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Proverbs 13:12 says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life”. The need for cultivating and nourishing our hope in Christ is what sustains it and keeps it alive. The passage above therefore means that when our hope in Christ is not nourished, it becomes deferred which leads to weariness of our heart that causes sickness, discouragement, depression and finally loss of hope.

Therefore, for Christians to maintain and keep their hope alive in the name of Jesus amid life challenges and struggles that seems to be insurmountable. One of the ways of keeping hope alive as Christians is to focus on God’s promises, this is to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness and the promises He has made to you (Jer. 29:11). Having these great promises in mind will surely make your faith stronger and able to fight against any form of depression, or hopelessness that want to challenge your faith in God.

In the same vein, we can nourish, cultivate and sustain our hope in Christ by surrounding ourselves with encouragement, which is by spending time with people who will uplift and support us. These are people with great ideas, spiritually upright and positive-minded.

Furthermore, staying in the present, that is by focusing on the present moment and what you can control. Avoid anxiety and worry (Phillipians.4:6-7). Replace worry with prayer and supplication, asking for help from God. This is a potent way of keeping hope alive, Prayer is key. A way of constant communication with the Almighty.

Also, hold onto memories, which reflect on times when God has come through for you in the past. Not being like the children of Israel who murmured in the wilderness at a point when confronted with a challenge that was caused as a result of their ungratefulness and forgetfulness of God’s goodness in the past (Exo.15:22-27, Num. 11:1-35, 16:1-50, Num.12:1-16, Num.14:1-45).

However, despite the Israelites murmuring and complaints, God Almighty showed mercy, forgiveness, and provision in response to their complaints, demonstrating His love and care for His people. With this, one can keep hope alive by holding onto the memories of God's faithfulness.

Reading inspiring stories and books that edify or lift the spirit. First and foremost is meditating on the Bible, the word of God that is the most important source of all hope and knowledge and also about people who have been successful in faith through the name of Jesus and have overcome challenges in life and held onto hope. Having in mind the exploits of these heroes of faith can make one to nourish, cultivate and keep hope alive. They can be seen as people with resilience, courage and total faith in God. For example, a book written by former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama (The Audacity of Hope).

Celebrate small wins. This is a way of acknowledging and celebrating your progress all along the way even if it appears little. It is Scriptural not to despise the day of little beginnings (Zech.4:10). This verse reminds us that even if our beginnings are small, God can still do great things through us and exceed our expectations.

Additionally, the story of David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17) and the parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32) also illustrate how small beginnings can lead to great accomplishments with God's help. All these are to encourage people to appreciate the value of small starts and have faith and hope in God's ability to bring about growth and success.

In conclusion, find ways to serve others. Helping others can give you a sense of purpose and hope thereby keeping our hope in Christ alive. It can be clearly seen in the Bible (Eph.4:32, Gal.5:13, Prov.19:17, Rom.12:13, Heb.13:2, Psalm 82:3). These passages emphasize the importance of treating others with kindness, compassion, and generosity and of serving those in need. They remind us that helping others (people) is a fundamental aspect of living out our faith which means keeping our hope in Christ Alive.