What is your cause for hope? Late one night, after finishing the book Looking For Alaska by John Green, this question continued to ring in my ears. What is my reason for hope? Over the past few years, as I have struggled with internal battles, one question always remains: why continue? Last year I hit my low point. After numerous external conflicts, I had suddenly imploded. Instead of turning to Christ, I tried to handle all my difficulties on my own. Within a month, I became suicidal, bulimic and felt completely alone. I didn't let anyone in. I didn't want help. Finally, I was faced with the harsh reality: it was time for a change. I reached out to family and friends, revealed my long-kept secrets, and have been healing ever since. Technically, I will still be suicidal and still bulimic, but now I have a reason not to be. I have reason to hope. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And it's not your fault; it is a gift from God. » In Ephesians 2:8, one of the many reasons for hope is given. Growing up, I was always afraid that I would never be “good enough” to go to heaven. It is human nature to believe that the works of man have an impact. But overall, this is obviously not the case. Man is sinful by nature; man is saved by faith. As stated before, this is not my fault, but a gift from God. When I struggled with the “why” of life, I often wondered why God chose to save me. I did nothing to deserve his grace, and yet he gave it to me. I felt unworthy of his mercy, as if it were a burden. The gift was too grand a gesture that I simply couldn't receive. After praying, I came to a different conclusion. How can I dare not accept such a wonderful gift as God's grace? This epiphany gave me...... middle of paper ...... in Christ. It took me a period of utter despair and hopelessness to find my reason for hope. I find that all of life's struggles and despairs create cause for hope and call for the ultimate remedy: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In Looking for Alaska, the main character continually struggled with his cause for hope. After losing a good friend, he searched for the “why” of life, the cause of it all and the reason to hope. Unfortunately, he was missing one key element: faith. The question he never answered was what was ringing in my ears that night. “What is your reason for hope? » Through my faith in Christ, I hope to find a different outcome for myself. My reason for hope comes from God. It comes from His wonderful, endless, unfailing grace. This comes from his mercy. This involves the sacrifice of his son. My reason for hope is and always will be God.