Life isn't without its trials. It has a nasty habit of turning good and happy things into sad ones. In the famous words of Thomas Paine, "these are the times that try men's souls." Those times when it feels like all hope is lost, those are the times that make it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. Those are the ones that make us question everything we've ever known.
How do you keep going during such hard times?
How is it possible for people to still have faith when you've lost all hope?
It is possible. Having faith when you feel hopeless is difficult, but not impossible. It takes a certain amount of courage and a bit of belief in something greater. But there's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Rely on your family and friends for help when you need
Your friends and your family should (and will) always be there for you, no matter what. Rely on them. Never be afraid of asking for help when you need it. If they love and respect you, they will be able to offer whatever help they can give.
Use your family and friends as a support system. They will be there to lift you up and get you back on your feet if you let them. They offer an outside perspective to the feelings you have and the trials you're going through. Perhaps they've been in your shoes before. If so, they will give you better advice than anyone else can. It's up to you to listen and apply it to your life.
Put your thoughts into action
One way of having faith and moving forward is to put your thoughts into action. Rather than wallowing in despair, do something. Get up on your feet and do something worthwhile. Faith is an action word. It requires acting on a belief. Having faith means you have the power to move mountains - or at least overcome the mountains in your own life. With faith, you can overcome the feeling of lost hope.
Don't forget who you are
Most importantly don't forget who you are and where you come from. In this crazy thing we call life, it's easy to lose ourselves. At times we forget who we are. We get lost. In order to have faith you must have some inkling of who you are. We all have something we identify with. Hold onto that and let your true identity form around it. When you know who you are you are able to meddle on through the muddy waters and overcome trials.
Cling to the lingering hope you once had
Sometimes we may feel like we've lost all hope, but it's never completely gone. In order to have faith, we have to have at least a tiny bit of hope. Faith is rooted in hope, in a belief of something better. If we hold on to something we believe in, we can have the faith necessary to get us through our trials.
Trust that things will work out
Having faith isn't knowledge. It's trusting that things will work out in the end. Put your trust in others, in God or yourself and you'll be able to have faith that things will be better.
Never surrender to fear, doubt, and despair
With any trial comes fear of what could happen, doubt you'll ever make it through, and despair that something bad is going on in your life. Don't give into these dark feelings. They will only bring you down. You are much stronger than the crazy things life throws at you. You don't need to give in or surrender. You can make it through.
Embrace the very good and most pure things in life
It's much easier to focus on the negative in life when we're going through hard things. If you instead focus on the positive, your eyes will open to see a much brighter and better world. If you embrace the good and pure things in life you'll be able to see your life from an entirely new perspective. Things will not be as bad as you first thought they were.
With a positive outlook on life, you'll be able to have faith that things will get better, even if you've lost all hope.
