The future may be looking very bleak to you due to your changed health or new realities or just being exhausted with the effort of living. You may not be able to find or feel much that is positive at the moment.
Guidance from your chosen belief
Christian perspective
Even if you’re going through a difficult time right now, be sure that God loves you. He sees what you’re going through, He is with you, and He desires to help you right where you are.
Psalm 34:18 says, ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed’. So, when you are hurting, God hurts with you.
Maybe you feel like everything is just too hard; that there’s nothing good left for your future. But the Lord says, ‘For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you…thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome’ (Jeremiah 29:11). He wants you to believe that you’re not alone and he is present in your suffering; understanding of your feelings of hopelessness or depression and ready to help you to move on, strengthened by in his love.
Muslim perspective
There will be periods in our life when we will feel hopeless and that things are out of our control. Coming into hospital can be such a time.
As a Muslim we may hear statements such as “hopelessness is a sign of a weak faith” or that “a true Muslim believer never gets depressed”.
Depression is rooted in a sense of sheer hopelessness where you feel out of control, but as Muslims we know everything is in Allah’s control. We believe we will be tested in different ways but Allah promises us that “For indeed, with hardship (will be) ease”.
Even if the suffering feels endless, Allah tells us not to lose hope. Allah states, “do not give up upon my mercy”. Allah’s plans are better than ours and by submitting ourselves to the greatest of all planners we will feel a sense of contentment knowing that the best of planners is in control of our life and circumstances.
The Holy Quraan tells us “O believers seek help through patience and prayer and God is with those who are patient,” (Baqara:153).
Turning back to our faith can provide focus and comfort during these difficult times.
Humanist perspective
Life can throw up challenges. Some can feel insurmountable. Sadly, there is no magic wand or divine intervention that can sort things out or make them better. As Humanists we put our faith in science and medicine to treat or mend. We are pragmatic and realistic, looking at the evidence and seeking to understand its meaning. So our strength to get through difficult times comes through our connection with others, our appreciation of scientific expertise and acceptance of our own mortality. Hopelessness and depression are valid and understandable responses to difficult circumstances as we process change and challenge in our lives. Human beings are resilient and resourceful but in the end, every individual has to find their own peace and determine their own future, drawing on the expertise and compassion of their fellow human beings.
Sikh perspective
If you are not living the life you want, for whatever reason, you may feel depressed or hopeless, anxious about the future and miserable about the present situation. You may be struggling with your self-esteem. One difficulty might be that you feel that you are not able to serve others and be helpful at present, following a Sikh path of seva. But it may be that by concentrating on Simran you can stay in the present moment and avoid focussing on anxieties about the future, allowing yourself to attain some peace and value.
Hindu perspective
Our body is the temple for the soul, which is eternal. Every illness has a biological, psychological, spiritual and karmic component. Our teachings encourage the harnessing of your spiritual energies through meditation, recital of mantras, yoga and positive thinking to help counter any feelings of anxiety, guilt and depression. You can achieve calmness by focussing on the divine within yourself and the beauty of the divine creation, controlling the mind with positivity rather than being controlled by it.
Buddhist perspective
A feeling of emptiness can never be eliminated, they are part of the fabric of life and it is only when you stop fighting with your personal emptiness, that you can appreciate the transformation that is possible. To relax into your emptiness, running towards it, not away from it, is to recognise its meaning and process its reverberations. Hopelessness and depression can be lonely , isolating feelings; there are many struggling to find their way through difficult times, swallowed up in their experience of suffering and wondering, a universal suffering that brings perspective and awareness. Your struggle through loneliness is part of your path to enlightenment, it takes time and patience to find your path, it is within your grasp.
Jewish perspective
All human beings can experience hopelessness and depression at various times, and Judaism recognises this. Indeed, many of the psalms describe such feelings, sometimes leaving the reader acutely aware of the continuing sadness, sometimes leading them out of the depths and back into the challenges and excitement of living. A famous Hassidic rabbi who was known for his struggle with depression (Reb Nachman) said “For the nature of man is to pull himself towards black bile and depression, as a result of the wounds and happenings of time, and everyone is full of affliction. As such, they must force themself with great strength to be joyful”. However, we cannot force ourselves to be joyful, and a famous Talmudic story speaks of a great rabbi visiting a colleague and asking him “Is your suffering dear to you? He replied: “Neither this nor its reward. (ie suffering is not valuable nor required for human beings). The visitor said to him: “Give me your hand.” He gave him his hand, and his visitor helped him rise. The question is then asked – “why could he not get up by himself?” to which the answer is given “A prisoner cannot free himself from prison.”. So it becomes the obligation for everyone to assist those who are feeling hopeless and depressed, support them and help them back into living with meaning.
Feeling lonely or abandoned The book of psalms, many of the prophetic books, and even some of the stories of Moses are records of the feelings of loneliness and abandonment felt by these very human individuals. Judaism recognises that these feelings are not uncommon, and particularly post holocaust there are many who question God and God’s role in our world. Jewish life is never lived alone – it is always embedded in community and peoplehood as well as family ties (both blood family and chosen family). In part this is a deliberate effort to mitigate the sense of loneliness – while God is a constant in Jewish
teaching and tradition, individual faith is a matter for the individual, and the actions and interactions of people are the locus of support for those who feel estranged or lost.
Pagan perspective
We all go through times when we feel hopeless or depressed. When this has been going on for a long time, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. During this time, we may find comfort from knowing that The Deity or Deities that we turn to are with us.
Going out and spending time in nature, feeling the grass beneath our feet or sitting beside a tree can help us reconnect and help us understand that we are never alone. Even if you can’t get outside, take comfort by gazing out of the window at the sun and sky. There is always the dawn of a new day to bring us hope.
Jain perspective
Adverse circumstances such as loss of loved ones or our own poor health that does not seem to improve, bring hopelessness. Reciting prayers and Namokar mantra help. Reading the scriptures helps to understand that the situation is the result of bad karma bound in the past. Meditation (Samayik) diverts the mind to the soul.
Baha'i perspective
“Let neither enemy nor friend disturb your composure, destroy your happiness, deter your accomplishment. Rely wholly upon God….
… Let nothing defeat you. God is your helper…. Be firm in the Heavenly Covenant. Pray for strength. It will be given to you, no matter how difficult the conditions.”
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Compilation of Compilations, volume 1 (Maryborough: Bahá’í Publications Australia, 1991), pages 155–156)