“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.” Romans 15:13 NIV

 When people hear that I broke both my wrists in a fall on Mother’s Day their first reaction is surprise and sympathy. Their mouths drop open, they shake their heads and say, “How terrible for you!” I appreciate their compassion, but part of receiving the grace to get through this is accepting the reality of what is without feeling sorry for myself the way others feel sorry for me. Yes, this is a challenging season, but even the most challenging season is manageable. What makes it manageable? It won’t last forever.

Walking though this challenge knowing that every challenge will end fills me with hope for the future. Perhaps you could use a bit of hope, too. Here’s how hope can help you get through what you are going through.

Hope motivates movement. Hope in the present reaches for the future. The first time I did my physical therapy exercises at home following my right wrist surgery was excruciatingly difficult. Stiffness and pain made each small movement a major effort. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to keep going, choking back tears. It wasn’t extremely painful, but it was extremely difficult. However, quitting was not an option. Why? I want to regain the use of my right hand!

Without the pain now there won’t be any restoration in the future. Dear Friend, you may be experiencing a tremendously painful challenge, but keep doing what you need to do to move forward! Remind yourself that it won’t last forever, and the future payoff is worth the challenge now. Don’t quit!

Hope fuels persistence. There is still some pain and stiffness when I do my exercises, but the movements continue to get easier. And that spurs on my efforts. Hope for restoration helps me to discipline myself to make time for my therapy. It helps me to keep trying to do things that were difficult when I was first injured.

I celebrated the first time I could squeeze toothpaste onto my toothbrush or tie my shoes. Those small victories shine hope into the future. Each small restoration points to complete recovery. And that keeps me pushing forward.

Are you celebrating your small victories? Sometimes the victory is simply getting through the day without melting down or blowing up. What tiny steps toward the future can you rejoice in today? Ask God to help you recognize them and choose to honor them. You are going to make it through!

Hope taps into potential.  My injury-induced limitations create multiple opportunities for creativity. How can I open that jar without injuring myself? How can I keep working when typing is a challenge? Sometimes the question I ask is “should I attempt this” but even that can lead to creative answers.

Because of my injuries, I have had to do some things differently. I can type again, but voice-to-text was my best friend for a while. I had to learn a new way to do everything I normally do with a keyboard. Any time we learn something new it keeps our brains busy and growing. Learning always leads to growth and growth taps into potential, even when we are unaware. I am learning more through this challenge than I can articulate and that expands my future in ways I have yet to discover.

What are you learning through your current challenge, Dear Friend? I guarantee you are learning. Learning leads to growth and growth taps into potential. God is expanding your capacity as you lean into hope and learn how to press on through this season. Keep pressing on!

Dear Friend, what you are walking through right now may be more difficult than you expected. If you hold onto hope you will find motivation to press forward, persevere and let hope lead you toward tapping into potential. Hope for the future fuels the fire in the present. Hang onto hope. This won’t last forever, and your efforts will be worth it.  

Key Question: How can hope in the future help you through your current challenge?

A Scripture to Consider: “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.” Romans 15:13 NIV

A YES Challenge: Think about the biggest challenge you currently face. What is one way hope for the future could help you to navigate it?

Prayer: Dear Father, You know how difficult my current season is. You know every detail of my challenge. Thank You for not leaving me alone to figure it all out. Help me to hold tightly to Your hand and trust that You are leading me through it. Help me to fix my eyes on the future and let that hope motivate me right now. Amen.