Devotional | COPING WITH CRISES (1)

THE WORD FOR TODAY
Written by Bob and Debby Gass
Presented by Winsome Sherrier Witter


How you handle a crisis determines how you come out of it.

Dr Jeffrey Rossman suggests five ways to help come out stronger: (1) Acknowledge your feelings. David said, 'When my spirit was overwhelmed...You knew my path' (Psalm 142:3 NKJV). God already knows how you feel, and stifling your emotions just saps your energy, leaves you tense and depressed, and slows the healing process. (2) Confide in someone. This doesn't mean pouring your heart out to everybody; it means opening up to those who love and care about you. The Bible says, 'A friend always loves, and a brother is born to share trouble' (Proverbs 17:17 GWT). Numerous studies confirm the power of social support to help us stay healthy through crises. (3) Start a journal or a blog. Writing about a traumatic event is a way of letting it out. It minimises your chances of becoming sick or depressed; the more you write, the more your negative responses to the memory diminish.

(4) Refuse to play the blame game: 'It's the other person's fault,' or 'The doctor botched the procedure,' or 'The boss never gave me a chance.' Blame-shifting makes others responsible for your pain, and more often than not, it results in lingering grudges that prolong your misery. Let go of toxic bitterness and judgment. Stop feeling like a doormat; you can forgive while taking steps to make yourself less vulnerable next time. (5) Forgive yourself. Surprise - you're human! Acknowledge you've made a mistake, ask God for forgiveness, then forgive yourself and move on. God's Word says when he forgives, he 'remembers your sins no more' (Isaiah 43:25 NIV). Neither should you.


#inspiration #encouragement #empowerment