Called to Remain Hopeful

In this Jubilee Year of Hope, Michelle Nott reflects on the importance of hope in life.

Hope, in the Heat of the Moment

Does anyone else struggle with seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when a problem arises? In the heat of the moment when it seems like a solution is nowhere in sight, I panic. The problem feels so overwhelming and huge and everything else in my life shrinks in comparison.

But as always, the storm comes to an end and then the sun starts to peak through the clouds. I can’t picture myself in the sun during the storm. But once I am in the sun, I start to feel a little silly for getting so worked up during the storm.

I had a moment like that a few months ago when we were experiencing some problems with insurance. It was a pretty big issue that could have affected my daughter’s ability to continue attending her ABA therapy sessions. Thankfully, all was figured out and I believe the problem is solved for now, but that was a very stressful situation to be in.

Last week I once again found myself on the phone with our insurance provider due to another issue, and I spent all morning getting told many different things with no clear answer. I was in despair at that point. But then I thought about the situation a few months ago and remembered how everything worked out in the end. So, I took a break from making calls and spent some time with my kids. When I was calmer, I went back to calling and finally got some answers and the problem was fixed.

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Finding Hope in Reflecting on the Past Year

This month marks one year since my daughter was diagnosed with autism. Reflecting back on what things looked like a year ago, I can see all the progress that was made.

Life a year ago was filled with chaos and uncertainty. My daughter finally got her diagnosis, but that was only the first step. Next would come all the paperwork and the waitlists to get into a therapy center. I was desperate to find something for her for the summer so she could still have a sense of routine once school was out. And now a year later, she is in a therapy center and has made so much progress. She has even caught up to the levels of her peers in speech!

I had no way of imagining that we would be where we are today a year ago. I was relieved we had a diagnosis, but also overwhelmed with getting her the help she needed. I felt like I had to jump through hoops to make it happen.

Today I am still overwhelmed, but for different reasons. And the thing that is helping me stay calm and make it through the new problems that pop up is picturing myself and my daughter a year from now and all the progress that will be made.

Remain Hopeful this Lent

I have been trying to find a way to connect these experiences to my faith and really relate it to Lent. I try to imagine what all the apostles felt as the environment around them became filled with more enemies and hatred for Jesus. They were probably scared and overwhelmed and had very little hope.

Jesus spent 40 days in the desert to prepare Himself for the Crucifixion. He spent His whole ministry preparing His apostles for what would happen. But in the heat of the moment on Good Friday, most of them had no hope and were overwhelmed by fear and despair. Even Peter denied Jesus because he was scared about what would happen if he was called out as a follower.

Yet, on Easter Sunday, despair was gone, and hope was inside every heart. Lent is a time where we are called to unite our suffering with Jesus’ suffering. But throughout the pain we are also called to remain hopeful, because we know how this story ends. God did not abandon His Son. And He will not abandon us.

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I know that despite the overwhelm I am feeling now, God is here, never abandoning me. Even as problems are solved and new problems arise, He is ever present and calls us to place our trust and hope in Him through it all.

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