What do you do when you don't feel hope?

I had a church leader say in a church meeting that if you don’t feel hope you are doing something wrong. As that message was given, I bristled. I knew for a fact there were many good people, friends and myself included that did not always feel this hope he was talking about even though they were doing everything they could to live a good life. So I said to him “Some people may look at me and say I am a good person, a good parent. But I don’t always feel that way. I believe in God and have a testimony of his plan and infinite atonement, but I don’t feel like I am doing awesome. I don’t always feel hope. What then?” There were responses from some. One older gentleman said “Every one of us feels inadequate. We all are aware of what we personally lack. What is important is to keep going and do our best”. 

It made me feel better that I wasn’t alone in my inadequacy. But there has to be a better place.

How many of us have a constant reminder of embarrassing moments that happened years ago that others have completely forgotten?

How many of us remind ourselves of all the times we failed, or forgot something important for work or for our children?

How many of us feel that there is something fundamentally wrong with us each day?

There has to be a way to feel hope everyday. There has to be a way to see more clearly the goodness others see in us.

What brings light into your life and lifts you up?

What shines a light on who you are as a wonderful being?

What builds you up and helps you to feel stronger?

What helps you feel greater peace and joy each day?

In a talk given by Joy D. Jones she said “If the love we feel for the Savior and what He did for us is greater than the energy we give to weaknesses, self-doubts, or bad habits, then He will help us overcome the things which cause suffering in our lives. He saves us from ourselves.”

“Let’s not be confused about who we are! While it is often easier to be spiritually passive than it is to put forth the spiritual effort to remember and embrace our divine identity, we cannot afford that indulgence.”

I think these points are very good advice. To focus on our weaknesses may not be helpful and may be harming our progress. To understand who we are, and that God has a plan for each of us, one we may not fully understand, but to be patient and embrace our divine identity and how God sees us may free us from the darker corners of life. To remember that we are not alone in this journey, but that we have our Savior on our side to help us, can give us courage to keep trying.

I think it is important to understand Doubt may creep in. But it is especially prevalent when that is my focus. If I shift my focus to be on what He can help me do and not worry so much about what I lack or who I am not right now, it can help. 

Tenth Avenue North has a song titled "I Have This Hope"

I know I am not alone in these things. I hope what I shared is helpful and can shed some light on understanding we are not alone in our inadequacies. But despite them, they don't have to hold us down. There may be days I struggle, but there is ALWAYS Hope...

What gives you hope each day?