Have you ever felt that when everything around you is going great, you’re just waiting for something bad to happen…because you think you're “due?”
I spent most of my 20s battling depression. I was always a negative person. It was hard for me to see the positive in things. I ended each day pondering those bad things over and over.
Since I have entered my 30s and have started attending Willowdale Chapel, my life has changed drastically, to say the least. I have still had several conversations over the past year, with others and with myself, where I’ve found myself saying, “Everything is going so great right now, I’m just waiting for the ball to drop.”
But recently God showed me -- like getting hit with a line drive right to the face -- that I have had balls drop. Through all the good of the last year, bad things have still happened. My anxiety has thrown a curve ball some days; I have lost loved ones; had family health scares; had tension and arguments and so much more. So what changed my mindset? Several things: My depression is in check and thanks in part to seeking counseling, I’ve been able to switch gears to a much more positive mindset. I found my faith and accepted Jesus.
When bad things happen, I have found myself doing several things that I recommend to you:
First, I pray.
Take a moment with God. Tell Him what is happening and what you need. Psalm 32:6 says, “Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.”
Secondly, I ask others to pray for me.
I find it helpful to not only have others praying for me, but to also be able to talk about the problem and have other believers there for guidance and companion during a tough time. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 teaches us, “Two are better than one…If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Thirdly, the hardest, but in my experience the most helpful, is to be thankful.
Take the time to thank God for all the good that you do have. How easily we forget and take for granted all we have, but instead focus on what we do not have. God is so good. He has a plan and reason behind everything. If I look back on the past ten years at all the difficult situations I’ve faced, I realize I would not be where I am now…happy! The tricky part is thinking about that during the hard times; that there is a better time to come. We must remember the times in our past where God has been faithful to us and be grateful for our present blessings.
Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
A wonderful article to read further on thanking God is here: https://www.gotquestions.org/giving-thanks-to-God.html
And lastly, if you are going through a very difficult situation and are finding the above less than helpful, please speak to a professional. I can personally recommend the Christian counselors at the Peacemaker Center (610-269-2661) The Willowdale Chapel Pastoral staff recommends the Peacemaker Center, as well as Barbara Shaffer and Associates (610 388-2233).
I can now say I am grateful on a daily basis for all God has given me. I learned that it’s not that situations in my life are drastically different, but rather it is my outlook on them. God has helped me through tough times. Through prayer I can see hope, peace and joy. Through asking others for prayers I know I am not alone. Being thankful has switched my negative days into positive (or at least bearable days leading into better). It is best to continue to focus on the hope that God gives us to get us through bad times. With practice and consistency, we may even face difficulties with more ease and comfort.