Empty. Nothing to give. Hope was in short supply. Though it was one of my primary responsibilities on the field, how could I give others what I did not possess?  

We’ve all been there. Darkness, exhaustion, and despair rear their ugly heads, choking out the hope we were sent to hold out to others. Financial struggles. Family strain. Illness. Loneliness. Depression. Decision fatigue. In my case, I could not point a finger at any single incident that might have dissolved my hope. Over time, it had eroded, waned, and weakened. 

Serving as global workers does not make us immune to grief or hopelessness. Each of us will face times when hope seems an elusive vapor we cannot grasp. When we cannot find the ladder to climb out of our own despair, we often pile on the guilt of not having the answers others need.  

Speaker, writer, and psychologist Heidi Warner, PhD, shares a piece of advice we can all put into practice as we struggle. “Identify a friend whom you can call when you need a distraction or encouragement to put one foot in front of the other. Let them carry hope for you when you cannot.” As you run to God’s Word, cry out to Him. If there is no friend on the field, no colleague with whom you can meet, talk, and pray, ask God to show you who you can talk to via FaceTime. You may need to find someone who specializes in providing care for women who serve cross-culturally. Later, after God has completed His healing work in your heart, watch for opportunities to say to someone else in their struggles, “I’ll hold on to hope for you when you can’t grasp it for yourself.” 

I am thankful for those God puts in my life to help me hold on to hope. Walking side by side, each through our own battles, we strive to encourage each other. God designed us to function best in community with other believers.