When It Seems Hopeless

I was plugging my phone in to charge Monday night before going to bed, when I noticed a text from a friend. So I responded to her, and we went back and forth a few times before I said good night - and promised to pray for her.
Then I lay in bed thinking about her, and about what she'd just told me.
A doctor's diagnosis she received recently.
It isn't life-threatening, but it seems pretty hopeless and I was feeling at a loss for how to pray.
God, will you comfort her in the midst of the pain?
But her pain is physical. Where's the comfort in that???
Will you give her peace in spite of her circumstance?
Peace in what? The thought that maybe tomorrow it won't hurt as much as it did today? But what if the next day the pain is excruciating???
God, would you give her hope in... No. I can't ask for that. It's too Pollyanna-ish. She needs help now.
See, the thing which came to my mind to pray for her was that God would give her hope for eternity. That she would remember this life and its trials are only temporary. There will come a day for every believer in Jesus Christ when God will wipe away each tear. There will be no more death, no mourning, no pain.
And that Day will last for all eternity. Oh, what a glorious hope!
I felt I ought to pray for my friend to be comforted - to have peace - in this eternal hope.
But then my flesh started arguing. Started accusing me of taking the easy way out. Sure. Just pray about "one Day". Never mind the reality of today. Just think about the Day when it's all going to be better. You Pollyanna, you. Who really thinks like that??? Such that I began to doubt if my prayer was reasonable, or if it truly was a cop-out because I didn't know what else to say.
So I lay in bed wondering.
What would God have me pray for my friend???

Then, as He so often does, God spoke to my heart.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Hebrews 12:2 came to my mind:

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Are you seeing what I saw?
Jesus looked ahead, past the trial of the present - to the joy set before Him!
Jesus knew there was something of far greater value than what He was enduring, and that hope carried Him through.
Jesus thought "like that" - and He was no Pollyanna!
And, as if that reference to Jesus wasn't enough, yesterday in my Precepts class the speaker on the video we watched went on for a few minutes about the truth that the life we're living now is NOT our best life. Rather, our eternity with God is going to be our best life.
This life is broken and temporary.
Eternity is going to be perfect, and forever. Hallelujah!!!
Thank You, JESUS!!!

Are you facing a circumstance which seems hopeless, too?
Just as Jesus was able to endure the cross because of His confidence in the joy which would follow, I pray God would strengthen you with the hope of eternity as you trust in Him.