Tina Huggins
Nov 4, 20132 min
The next morning, I rose early to a glorious day. The sun was shining; the air was crisp and clean as I stepped out for my morning
Life is like this isn’t it? An unexpected storm hits and knocks you off your feet…you may not have seen it coming…sometimes it is like the unexpected tree branch falling in your path or over a section of your house.
This year I have had an abundance of unforeseen challenges…one after another….I have learned that nothing brings me closer to God than a difficult period in my life or the glorious day when I can see a glimmer of hope…a little laughter… or joy on the horizon. You see…all storms eventually end…the sun does reappear bringing a peace that provides laughter to our souls. Last week, walking on that glorious morning and being captivated by God’s beauty…was a precious reminder of His faithfulness to me.
How do you traverse the storms of your life? Sometimes I go kicking and screaming….other times in a pool of tears…then there are times when I need to be the tower….the strength…the encourager…the one with open arms. It is never easy moving forward and I have learned that I never do it well when under my own steam (as it usually takes longer to move through the storm…and it is almost impossible to find joy during the crisis).
I am waiting the day when a storm passes and I can say to myself, “Job well done!”
So how do we do it? A lot of prayer for me and few other strategies…
1. Take a step back and wait before I make a major decision. (This is very hard for me to do as I want to jump into action to fix the situation.)
2. Reframe the hurt, disappointment or crisis into an unseen opportunity. It helps offset what I’m feeling leads me to focus on something positive. (Remember Pollyana and the Glad game)
3. Stay in the present…don’t leap to the future. Go through the day…one step at a time. (As a fixer…I can make a problem worse because I rush to make things better…prayer is the only way I seem to put the skids on my feet!)
4. Don’t get discouraged….fear of making a wrong decision can paralyze and prevent any decisions. I don’t always get it right the first time…so I pray…I listen…and I adjust.
5. Read this scripture and remember that I am never alone:
Isaiah 43: 2, 5
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
Sometimes it may be hard to see God in the midst of a storm. I often think… “He never arrives early…I believe he going to be late…but upon reflection His timing has always been perfect.
#decisions #storms #crisis #wait #illness #opportunity #unexpected #joy #listen #traverse #life #calm #God #pray #struggles #fear #challenges