Making it through Hard Times

“Suffering has to come because if you look at the cross Jesus has his head bending down. He wants to kiss you. And he has his arms opened wide. He wants to embrace you. When you feel miserable inside look at the cross. Suffering, pain, sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus, a sign you have come so close he can kiss you.Suffering, pain, humiliation – this is the kiss of Jesus!” – Blessed Theresa of Calcutta

Hard times, we are all going to have them. And, some of us get through them better than others. You would never know what some people are experiencing. They have the ability to maintain a positive attitude, they continue to be grateful, live in the moment, and offer their sufferings up to God placing their troubles at the foot of the cross.

Others don’t do so well. They suffer openly, have a negative destructive attitude and feel that their happiness has been shortchanged. They wear their pain on their shoulders for everyone to see. They make themselves miserable by obsessing over their problems.

What can we do to helps us make it through the tough times?

1. It helps if we realize that pain and suffering are part of life. We are taught from an early age to avoid pain. Don’t touch the hot stove, look both ways before crossing the road, and be careful or you’ll poke an eye out, are drilled into us.

But, the truth is, we will all face adversity in our lives, some more than others. An illness, job loss, relationship breakup, loss of a loved one, we are all going to experience something painful, sorrowful or humiliating. But, we grow through what we experience. Life’s greatest lessens are learned through tough times not pain free times.

2. Our attitude is everything. When we are face with adversity we have two choices; accept it and let go of the negativity that comes with it, or obsess over it and in doing so become anxious and miserable.

[pullquote]“Life is not the way it’s supposed to be, it’s the way it is. The way you cope is what makes the difference.” –- Virginia Satir[/pullquote]

3. You can’t change the situation but you can change yourself. You will never change until you take responsibility for your attitude. It’s amazing that when we change ourselves our circumstances change too! Not the other way around.
4. No matter the situation, there is always something to be thankful for. An attitude of gratitude can help us overcome any situation. When we realize that no matter what we have experienced we still have many things in our lives to be thankful for. There is always someone who would happily exchange places with us.

[pullquote]“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson[/pullquote]

5. Don’t compare yourself to others. And, don’t rely on others to validate you. Remember, the friends that seems to be living the perfect life are having struggles of their own. Your situation may pale compared to theirs. You may never know the extent of their suffering.
6. You are not alone and things will change. I learned at a young age that other than death and taxes the only thing certain is that things will change. As the old saying goes, “This too shall pass!” Anything is possible but great things often take time.
7. In God, all things are possible. Do you believe that miracles can happen? I do. I’ve seen and read of hundreds. And, I’ve experienced them myself. You can too!

“Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 4:7

Put your troubles in God’s hands, trust that He will get your through your hard times and grant you the peace that surpasses all understanding. A peace that will guard your heart and mind, until He sees you through your pain.

You are in my prayers, my friend.

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