There’s Still Hope For You!

Editor: Courtney Heiskell

“For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP)

What a year it’s been, right? I was conversing with a friend the other day, and she mentioned the unforeseen unpredictability of 2020. It seems like all the dirty laundry was carelessly dumped, leaving us to deal with the filth and the stench. A huge ball of yarn was unraveled, leaving us with a mess of confusion. All of our clothes were laid out, and we struggled with our indecisiveness. Every problem we have, had, or didn’t think were applicable, presented themselves in the most unprecedented circumstances. This year revealed a lot about ourselves; it separated the strong from the weak; the real from the fake; the followers from the leaders. 

There are two types of New Year Resolutions: “New Year, New Me” and “New Year, Same Me”; The recycled optimism of preemptive negativity, or the repetitive realism of life. I’m usually not the type of person to proclaim “this is my year”, but I truly and deeply felt the blessings of what this year should’ve bestowed. Not only was it supposed to be a great year for me, but for my family, too: I was supposed to walk across the stage and obtain my degree from Eastern Michigan University, my younger brother was supposed to walk across the stage and receive his high school diploma, and my older brother had plans to get married (which he did! Shoutout and congratulations to Tre and Jackie Harris!). While these are all momentous, celebratory accomplishments, they did not go how we planned. 

Most people will discredit the 2020 graduating classes’ concerns and disappointments stating, “but you still graduated”. While that is accurate, college is not easy! There were plenty of times I succumbed to the idea of dropping out, but I owed it to my family and myself to see it through. Because of that battle, itself, I would’ve liked to experience the fruits of my labor. 

Although I looked forward to graduating, I was intimidated by the future and the swift entry into the real world. I was definitely uncertain about my proceeding steps. Once the world shut down, I thought to myself, “Wow Shayla! You picked a great time to graduate.” Then, God, as always, stepped in. An internship in my field came out of nowhere, and that led to a position. If I learned anything this year, God definitely taught me the importance of waiting, and how to wait patiently. However, I’ll share that particular story another day.

As a person of faith, I’d be lying if I said this year didn’t rattle me. It’s funny to include this because most people aren’t as candid about their struggle during this shared state of uncertainty. I’m not insinuating I lost faith in God, but I did lose who I was in God. I was discouraged, tired, and at one point, hopeless. Prayer was the furthest thing from my mind, and when I did attempt prayer, I just couldn’t find the words. It was during these tough times where I really had to search for the strength to fight, especially when I didn’t want to. While we may have said goodbye to loved ones, I still witnessed God work miracles in my life and in the lives of others around me. That’s what ultimately restored my hope.

Sometimes, God provides mountains just to show they can be moved. Everyday is not promised. If nothing else, that’s what we should make of the mess of 2020. If we realized anything this year, it should be that life persists regardless of your triumph(s) or struggle(s). If you still have air flowing through your lungs and a rhythm in your heartbeat, you have a purpose. Before the year ends, I challenge you to reflect on what good came out of 2020. Whether you found love, got a new job, or graduated, there’s something to thank 2020 for. 2020 was your year because you persevered! Even if you can’t think of anything to be grateful for at the moment, the fact that you are reading this post shows God brought you from January to the present. That, in itself, is a major blessing. Have your moment, but don’t lose faith. Cry a little, but don’t lose hope. All is not lost. It’s still your winning season. Whatever that might mean or look like to you, it is still your winning season.