Waiting With Hope

In the June 2015 issue of the Liahona magazine, Connie Goulding shared a story about 33 Chilean miners who became trapped after a cave-in. It was 17 days before they were found, but because of the instability of the rock, they had to wait another 52 days before they were rescued. During the 52 days between their discovery and their rescue, the miners were sustained by "food, water, medicine, and notes from loved ones," slipped in through a narrow shaft that had been drilled into their cavern, but there was one more thing that came through that shaft that sustained them: hope. They had been found. They knew they would be rescued. They just needed to wait.

This must have been a difficult time for them. Through they had finally made contact with the outside world and they were receiving the love and nourishment they needed to stay alive, they were still imprisoned, and no one knew how long it would be until they'd be rescued. They spent nearly a total of 69 days having hope for an eventual rescue, but being forced to wait.

Like them, we sometimes find ourselves in dark places, and sometimes, there's nothing we can do to get out. Sometimes, there's nothing we can do but wait and trust that God will eventually deliver us. Such waiting can be painfully difficult, but the Lord has promised that, if we stay faithful, we will be freed. I know that, no matter what troubles you, it won't trouble you forever. It may take time, but you too will be rescued. We all will. We just need to be patient, stay faithful, and hold on to hope.