I guess I’m perceived to be superhuman … or something.

My blog’s name is “You can have hope.” I am asked fairly frequently why I came up with that name, as though it was revealed to me from On High from some heavenly chorus.

Naah.

I’ve unpacked this in a previous post – how I perceive that there is a pervasive sense of hopelessness in our world, and how it can overtake even the strongest among us. Perhaps this is a non-issue for you. If that’s true, I need to intern under you.

See that opening line – the “I don’t know how you do it” one? I get that a lot. People that know me well and have walked with me for the last several months have watched me careen from one trial to another. (This is not a whine. Don’t hear it that way.) No – there have been just a series of unfortunate events. You know – stuff like surgeries, and cancer, and home flooding and – the biggie – a brain injury. Other issues, too.

But. My story is your story, right? You’ve faced trials. Challenges have piled up like trash in your living room. So there’s nothing unique here.

Perhaps I’ve given the impression that because of my faith, I’ve prevailed. That is absolutely true. God sustains me. Honestly, though, at no point have I ever thought things were hopeless. Tough, for sure. Even awful on bad days. The thing about the brain damage is that not only do I have good days and bad days, I can have good hours and bad hours. Most of the time I’m brilliant. Other times I’m a stupid as a sack of bricks.

It’s all been life-altering. But to address the question of “how can you do it?”, I have to admit that I’m not really “doing” anything. I’m just “being.” Let me explain.

Our Western culture encourages us to be men and women of action. We have to act decisively and in a timely fashion. We’re encouraged to DO something, even if it’s wrong. If we don’t, then we are cowardly, lazy, apathetic, indecisive, all that. The world little notes the timid, right?

This is NOT about being any of those things. This is about positioning yourself to be ABLE to do those things. Yes, we need to be decisive, courageous, and doers. But that’s actually the second step.

If I seem to be doing well “under the circumstances” (and who’d want to be under those things in the first place?), it’s either because I’m faking it (full disclosure – there have been plenty of times when I’ve tried to look better than I actually am, but I’m lousy at it.) Or it’s because I’ve taken the time to be quiet and still and receive assurance from God that it’s gonna be okay. Maybe not easy. There may be real suffering involved. But He’s got it, and me. There’s never been a nanosecond when I’ve had to be alone. I haven’t had to “do” anything.

I don’t know if that encourages you. It should. My point – and it’s a good one, so keep reading – is that if you are living in a state of perpetual meltdown, it doesn’t have to be that way. Nothing you are facing is unique to you. If you were to say to me, “Dang, Tony, you just don’t understand,” then I’d have to agree with you.

So I won’t offer any platitudes. You’re hurting, and flirting with hopelessness. I’m hurting, but hopelessness is not an option. I mean – why should I be hopeless? Something is going on in my life – it’s another curve in the road, or a glimpse at a far horizon I hadn’t seen before. I don’t see what’s ahead, and I can make myself crazy trying to figure it all out.

I’m not superhuman, and I don’t have any particular virtues. Yes, I get down. Heck, my lows are so low that it takes lift trucks to get me out of them. So – regarding my challenges:

There’s nothing I can do. And that’s the beauty of it. I don’t have to. In Christ, it’s already been done for me. I am content in being His.