Hopelessness is often one of the symptoms of mental illness.
It can hit some people out of the blue, overtake others gradually when they are going through a difficult experience, or cling stubbornly to certain individuals for a lifetime.
However it happens, hopelessness can tempt us to give up.
Life seems too hard. Evil seems too prevalent. Danger seems too scary. The future seems too uncertain.
It takes courage and determination to keep moving forward in spite of everything we dread.
But we can do it.
We may need to rest a while. We may need to reach out for help. We may need to borrow hope from other people. We may need to move very, very slowly.
But we need to keep going.
I love this quote from Pastor Brad Hoefs, founder of Fresh Hope support groups: “If you’re going through hell right now, don’t you dare stop. If you stop, you’re in hell. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going!”
When you start to feel hopeless, try to think about the positive things in your life. Remind yourself of all of the hard times you’ve come through before. Look for beautiful things, funny things, meaningful things. Put them where you can see them often or write things down and read them every day. You can get to better times.
Keep noticing. Keep talking. Keep working. Keep going.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NIV)
How often do you feel hopeless because of your mental health? How can focusing on God help you keep going?