How To Find Hope In Hopeless Times

I  made the mistake of starting my day off today by perusing the news feed on my phone.  

Things had been going so well until then.  I had a cup of coffee and slowly awakened while the sun rose and the birds sang sweetly outside my window.  

It takes me a while to become coherent in the morning, and I prefer to let that process be carried out peacefully.  It was going very well, and it all fell apart in minutes.  

That was when I made the grave error of picking up my phone and scrolling through the news reports from the day.  Nothing can be more bracing than reading the day's news in our current circumstances.  

I'm doing my best to remain hopeful in these troubling times, but there are moments when the hope drains out of me, and I feel hopeless and helpless.  When you add to that that there are so many challenges in my life that are out of control, the world can feel downright scary at times.  

Hope can be a rare commodity when it feels like the world is falling apart.  

In moments when despair looms large, it becomes crucial to remember that hope is not just a passive sense but a powerful force that can drive us toward a better tomorrow.

In his reflections from Embracing Hope, the renowned neurologist Viktor Frankl (who survived the Holocaust) emphasized the resilience of the human spirit with his words: “Life holds a potential meaning under any conditions, even the most miserable ones.” 

If anyone might have an idea of holding on to hope during hopeless moments, it would be Frankl. His words remind us to seek meaning amid adversity, grounding ourselves in the belief that life’s struggles can be a pathway to discovering our deepest strengths.

I've studied the Bible my whole life, so naturally, I look to the Scriptures for inspiration.  

The Apostle Paul, who also knew something about finding hope during hopelessness, wrote the following profoundly uplifting words in the book of Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” 

This passage encourages us to place our trust in a power greater than ourselves, allowing us to be imbued with hope that surpasses our understanding, no matter what is happening around us. 

Our hearts need to be open to this, though.  We need to be willing to lift our weary heads and look to a future where God is already at work on our behalf.  

In his inspiring work On Hope, Pope Francis asserts, "Hope is the virtue of a heart that does not lock itself into darkness, that does not dwell on the past, but looks to the future.” 

His words remind us that hope is an active choice—a decision to focus on the possibilities of the future rather than the limitations of the present.

Cultivating hope in our lives requires mindful effort and intention. We can begin by surrounding ourselves with sources of positivity—whether through supportive relationships, uplifting music, or enriching literature. 

Meditation or prayer can also help center our thoughts and reinforce our beliefs in a brighter future. Additionally, setting small, achievable goals gives us a sense of purpose, inching us forward and rekindling the hope within. 

By collectively leaning into support from our communities and our inner reservoirs of strength, we can nourish a flame of hope that brightens our paths and brings light to a world needing optimism and renewal.

May it be so, and may our hearts be filled with the hope of renewal and resurrection in Christ.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us now and always. Amen.