Originally published Thursday, 29 August 2013.
Until recent years, I thought the biggest trial of my life was going to begin and end with my motorcycle accident in 2005. Since it was such a long process to recover, I selfishly hoped that the Lord would never put me through something like that again.
Wrong.
Trials aren’t about who we are or where we’ve been… it’s about shaping the person we are going to become.
After my accident, I became a new person. Emerged was a stronger, more honest person. Gone and forgotten was the old me.
How did I get through the pain and struggle of surviving such a horrible accident? There’s only one way to survive anything while on earth… the answer is Jesus.
There’s very little that I remember during the first 2-4 weeks after the accident. The severe concussion and traumatic brain injury prevented me from retaining much information. What I can recall is a lot of love and prayers while I recovered.
Fast forward to the present day, my husband and I find ourselves in one of the biggest trials of our lives so far (and we have both been through a lot). Some days I can’t help but let the tears flow and feel hopeless for a brief moment. But then God graciously reminds me that nothing is ever too big for Him.
Despite the difficulties we face right now, I have never regretted our decision to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. I’ve never asked God to take this away and never tried to find the easy way out.
This battle might cause us pain, but I always try to remember what the Lord says in Romans 8:31b, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
So how do we get through these trials that seem too deep? How do we deal with emotions and learn to trust that it will be okay?
This might sound strange but it takes practice. Sometimes the trial is just so big that we have no other choice but to trust God.
I’ve been through my own personal hell. I’ve been subjected to ridicule, rumors, assumption, pain and heartache. But I’ve also seen the worst situations turn into the greatest blessings you could ever imagine.
5 Tips for Overcoming Trials:
- Pray. It is the most you can do sometimes. Nothing is in our control. Talk to God and believe that He hears you.
- Exercise. This has been proven to relieve stress and anxiety. If you’re a person with chronic pain like me, the very least you can do is go for walk. Use this time to clear your mind and focus on the positives.
- Find a hobby. What I mean by this is do something that you love. Cook, write, dance, paint! Something that typically makes you happy will help to relieve fears. Journaling got me through some of the worst days after my accident.
- Talk to someone. This can be anyone you trust and anyone that won’t judge. Believe me, holding everything in will only cause you to erupt down the road. Don’t hold your feelings in… talk it out.
- Meditate. Find a time in your day that work best. Sit on the floor (or against a wall if you can’t sit up for a long period of time), cross your legs, place your palms up and do some deep breathing. Breath in through your nose while counting to 5 and out through your mouth while counting to 5, then repeat. While you meditate try to focus on things that make you happy… a life event, birth of a child, a vacation, anything positive. You can also use this time to pray. Meditation has also proven to relieve stress and anxiety.
Keep asking yourself… what’s the worst that could happen? Worst case scenario’s are often not as bad as we might think. Remind yourself that God promises to bring you through the deepest valleys. Believe it.
James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (NIV)
Copyright 2013 Words By Mara. All rights reserved.
Original image artwork by Mara Rose 2013.
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