What is the greatest detriment to freedom? There is nothing more entrapping than an ungodly fear. When we are afraid, we are limited to act upon the fears that hold us back, but we are assured that in Christ any fear can be overcome by His perfect love and that He will move even beyond our fears.

Maybe you've just recently experienced a small or even majorly crippling failure, loss or downfall. It doesn't matter how deeply you've fallen, there is always hope in Christ. Even when you don't feel qualified to serve or follow Him anymore, know that it is Christ who qualifies you and not your own works.

What is our glorious hope in Christ? Our glorious hope lies in this: He is faithful and He is able to conquer all and has indeed already conquered all. A great victory awaits us both in eternity and even in this life. We don't have to walk around like losers because our victory is in Jesus. Here are three ways that our hope in Christ brings us liberty.

Hope liberates us from ungratefulness

When we are at the lowest point in our lives, it may seem hard to be thankful, but we are never too low to have nothing at all. Even in our lowest points, we are still blessed by God. He still gives us life, relationships, provision, character, perseverance, faith and abounding love, even when we seem stuck in miry clay. Psalm 71:14 says, "But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more" (ESV).

Hope liberates us from a lack of purpose

What's going on in your life? Has a mistake derailed you from God's best? You can get back in the game. It's never too late to get back on course. Never say that God cannot use you anymore. If He used you once before despite your brokenness, He can use you still today as long as your hope lies in Him. Proverbs 23:18 tells us, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off" (ESV).

Hope liberates us from sorrow

Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" (ESV). When there seems to be nothing left to rejoice over, we can rejoice gladly and even more with the knowledge that Christ is Emmanuel, God with us. If you feel alone and abandoned, you're absolutely wrong. God has never left you nor forsaken you. He's by your side and holds on to you every step of the way.