How To Hope.

Amid the darkness of mental illness, hope is an anomaly. 

It doesn’t mean anything because it doesn't make sense. 

How are we supposed to believe that something good can come from insufferable pain that debilitates us day in and day out? Hoping that it “gets better” can seem more comical than realistic. 

How do you find hope when you have none? 

How do you find hope when you cannot see anything but pain, anxiety, and fear?

How can you believe better days are coming when you haven’t seen one in weeks? 

Joy, happiness, peace, and laughter can seem extremely unrealistic and unattainable when all you experience is fear, pain, and anxiety. 

We can begin to forget the beauty of life. We forget what it’s like to have a soul-hugging conversation with someone. We forget what it’s like to see the sunset on an evening drive with the windows down and music. We forget what it’s like to wake up and feel the excitement of getting the ability to live another day. We forget how to trust that God is good and He does indeed have a good plan for our lives.

As humans, we need to hope for something. 

We need a tangible image of what hope looks like to help us understand how to hope. 

Hope: to trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something; to expect something beneficial in the future. 

I found hope for the first time when I fell to my knees with the little strength I had left and prayed to something bigger than me. 

I found hope for the first time when I called out to God, asking for help, and He answered me. 

I found my hope in God’s unconditional love. 

I found my hope in the truth of the Gospel. 

I found my hope in the Word of God in which His promises are written. 

I found my hope in that this life is not all we have.

I found my hope in eternity.

I found my hope in Jesus Christ.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Jeremiah 29:11