We often give testimony of something we’ve gone through after the fact.

While the listening audience is left in awe and hope, there are more than a few questions that linger in the mind: how did they get through this? More importantly, What were they focused on while going through the experience?

While The Hope Chronicles focuses on stories designed to give hope, there are situations we face where we find ourselves without hope in the moment and that’s when the most important question of all emerges: What do we do in those moments?

When I decided to resume writing The Hope Chronicles Blog at the beginning of the New Year I was immediately plagued with setbacks; one after another.

In January, I read some disturbing news regarding a friend on social media and was shocked that the news wasn’t shared with friends prior to posting. I was so angry that I didn’t feel like writing.

February was worse. I sent my car in for regularly scheduled servicing and receiving a loaner car that wasn’t nearly as comparable, aggravating my sciatica….yet another obstacle. This ordeal lasted the entire month of February. It is now March, I received my car last week—for a day—before it was sent back for another issue that was caused by fixing the first problem.

Finding myself increasingly frustrated on a daily basis, I decided to take a look at the situation from a “ what is in my control?” perspective. I realized when we find ourselves in situations beyond our control, it’s easy to allow our emotions to overwhelm us. Clichéd advice that begins with “it could be worse…” or “ there’s a reason you are going through this…” are all great points from both a personal and a spiritual growth perspective. However, it does absolutely nothing for the current situation we find ourselves in at the moment.

I’ve learned that in situations that I have no control over is to do these two things: first, allow myself to experience the frustrations associated with it- not suppress it. By suppressing emotions we delay the eventual natural healing—the healing that only comes from the experience. Secondly, recognizing that hanging on to things beyond my control is unproductive. Identifying this helps minimize the length of time I allow myself to stay upset about the situation.

You may be wondering if there is a little hope at the end of this story, a light in the darkness. Well, although I still don’t have my car back yet, I was able to secure another loaner car much more suitable. I received a lumbar spinal injection for my sciatica. Though my situation isn’t completely resolved I learned to refocus my thoughts—knowing that my situation was only temporary and that my being upset over a temporary situation is unproductive for the moment I’m currently in.

When we can do that…we can find hope in the trial.