My Top Five Tips for Surviving Difficult Times
“In my deepest, darkest moments, what really got me through was a prayer. Sometimes my prayer was ‘Help me.’ Sometimes a prayer was ‘Thank you.’ What I’ve discovered is that intimate connection and communication with my creator will always get me through because I know my support, my help, is just a prayer away.””
At one point or another, we are all going to go through storms in life that will test our faith. Some of you may already be going through that season. The mystery of life is not knowing what will happen because God has hidden that from us but He has given us his word to stand on in any situation. I don’t think any of us are ever prepared for hard times but at the end of the day, there are things that we can do to make the journey bearable through the storm. Below are the five things things that I can say have helped me get through the hardest times:
1.Prayer
Nothing happens without prayer. Someone once stated, “The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to.” When you go through the storm, you can choose to worry and get depressed or you can choose to stand on God’s word. One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4v6-7, which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
My friends and family always say that I rarely worry about a lot of things, it’s not to say that I’m not concerned. I just pray about it and let God deal with it. It doesn’t do me any good to worry about things that are beyond my control.
I also live by these other two verses:
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Can you imagine how much God feels inclined to give us what we ask for if we approach him believing that he will give it to us. On the other hand, God will not answer prayers that go up in disbelief and doubt.
"…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). I think when most of us read this verse, we think of a literal mountain, which, it might as well be but I like to think of the mountain as storms in your life, whether it be financial, physical, marital, etc. Whatever mountain you are facing, you can pray it away with faith as small as a mustard seed.
2. Worship
“May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2).
It’s so easy to lift up our hands and worship God when everything in our life is great. I was reminded of this last year after having what would be the best year of my life. I just had the wedding of my dreams and traveled to the destinations of my dreams. I was on cloud 9 until everything came tumbling down. In that moment, I had a choice to make – was I going to worship God the same way that I did when everything was good or was I going to flee from him? The opposite can be true though – most of us forget about God when everything is good but are quick to run to him when trouble comes. I try to stay as close to God in my good times, not just my bad times.
3. Surround yourself with the right people
I am so lucky and so blessed to have a praying family and a powerful group of close friends that are prayerful. I can’t begin to tell how many times my family and friends have lifted me before God in prayer, when I was too tired to do so. There are times when my friends and I collectively fast together and believe God for miracles for every situation that each of us are going through. Surround yourself with people that are positive minded and will uplift you and vice versa.
4. Positive Mind
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)
All the points that I have mentioned above will only work based on your attitude. Can you imagine going to God asking for a breakthrough but not really believing that he can do it. Nothing forces the hand of God more than someone who approaches his throne with the full confidence that God will do what he promised he would do. He said he would provide and that’s what he will do even when you have no idea where the next paycheck will come from. He said by his stripes we are healed, and that is exactly what he will do whether it’s in this lifetime or the next. He said he will never leave us nor forsake us and you can trust that he’s with you no matter what you go through. Need I say more? God’s promises are endless. You have to know them for yourself or you will not have anything to stand on.
5. Be Thankful
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4).
There’s an old hymn that says, ‘Count your blessings name them one by one, count your blessings see what God has done.” There’s something that happens inwardly when you choose to be thankful for what God has already done for you. It changes you and your attitude towards whatever you are going through. During one of my lowest points, I remember making a conscious effort to thank God for what I was going through because I knew somehow, someway, he was going to use it for the glory of his name.
On a different note, how cute are these baby turbans that I found on Amazon? A pack comes with five different colored turbans. You can get them here. I love the colors but also how soft, warm and comfortable they are. They are not just stylish but a great substitute for your typical, boring baby hats.
Thank you all for stopping by. Until next time, stay blessed!
