by Micah Strouse on September 01, 2025
I have always been a fan of cartoons, particularly those that are hand-drawn by animators, like older Disney films or Looney Tunes. I especially love cartoons such as Road Runner and Bugs Bunny, when the characters make daring escapes or grab a rope, like a lifeline, to swing out of the way at the last second. These moments allow Wile E. Coyote or Elmer Fudd to crash into a wall before getting back up to think of new ways to chase their rival.
I am consistently astounded by the time it took to create each cell of animation for these cartoons, by the skill of each artist in crafting the movements of characters frame by frame, and by the coordination of an animation team working separately on different parts, only to come together at the end to form a cohesive whole. As I have learned more about hand-drawn animation, I have become even more stunned by the ability of artists to begin with simple lines and yet envision the complete design long before the picture is finished.
For me, drawing is not a skill I was gifted with. The idea of starting a painting, not a paint-by-numbers one, and creating a full picture makes me feel anxious. When it comes to drawing or painting, I find it difficult to see the end result from the beginning.
I find that the future often feels similar. I cannot see what will happen tomorrow, or even ten minutes from now, with certainty. In today’s world, this feeling of uncertainty is especially strong. According to the World Uncertainty Index (WUI), levels of uncertainty are at an all-time high, even surpassing those during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In times like these, it is easy to let our minds follow the path of anxiety, which is really just a fancy word for fear, and let fear take the lead in our hearts and minds. When fear takes the lead, it can become dangerous, especially when it is followed by heavy emotions such as depression. For some, these feelings are a daily reality. It can feel like there is no end in sight or no rescue available.
Just like at the beginning of an animation, we can get bogged down by focusing only on the initial lines and fail to see the whole picture. But there is hope. We are not alone. We have the Lord, who, more perfectly than any animator or artist, sees the full picture and the final result. Not only does He see it, but He also extends a lifeline to us. He gives us hope and is the very source of hope.
Hope is an interesting word. Its current definition refers to a desire for something in the future and an anticipation of its occurrence, a confident and expectant attitude toward what lies ahead. In Hebrew, the word often translated as “hope” is Tikvah, which means confident expectation or waiting with confidence. It is also associated with the image of a rope or lifeline, something to be held onto with certainty and assurance.
Romans 15:13 (NKJV) says, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” The Lord is the God of hope. He is hope itself. He is our lifeline, the one we can hold on to with certainty, even in the midst of anxiety, fear, depression, or despair. There is hope. There is a lifeline. That lifeline is Jesus.
He is the one who came to restore our relationship with God after sin entered the world and separated us from Him. He is the one who died for us and, through the Holy Spirit, remains with us to hold us together, especially when life feels uncertain or like it is falling apart. We can rely on the Lord to uphold us and fulfill His promises in Scripture, promises such as “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) and “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). It is through the Lord and His hope that we can confront uncertainty, fear, and even the depths of depression.
But the Lord does not stop at offering hope. As the true artist, He sees the whole picture as well as what we truly need. Just as He saw Adam alone in the garden and knew it was not good for man to be alone, He knows the same is true for us. He created us for community. He gave us the gift of connection with others, to learn, to grow, and to encourage one another through hard seasons. He gave us the Church, a place to engage with others, to learn more about Him, and to lift each other up. This is a clear antidote to isolation.
One of the greatest tricks the enemy plays on us is convincing us, in moments of anxiety and fear, to retreat into avoidance. We avoid responsibility, accountability, God, community, and even hope itself. We believe that avoidance will lessen the fear, the depression, or the uncertainty. The true trick of the enemy is that it works… for a short while. Eventually, however, avoidance turns small problems into seemingly insurmountable ones. What began as a speed bump can start to feel like an unscalable wall. And when that wall looms too large, we retreat into isolation. That is not where we are meant to be.
Again, God sees us. He sees the whole picture and has already provided a solution to isolation: community. By stepping back into relationship with God and with others, we can watch that wall shrink back into a speed bump, one that can be overcome in community. But we must choose to engage in community.
Do not let the lies of the enemy keep you trapped in avoidance or isolation, in fear or depression, or in hopelessness. Whatever you are walking through, whether it is uncertainty, fear, or depression, do not walk through it alone. Choose hope. Wherever you find yourself, take the step back into community, especially the community of the Church. Step back into relationship with the Lord. Let Him be your lifeline. Reach out and reconnect with those around you.
You are not alone. There is hope. No matter what uncertainty may come, the Lord is always with you.
