, everything else in life has new meaning. Yes, suffering remains. But we can live a life driven by a purpose and guided by a hope that are greater than our suffering. The hope of eternal life. If you don't yet have the certainly of knowing that you will one day live forever with God, then you can have that knowledge today. Choose eternal life.