Page 12 - Summer 2016 Contact issue 38
P. 12
How to cope 1. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed, distressed
with Difficulty and troubled like Jesus was (14:33). It’s so important to
recognise that this happens to all of us. It doesn’t
make us weak. It doesn’t call into question our faith
or make us any less of a Christian. These experiences
give us opportunities to grow in healthier ways.
The Sound of Music, in my humble opinion, is 2. It’s good to talk (14:35). Jesus shared honestly with
the “Worst. Movie. Ever.†Maybe you’ve seen it. Maybe, His friends, Peter, James and John. He opened up. He
like me, you long to forget it. But you can’t. Not least also sought His Father in prayer. It’s so important we
because of the song used by advertisers the world over, seek God and His help, strength, wisdom and counsel,
My Favourite Things. You know the one. Raindrops on as well as that of leaders and people around us, too,
roses and whiskers on kittens… Brown paper packages that his truth may abound in us.
tied up with strings… These are a few of my favourite 3. God did not abandon Jesus and He does not
things. abandon us (14:36). It would sure feel like it on the
We all have our favourite things; stuff we feel we can’t cross as He cried out to His Father (Mk. 15:34) but
live without. But as we think about them, do we really God was still there and working and the same is true
need them? The phone. The TV. The games console. in our darkest, most difficult moments. God is present,
The shoes. The … Don’t we have greater needs as we still loving us, still walking with us (Ps. 23:4).
desire to live life? Like water. Food. Shelter. Clothing. 4. Keep trusting God and seeking God (14:36). Jesus
Love. Even battery power and Wi-Fi! begged God to take the pain away from Him, maybe
With all of these things, plus the pressures of school life, like we do. But He also recognised the BIG picture
home life, personal life and more, stress is never far away. that God was working and surrendered Himself to
The call of Jesus to not worry about what’s to come or the Father’s will. The best place for us is in the caring
whether we’ll have enough [Mt. 6:25-34] often falls on arms and will of the Father (Ps. 62:5).
deaf ears. 5. Know that Jesus knows your struggles (14:40). He
We all get stressed. And we all cope differently, too. knew the struggle of failing friends, of agonising
Some ways are healthy coping mechanisms and others, suffering and pain and as He walked these broken
not so much. Some cry. Some talk. Some pray. Some do roads so He comes to know ours in sympathy and
nothing. Some shop. Some exercise. Some laugh. Some empathy (Heb 4:15, Ps. 56:8). He is enough and in
eat. Some do… Some don’t…* Him, because of who He is and what He’s done we
But what about Jesus? What exactly does He teach us can take heart, for He has overcome the world. (John
about stress and dealing with it? What examples does 16:33).
He give us? No moment, no worry, no stress, no need, nothing is
In Mark 14:32-42, hours before Jesus will be falsely tried as strong as our overcoming Saviour. In Him we stand
and sentenced to death we read of the plight He found victorious, in Him we know compassion, in Him we
Himself in and how He went about coping, as well as experience and have a hope, that we are, and can be,
teaching and discipling. We see and learn these things: no longer slaves to fear or anything else, for we are His
children - loved, forgiven, bought, made new to live in
Him.
So come to Him [Mt. 11:28]. Give it all to Him. And
let His peace and rest wash over and saturate your life.
You won’t regret it.
[Coping mechanism resource kindly provided by
The Big House Ireland as part of their “How to
cope with difficulty†session. Materials available
upon request.]
