The Healing Journey

August 31, 2026

Hope

By Paul E. Tupper

It was coming up on two years of being widowed, and I was really starting to feel the effects of being alone. My wife had passed on August 31. I could deal with it on a given day, but it was very difficult to contemplate the possibility of spending the next thirty years or so by myself. That thought made me sad. Every time I experienced this emotion, I turned to Jesus and talked to Him about it. Without fail, I felt His comfort — the comfort that came from knowing Jesus would always be present with me, especially when I was feeling alone.

St. Paul wrote that “hope will not leave us disappointed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). It is God’s infinite love that provides hope. No matter what happens to us in our life, God loves us. If we remember that and love Him in return, we have everything. We have a true friend in Jesus, who helps us to overcome any challenge because He faced the greatest hardship and triumphed. We also have a promise from God that we will go to Heaven when we pass from this life. That’s hope.

Hope in God is a confident hope. We’re confident because we trust in God and His ability to provide. Because of our faith, we have come to understand God’s love. In turn, the promise of that unending love gives us hope. If we have this hope in God, it will change everything.

When I was feeling down because I thought I would always be alone, God’s love gave me hope. His love gives each of us hope. However, there’s more – much more. Whenever we’re feeling alone, we need only remind ourselves that Jesus is with us. He’s not even a phone call or text away. He dwells within us. We merely need to talk to Him, and we will feel His presence. He’s always there. He promised! “Behold, I am with you, even to the end of the age.” That’s love. And, that is a reason to hope!

(Paul E. Tupper of Milford is author of “Perfect Moments With God,” which is available on Amazon. He grew up in Greenwich. His father Paul was a deacon in the Diocese of Bridgeport, and his mother Aurora was the Director of Religious Education in their parish. Most of his career was with a major public accounting firm in New York City. In response to a call from God, he began writing spiritual reflections.)

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