Why Formed By Hope Exists
If you asked me a few years ago where I'd be today, I don't think I would've said this.
I grew up in a big family with 11 siblings, and after high school I came to Franciscan University. Like a lot of people, I thought college was going to be where everything finally came together. I thought I'd find my place, make lifelong friends, and have everything figured out.
But that's not what happened.
I found myself feeling lonely in a way I never expected. Even when I was surrounded by people, I still felt disconnected. It made me realize how many people around me were carrying the same weight but hiding it. We all seemed connected through our phones, yet so many of us felt completely alone.
As time went on, life got harder. There were moments of disappointment, loss, uncertainty, and questions I didn't have answers to. I found myself asking God why things weren't going the way I had hoped.
Looking back, I can see that God wasn't absent in those moments. He was teaching me to trust Him even when I couldn't understand what He was doing. He was showing me that hope isn't the absence of suffering—it's choosing to keep walking with Him through it.
Those experiences changed the way I see people. They made me realize that everyone is fighting battles we can't see, and sometimes the greatest thing we can do is simply be there for someone.
I'm still learning. I still have questions. I still have days where things aren't easy. But I've seen what God can do when we stop relying on ourselves and start trusting Him.
My story isn't one of having everything figured out. It's a story of learning that even in loneliness, disappointment, and uncertainty, God never stopped walking beside me.
And if there's one thing I've learned, it's this: hope isn't something we create ourselves. It's something we're formed by when we let God work through every season of our lives.Â
- Joshua Thelen