Enduring through tough emotions...

Do you ever feel alone in your suffering? Do you ever feel like your invisible? Like no one in the world seems to be able or willing to see your pain? Like no one is there to hold your hand through it all?

If you feel any of these things, let me encourage you first by saying, "You are not alone." What you are feeling is actually a very normal part of life, life as a Christian, and especially life as a chronically ill person. But what do you do about it? How do you stop the thoughts from becoming paranoia, from sapping every happiness out of you and leaving you high & dry?

1. Grieve & Give it to God

This is an important step. It sucks that you have to face your struggle alone. It feels unjust and unfair. You need to find a way to let those feelings out. Unspoken feelings are a powerful tool of the devil, to grow doubt, break apart relationships and to ultimately, steer us away from God. Grieving is a must and important process that must happen. The more you struggle, the more you should grieve. Part of why we hate feeling like this is because we were made for perfect relationships. We were not designed for this broken world. Injustice affects us so, partially because it's deplorable and causes us pain but mostly, because it reminds us that this world is not right; that things should be better; It makes our whole beings (body & spirit) crave for God's perfection - for the world that is to come.

Each one of us has a preferred way to grieve so I can't really tell you how to grieve. I write poems/songs to help express the brokenness I am feeling. Some people paint, some write, and others talk to the walls. No method is any better than the other. For other suggestions, click here.

The only sure-fire way to stop unspoken hurt from resulting in roots of bitterness is to talk about it with God. Let him deal with it. In 1 Peter 5:7, Peter tells us to cast all our cares on God because he cares for us. In Psalm 55:22, the psalmist encourages us to cast all our cares on the Lord and he will sustain us. Truly, the best way to survive and to survive well as a Christian through struggles is to cast on the Lord, knowing that He is big enough to hold & deal with whatever life has thrown our way.

2. Gently remind yourself of Jesus

When Jesus walked this earth, he experienced suffering like no other. He found himself isolated from his followers, his fans and his family. When he needed others the most, no one was there for Him. Read more about this here.

3. Remind yourself this is a step in the right direction towards being conformed to Christ's likeness. 

Remember some of Jesus' words before His death: "A servant is not greater than His master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute me also." When you feel ignored in your suffering, when no one listens to your pain, when you're overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, know that Jesus suffered as you did (& more) and you wear a badge of honour from your Saviour himself to show that you share in His sufferings. If the goal is to be more like Christ until we are carried on to completion, then this struggle is definitely one more step in the right direction. Read more here. 

I pray that you might survive today's storm & that it might be credited to your righteousness.