How do you handle difficult circumstances? Difficult circumstances can involve you directly or indirectly. It can be a result of your choices or someone else's choices. Just recently I was thrown into having to handle a difficult circumstance. An adult son whom have never given me any problems -whether it was being in the wrong place at the wrong time, linking with the wrong person, or simple making a bad choice - triggered PTSD within me and took me back 10 years. As a result, during those trails and tribulations, I wrote and published A Mother's Cry: He's Still My Child. I thought I was over situations such as this. The recent situation caught me off guard and I felt as if a bomb had been dropped on me. My heart ached. I cried. For a couple of days, I was walking around in a daze. I, literally, was emotionally hijacked. But then, I quickly came to my spiritual senses. I realized that nothing happens unless God allows it and He allows it for His purpose. I don't understand the whys and what for, but I do understand that the difficult situation is a reality and I had to "handle" it so that I could empower others in handling it. I also understand that God will not put no more on me than what He knows I can bare. Through it all, God will never leave me nor forsake me.
If I was going to "handle" this difficult circumstance decently and in order, I knew that I would have to walk in faith and keep my eyes, mind, and heart within the spiritual perspective. For me, any other way, would oppress me, place me in bondage, and could make the situation worse than what it already is. I quickly removed myself from negative people, negative energy, and anything that was not uplifting me. I called out to the positive and empowering people in my life, my fellow prayer warriors, and drew closer to God...just like Jesus did in the garden, out on the boat, and on the mount. Praise God from whom all blessings flow, I received what I needed to continue to press forward. May you be blessed through my pain...my experience...spiritual words of empowerment sent my way as a daily devotion by First Lady Patricia Ogden of Hill Street Baptist Church, Asheville, NC.
Handling Difficult Circumstances
Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial.
The apostle Paul understood how to handle tough circumstances. Even while confined in a prison cell, he kept his eyes on Christ and trusted firmly in the Savior. Therefore, despite being in chains, he was able to celebrate the Lord’s work in his life. In fact, the epistle he wrote from jail to the Philippians was filled with rejoicing and praise (Philippians 1:18; Philippians 2:18; Philippians 3:1).
Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look insurmountable and overwhelm us with a sense of failure.
However, fear and defeat can’t live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you will forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. He is the Deliverer (2 Corinthians 1:10). He is the Healer (Jeremiah 17:14). And He is the Guide (Proverbs 3:6). The believer who lays claim to divine promises discovers that God pushes back negative emotions. In their place, hope, confidence, and contentment take up residence (Philippians4:11). You aren’t going to be happy about any difficult situation, but you can be satisfied that God is in control and up to something good in the midst of trouble.
The Lord’s principles and promises don’t change, no matter how severe or painful the situation is. Focus on Christ instead of the circumstances—God will comfort your heart and bring you safely through the trial. Then you will be ready to answer Paul’s call to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).
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