Holding onto Hope

The once vivid memory of receiving the devastating diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa has mostly dissipated, but I do recall it being a  mouthful to say for a 19-year old. I also remember, however, how overwhelming it was to hear something so foreign, so distressing, and so permanent sounding. Since it’s an incurable and progressive eye disease, my whole future disappeared. Unaware of how I would cope or where to find resources, I feared the unknown. Without a miracle, I’d never see normal again. I needed hope.

After settling down, hope seeped back in. Surely in my lifetime, a cure could be found before losing too much vision. The greatest hope was the fact it wasn’t life-threatening. Coping is possible. With Jesus as my guide, and continuous research, I had hope to hang on to.

What about a cancer diagnosis? While eye disease doesn’t even come close to comparing, the processing of emotions is. The same way a hard fall knocks the air out of you and breathing isn’t possible at first, learning devastating news does the same thing. They are overwhelmed with terminology, odds, and treatment. They are plagued with an unknown future and fears. After losing their breath, they must hang on to hope. That is the one thing that will see them through their journey.

Recently, a writer friend shared how she hung on to hope in her monthly newsletter, “Grace Notes.” Attacked by tongue cancer twice and five tongue biopsies in her life, Nancy sat once again at a doctor’s office for a checkup. Her honest account described her recent journey beginning with being told she needed another biopsy.

Plagued with fears and questions, Nancy hung on to hope. Here’s some of what she shared.

• She knew where to turn . . . her Heavenly Father, who helped her exchange her fears for peace and assurance. Her church prayed for her beforehand and lifted her up during surgery. Turning to God also meant turning to His Word, including Psalm 23, for comfort.
• Dreading the long recovery process and the directions your mind can take while waiting on the biopsy results, she was able to plan ahead. As frustrating as it was, she cancelled the next few episodes of her new internet radio program. Not completely understanding the timing of this battle, she continued to place her trust in her Heavenly Father.
•  Distracting yourself. It is so imperative to distract yourself to prevent mental battles. Nancy did this in several ways. For one, she took coloring books to the hospital for art therapy to replace her inability to converse. Her loving husband also read her encouraging children books, including one by a doctor who had suffered through tongue cancer. Once out of the hospital, more art therapy pursued by taking a painting class. It not only distracted, but got her out of the house. Then, visiting  grandchildren provided therapy watching them play with her small white communication board.

Hope became joy at the news of no cancer, and Nancy gave praise to her Lord and Savior. Her advice is, “Look beyond the problem and trust the Lord.”

Cancer patients must never lose their hope. Neither should we. Hope is an integral part of survival, whether from medical issues, violence, or natural disasters. Everybody needs hope.

What have you done to hold on to hope in your crisis situation?

Nancy K. Grace is the author of “Grace Impact,” a speaker, and host of the internet radio program, “Living Life Unedited.” You can learn more about Nancy K. Grace on her website, “A Touch of His Grace Ministries.”

© 2020, Jena Fellers. All rights reserved.