Have you ever been in a situation where it seemed you are on top of the world and everything seemed too good to be true? And then you know what comes next…Your world seems to come crashing down on you. Sometimes it just seems so unfair and you don’t know how you are going to deal with the issue at hand.
Can you think of a time when you felt like that in your life?
For me, I can think of three times in the last few years where I felt that desperation.
One example would be when I was diagnosed with Stage 0 DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) Breast Cancer. It is the “best” stage and form to have, but at the same time, it was like a life sentence. The Breast Center seemed to still treat it as “cancer”, and even sent me all kinds of brochures on support groups, etc. To this day, I struggle with saying “I have cancer.” I think it is because it seems that something with a Stage 0 should be insignificant.
There were a few months of torture, first waiting for tests to determine the diagnosis, then researching options, and talking with others who have had a similar issue. That was followed by trying to decide what treatment options to pursue, seeing specialists, having one surgery, then finding out I needed a second one a week later and waiting for results. Thankfully, things have turned out well so far, and I was spared much compared to most people. I am forever grateful for that. In fact, to this day I wonder why the Lord would spare me, yet so many others suffer through so much more.
Every check up time, I still get nervous and anxious because you just never know if you will remain clear. Thankfully, there are friends and family there to encourage and support me with a scripture or words of faith at those times.
I have seen friends who have lost their loved ones, had miscarriages, or gone through so much hardship with their children. Your world crashing down on you could even be something as simple as the thought of losing a friendship over some misunderstanding.
Photo credit NEWS OF PEACE under Creative Commons License (CC BY-2.0)
When my world comes crashing down, I know I have found that my faith gets shaken, even though I like to think it is strong. Sometimes it is hard to be strong when your world comes crashing down.
So what can we do to try to stay strong in our faith?
***Surround ourselves with faithful people who will encourage us and help lift us up.
***Listen to encouraging Christian music to help inspire us.
***Ask other Christians to pray for us.
***Read the Bible and other encouraging Christian books.
***Look for God’s blessings through the tough times.
***Remind ourselves that God is still in control and leading us even when we don’t feel it.
When we are experiencing these tough times in our lives, it is important to reach out to God and others.
Just as important is trying to be aware of when others need our compassion, listening ear, or encouragement to help them make it through difficult time. Are we there for them when they need a human touch of kindness?
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” –Psalm 34:17-19
Love this. I love how even in our struggles, God works through us and for us! Love the practical ideas as well 🙂 We need to be able to lean on each other in Christ
Amen, Stefanie! Thanks for sharing!
We all go through that stage. When it feels like we’ve got nothing else left but our own strength, which sometimes fails us.
At times like these, all these that you’ve enumerated really helps. A support group really makes miracles happen.
Keep holding on and finding strength. When you’re down, there’s no other way but up. 😉
Nicely said, Lux. Thanks for sharing!
As we walk by faith through struggles and dark times we need gentle reminders of God’s goodness and love! I like the suggestion as you gave! Thank you for sharing!
Indeed, Mrs. Maiorana! Thanks for reading and sharing. 🙂