What has helped me find hope, peace and inner strength?

Think about the times when you have felt most hopeful. Hope may have come through being loved or supported, finding a clearer sense of purpose, seeing that change was possible or believing that a difficult time would not last forever.

Think also about the moments when you have experienced peace. It may have come through forgiveness, prayer, time in nature or the sense that you were not alone. Peace does not always mean that every problem has disappeared. Sometimes it is the ability to face uncertainty without being overwhelmed by it.

Inner strength may have appeared when you needed the courage to continue, make a difficult decision, forgive someone, ask for help or take the next right step. Difficult circumstances can sometimes reveal a strength within us that we did not know we had.

Christians believe that experiences of unexpected hope, peace and strength may be signs of God drawing close through the Holy Spirit, often through prayer, other people and the events of ordinary life.