A two-sided kind of despair which leads to Godly liberation and transformation

If, by despair, we mean having an awareness of our stomach-ache lostness in this world; or, having that ‘seeing in the mirror’ sorrow-filled moment of our small and large faults that often seem immovable; or, having a hollowing-out of our lives being felt as meaningless, brief, and in decay; or, the loneliness of experiencing inexplicable pain - then there are lots of Bible scriptures where this kind of deepest despair is uncovered and confessed.

However, within these dark passages too (often deliberately disguised by the smiley-faced happy-clappy Christian type) is not only an uncovering and confession of this despair, but also, paradoxically, these also recommend facing-up to and living through it – that is, anticipating a profound blessing from God, which otherwise would not be possible. In other words, what starts with an oppressive trap of worldly desperation, ends-up as a divine redeemable kind of despair that is a catalyst for Godly liberation and transformation.

Here are just a few Bible passages illustrating this two-sided aspect of despair, and I would recommend a thorough and repeated meditation on these passages (and the scriptures around them too) to discover and experience their liberating and transformative power:

“A voice says, ‘Cry out’ And I said, ‘what shall I cry?’: ‘All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field, the grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them.” (Isaiah 40:6-7).

“The words of the Teacher, son of David, King of Jerusalem: ’Meaningless, meaningless’ says the Teacher ‘utterly meaningless; everything is meaningless’” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

“True fasting, is to humble yourself with sadness in your soul.” (Isaiah 58:5).

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25).

“Oh, wretched man that I am, who will release me from this body doomed to death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24).

“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20-21).

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46).

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4).