When Life Feels Hard, Do these 3 Things.
This is for those going through a hard time.
It’s not a message of hope to look out for the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s not a call to remember that after the night comes the sweet morning.
It’s only a suggestion, that perhaps the darkness still lingers because there are treasures in it we are yet to discover.
A diamond can easily be missed in brilliant sunlight. Sometimes it takes the darkness to reveal the glow of a diamond.
Perhaps at those periods in our lives when it seems the sun has eclipsed from our sky, it’s because there’s a diamond right before our eyes?
While we long for the light at the end of the tunnel and eagerly await the morning, we should be grateful for the night. Because even the night has its treasures, and sometimes the best treasures are the abilities and good virtues that the night season builds in us— virtues like wisdom, patience, compassion, courage, humility etc.
Think of David. If he didn’t go through the night season of being in the wilderness alone to watch the animals he won’t have developed the treasures of skill, faith and courage to face Goliath. And if he didn’t win that battle with Goliath, there may not have been a king David. It took the night season of the wilderness to shine light on the diamond that was David.
Or think of Daniel — It took being thrown into the den of lions and coming out unharmed to cause the unbelieving king of Babylon to give glory to God. Or Joseph — it took being framed and thrown into prison to become Prime Minister of Egypt.
And the greatest of all is Jesus — it took the darkness of being cruelly killed on a cross to bring about the free gift of salvation from sin we enjoy today.
The death of Jesus is proof that God can take the very worst of situations and bring great good out of it.
Sometimes we’re led into the darkness to find diamonds. Sometimes, life’s great treasures are to be found in the valleys of difficulty.
What’s that dark situation that feels like you are being thrown into a lion’s den, or you’re being nailed on a cross?
Today, do these 3 things about that difficult situation:
1- Pray: ask God to open your eyes to see what you’re missing in that difficult situation and take a different look at it— what diamonds could be in it? What silver lining could be hidden by this dark cloud?
Your immediate answer may be nothing — I can’t see any good coming from this! But be patient. Keep praying, keep studying God’s word, keep looking.
God will speak to you as you spend time seeking His point of view on the matter. He will give you a new vision of the situation, or show you a way of deliverance out of it or give you His strength to bear it, if it’s His will that you go through it.
And if you still can’t see any good coming from the situation, trust God that He is going to make the situation work for His glory and for your good. (Romans 8:28–29)
For more detail on learning to see opportunity and blessings in difficult situations, read this: https://medium.com/@adebayodipo/your-big-opportunity-may-be-right-where-you-are-now-1b4fb90c047a
2- Seek Perspective: Sometimes, you may need to enlist the perspective of wise and understanding people to see the treasures in what you’re going through. Preferably those more experienced and knowledgeable in that issue than yourself.
One way to do this is by finding a book that speaks to the challenge you’re going through. There’s almost no challenge in this world that someone has not written some sound advice on.
3- Step Back: Other times, if possible, you may need to step back from the situation for awhile to see it more clearly. Sometimes we don’t see things clearly because we are too close to them.
Sometimes, stepping back is physically removing yourself from the environment of the problem.
Other times, stepping back is putting away the problem in your mind for sometime, choosing to think on other things besides that challenging situation. And then after sometime, revisiting the problem in your mind to see if you see it differently.
Here’s a summary of these 3 things:
- Pray for open eyes to see the situation the way God will have you see it and let the Bible guide you on how to look at it and what to say concerning it.
- Talk to people you trust to give you a different perspective on it. And Read a good book relating to it.
- See if you can step back from the tough situation for sometime, and then when your mind is settled, revisit it with clearer mind.
Your biggest blessing may be right before your eyes, covered by the darkness of pain.
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If you liked this article you may like this too- Your biggest opportunity may be right where you are now: https://medium.com/@adebayodipo/your-big-opportunity-may-be-right-where-you-are-now-1b4fb90c047a
Hi. I’m Dipo. I write, speak and train on softskills, teenagers, emotional healing, and overcoming fear, failure, shame, rejection, and other self-limiting obstacles to your progress.
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