3 Powerful Ways to Find Hope in Difficult Times
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Death, fires, floods, disease. These are the headlines shouting at us every time we look at our phones or TV’s. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to stay hopeful when we’re surrounded by so much heartbreak. Add to those headlines anything you might be experiencing personally and it can all feel like too much to bear.
I’m no stranger to the weight of despair. Several years ago, broken by the extreme poverty, corruption and sadness that surrounded me in the third world country I was living in, I lost all hope and ultimately, contemplated taking my own life. It was during that season that I became acquainted with depression, anxiety attacks and PTSD. Hope was the last word on my lips and the furthest thought from my mind. (You can read about this in my book Holy Doubt.)
But in the middle of those dark days I learned some important things about the value of hope and how to fight for it when it seems like it’s completely out of reach. I’m going to share those tips with you now, and I believe they’ll help you find hope and peace no matter what is going on around you.
Those 3 tips are:
Look for hope in the right place
Shift your perspective
Do something to help someone else
Tip #1 Look for hope in the right place
Jesus is the only source of true hope. If you haven’t yet experienced the hope he offers and the incredible ways he can change your life, you can make that choice today. All you have to do is ask him to forgive you and invite him to be the King of your life. (If you’d like some steps to take after this, check out this post on how to love reading the Bible.)
If you’ve been looking for hope apart from God, you’re probably feeling disappointed, dissatisfied and frustrated. I spent several years grasping for thin mirages of worldly hope in things like self-help and self reliance, only to come up empty. It wasn’t until I looked for hope in Christ that I finally found the peace I was searching for. You can have that today!
Tip #2 Shift your perspective
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us,
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
It’s so hard to see past our immediate circumstances, but I love this verse because it reminds me of two important things. 1) Nothing lasts forever (no trial, no sadness)—except eternity and 2) the things of God that we cannot see are even more significant and weighty than what we can see.
One practice that I’m finding super helpful right now to help me focus more on the unseen things and to pay attention to what God is doing right under my nose, is a guided journal that helps me stay present and capture everything to reflect on it later. It’s been so helpful for me, perhaps it would be for you too as you hunt for hope in your everyday circumstances.
Tip #3 Do one thing to help someone else
When we’re surrounded by sadness and pain it can be so easy to get wrapped up in it and to get focused on ourselves. I know from experience that is not hopeful (or helpful) at all. One thing that always helps me feel better is doing something—no matter how small—for someone else. Helping others releases endorphins in our brains which in turn helps us feel better. It’s God’s own feel-good plan.
Maybe you can send aid to people affected by the hurricane in Louisiana or the fires out West (if you’re looking for a great organization doing incredible work check out Convoy of Hope). Or maybe you know someone right next door who could use a kind word or a batch of cookies.
It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture to make a big difference for them—and you. Repeat these steps as often as you need to when you’re in the middle of a hopeless season and you can find your way back to hope, joy and peace.
P.S. If you’re in a season where you can’t climb out of depression or despair with these simple reminders, I completely understand. I’ve been there, my friend. If you need an understanding, but ultimately hopeful, guide to walk with you through this season, I’d love to invite you to read my book, Holy Doubt. Behind every dark night of the soul is a loss of hope. Let me help you find it again in Holy Doubt.
Maybe your season of hopelessness has left you asking some bigger questions about your faith and God. Maybe you’re questioning his goodness, and you just can’t seem to find the answers you’re seeking. If that’s you, I wrote a 7-day devotional just for you. And you can get the first 3 days sent to your email inbox for FREE! Just fill out the form below.
