How to Hold Onto Hope When Life Feels Heavy

Hope is a word we throw around a lot, but when you’re in the thick of real-life struggle, it can start to feel far away. When prayers seem like they're unanswered, when darkness creeps in, or when you're just plain exhausted—it’s hard to hold on. But hope isn't just wishful thinking. As Catholics, it's something deeper. It’s a gift from God that anchors our soul.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure."  - Hebrews 6:19

What is Christian Hope?

Hope is one of the theological virtues—alongside faith and love—and it’s something God plants in us. It’s not something we have to manufacture with willpower. It’s a grace. A steadying force. Hope is the quiet trust that, even when we can’t see the way, God is still working behind the scenes. It’s the belief that His promises are true, even if the timeline is long or the path winds through valleys we didn’t expect.

Pope Francis once said:

"Hope is not optimism, nor the ability to look at things cheerfully and move on. Hope is a gift from the Holy Spirit." - General Audience on Christian hope December 7, 2016

When Hope Feels Hard

Let’s be honest: there are seasons when hope is hard. When grief lingers. When anxiety won't let up. When you're watching someone you love suffer. You pray, you wait... and silence. It’s in those moments we need to remember that hope doesn’t mean we’re not hurting. It just means we believe there’s still more to come. That God is not finished yet.

We might not see the miracle today, but we know the One who works miracles hasn’t gone anywhere.

How to Nourish Hope in Everyday Life

Here are a few simple ways to keep your heart rooted in hope—especially on the hard days:

• Open the Psalms. They are full of raw, honest prayers. Psalm 42 says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him.” It’s okay to talk to God like that. God not only wants our gratitude and our requests, He wants all of us. Our anxiety and fears, give them over to Him. He can can handle it.

• Go outside. Sometimes creation preaches better than any homily. A sunrise, a breeze, a stubborn little flower breaking through the sidewalk—God still creates beauty in broken places, including our wounded souls.

• Talk to the saints. Many of them wrestled with despair. St. Teresa of Calcutta felt spiritual dryness for years. St. Monica waited decades for her son’s conversion. But they didn’t give up. Instead, they doubled down on their prayers to God. Use their example, and continue to pray, even when it feels like no one is listening. It's during these times of distress, that the saints grew in their faith often without realizing it until they looked back on their journey.

• Receive the Sacraments. Confession and the Eucharist aren’t just rituals. They’re real encounters with Christ—reminders that you are never alone, no matter how you feel. Go to adoration. Sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Just rest in Jesus' presence and allow him to bring you some peace.

• Ask the Holy Spirit for help. Hope is His specialty. You don’t have to fake it till you make it. Just pray: “Come, Holy Spirit. Restore my hope. I can't do this on my own.”

You Are Not Forgotten

If you’re struggling right now, know this: God sees you. He hasn’t overlooked you. He is closer than you think—especially in your suffering. Hope says, “This is not the end.” Because in Christ, the end is always new life in resurrection.

You don’t have to climb out of the dark by yourself. Just take one small step. Say one small prayer. Light one small candle. That’s hope.