Jesus is Risen, Now What?
How to Conquer Despair
Photo By: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
I struggle with despair, but one way I've found that seems to help me and may help you, is to keep moving forward. Keep taking steps in a positive, life-giving direction. Add something to your life. Take a positive action. Do something new. Soothe the soul.
The only way to conquer despair is to move in the direction of hope...to act in hope.
A lot of people wallow in despair. They succomb to staying stuck and doing nothing. They get locked in their emptiness and sadness. They turn away from their faith. They move backwards or stay in the same place.
It's tempting, but it's just a sick cycle that way. It's the road that leads to nowhere.
Does taking action completely alleviate despair? No. You still feel it. You still have moments of it. You still struggle with it. But if you don't move in the direction of hope, your life doesn't move forward.
So if you are despairing, ask yourself "What would make life more hopeful for me?" and take a small step towards hope. You may just find that it makes your despair a little more tolerable and gives you a little more comfort in your soul. And, you may just find an open door to new life and a path out of pain.
About the Author
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, and certified health and life coach. She volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul Society serving the poor, is an active mentor to many individuals, and a prolific writer. Her writing interests and focus areas include spiritual development, reflections on the Gospel life, Franciscian spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and work/daily living. She is the published author of Called to Corporate: Lessons of Growing in Faith and Holiness from the Corporate Cubicle.
