Finding Jesus in the Storm: A Devotional for Those Living With Psychosis and SchizophreniaНамуна

When You Cannot Hold Hope

There are days when prayer feels impossible, days when belief seems beyond reach. Our minds may be exhausted, and our bodies restless. Voices intrude, making the world feel threatening. On days like these, hope can seem to vanish. However, the heart of the Christian story is not that human beings cling tenaciously to God; rather, it is that God holds fast to us, even and especially when we cannot hold on to ourselves. When words fail, the Spirit prays in sighs too deep for language. When faith falters, Christ intercedes. When prayer disappears, others pray on our behalf. Faith is not a solitary test of endurance; it is a gift given, sustained, and shared, held within the life of a community and carried by others when it becomes too heavy to bear alone. There are times when hope must be entrusted to the care of others. This is not failure; it is Grace. Hope does not always reside within us. Sometimes, it is held in the bodies and prayers of others, borne by friends, sustained in community, and spoken aloud in liturgy when our own voices fall silent. The Spirit who groans in wordless prayer is the same Spirit who binds us to one another, ensuring that no one bears the weight of hope alone. Even in the disorientation of psychosis, even in the loss of clarity, even when fear closes in, there is one who never lets go.

Is there someone—human or divine—who might hold hope for you when you cannot?