Tough Times

Everyone goes through hard times. It’s how you deal with them that matters.

Pray. Prayer is our most powerful tool. God hears you, even when you feel cruddy. God loves you, and he’ll help you if you ask him to. It makes him sad when we make a choice (or someone makes a choice for us) that hurts us, and he’ll cradle you in his arms, if you’ll let him.

Share your fears. Sharing your thoughts, fears, and dreams are a great way to relax a bit (especially if you are a girl – we love to vent). Talk to your parents, your friends, or an adult that you’re close to. (Don’t forget to talk to God, too.) You can get helpful advice this way.

List the positive things in your life. Ever heard "count your blessings"? Sometimes thinking of the good things in your life make the bad ones seem manageable.

Surround yourself with worshipful music. Worship is a great way to get closer to God. It also can give us peace when we totally surrender to him. Go to a quiet place, turn on some praise music, and sing to your audience: God. Try Jeremy Camp, Bethany Dillon, Casting Crowns, and any other favorites.

Eat and sleep well. Your mind and your spirit won’t be healthy unless your body is healthy. Exercising may not seem appealing right now, so we’ll make it a little easier. Sleep 8-10 hours each night. Eat a good breakfast that contains milk and fruit. Drink lots of water. Don’t eat anything an hour before bed (if you really need something in your stomach at night, get some milk).

Read the definition of "hope". Get the dictionary.

Remember that problems have expiration dates. Someday, with some help from you, God, and the people around you, your dilemma will be resolved. A new one is likely to introduce itself soon, so be ready. Having trust in God is a must if you’re going to survive difficult times.

Comfort someone else. Remember that other people go through tough trials and they need comfort just like you do. Pray for them and comfort them like you would want to be comforted.

Read the book of Job. Or at least some of it. This whole book is about the trials that Job faced. Things got REALLY bad for this dude, but he kept worshipping God, and so God saved him.

Trust God. He can do anything. He is the creator of hope and of you. Trust in the Lord and he will give you strength.