We live in uncertain times. While I do not know how or even what it will look like, I know things will be okay. I am not being Pollyannish about this. When my family moved to our current home back in 2007, we lost everything financially and I lost a career. In 2008, I started over again, and it would take me ten years to rebuild my career to the place I wanted it to be. We would have five Christmas’ where we relied on charity for the kids to get Christmas gifts and food. Bankrupt, our finances were in the red more than they were in the black. I did not see consistent black in our bank until 2012 when I landed my first full time therapy job after Masters school.
When I look around at the uncertainty that surrounds us these days, I know it is going to be bad and for many, it already is, but it is going to be okay. I know this personally and I know this historically. In this post, I want to demonstrate how we can choose hope and compassion over despair in these uncertain times.
Benedictine Hope
Reflecting on the Rule of Saint Benedict, we are reminded to Never Despair God’s Mercy. This is a pilar of Benedictine spirituality, observed in the Rule of Saint Benedict (RB 4:74). This command is placed at the very end of a list of “tools for good works,” which are practices intended to help the monk live a moral and spiritual life. By placing it last, St. Benedict emphasizes that even after following all the other practices, the crowning work is this continuous, unwavering hope in God’s forgiving love. It means that no sin, failure, or difficulty is so great that it justifies giving up on God or oneself.
Joan Chittester offers that Benedictine hope, is not a vague feeling, but a foundational, action-oriented virtue: a deep, abiding conviction that because God is merciful, we can commit to conversion, persevere in our place, and find meaning in the ordinary work of the present day.
When I was 18, I was captured by the notion of monastic life which is structured by the Liturgy of the Hours (daily prayer) and Lectio Divina (spiritual reading). This rhythm keeps the community attentive to God’s presence today. The hope for heaven motivates diligent work and conversion of life in the present, seeing every moment as a chance for amendment and growth.
While the joke goes that my wife stole me from the monastery, I never got away from praying the hours or engaging in lectio. As noted earlier, hope is a cornerstone of Benedictine spirituality. In my meditations over the years, I have learned that hope is not passive; it is an active, day-by-day commitment to staying the course, believing that God is at work here and now. St. Benedict speaks of establishing “a school for the Lord’s service. In drawing up its regulations, we hope to set down nothing harsh, nothing burdensome.” (RB Prologue: 45–46)
We are challenged to live in the present moment when we consider hope from a Benedictine view. For a Benedictine, hope draws the future (eternal life with God) into the present, transforming the way one approaches daily life. We are reminded that “If we wish to dwell in the tent of this kingdom, we will never arrive unless we run there by doing good deeds.” (RB Prologue: 22) and “Therefore, our life span has been lengthened by way of a truce, that we may amend our misdeeds.” (RB Prologue: 36)
Hope as a Spiritual Practice
In my previous post on hope, I offered: Hope as a spiritual practice is a process of becoming and if you have lost your way, the practice of hope can counter feelings of despair. Unlike human relationships which can require a lot of hoops to jump through to make serious bids for repair, for Wesley, justification is primarily “pardon, forgiveness of sins.” It is the act of God the Father, who, for the sake of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, remits our past sins. Because the grace and love is already there (prevenient grace), all we have to do be present with God.
In cultivating hope, we must be intentional about what we set our eyes on. It would have been easy to fall into despair when things were grim financially in our family. I could have beaten myself up for not being able to provide my kids with Christmas gifts. Instead, I turned really to my Army training and my trust in God. I laid out a plain (PACE plan), collected my resources and laid them at the feet of Jesus. It was not easy, but it was not impossible. I actually surprised myself by graduating with honors from my second Master’s program. I had hope. Did it turn out ok? Other than the crushing financial debt I incurred from taking on a second Masters, yes, it worked out just fine.
Cultivating Compassion
Compassion also is a spiritual practice that enhances our ability to care and balances or counteracts judgment and pain. When we look upon others around
us and we have our Merton moment, we begin to see and eventually embrace our interconnectedness. Hope leads to compassion. When we truly embrace hope, it opens our eyes not only to our own challenges but also to the struggles and needs of others; we see that we are all in the same boat. In times of uncertainty, choosing hope helps us avoid becoming numb or self-centered, making room for empathy and genuine care. Believing in the chance for kindness and renewal tunes us in to moments of generosity—both those we give and those we receive—and encourages us to show compassion even when things seem difficult. With hope, compassion flows naturally, leading us to support our neighbors, offer words of comfort, and meet hardship with understanding and togetherness.
Practical Steps
As I wrap up these thoughts, I want to circle back to everything we’ve talked about and offer some practical steps for building hope and compassion in our lives.
For me, putting these ideas into action doesn’t have to be complicated. Little things done consistently go a long way. Taking a few minutes for quiet reflection—whether that’s through prayer, sitting in silence, or just pausing to breathe—helps me to stay anchored when life feels chaotic. I’ve learned that naming my fears, kind of like the Stoics suggest, helps me face what’s ahead honestly instead of letting anxiety take over. It’s also important to check in with myself about why I’m responding the way I do; am I coming from a place of real care for myself and the people around me? Making these choices on purpose, even when it’s hard, gives me more strength to keep going and, hopefully, to offer support and kindness to others—especially when things feel uncertain.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In