Trail Guides

Most people experience trials of all kinds.  Almost every family I know is touched by some sort of difficult circumstance.  Cancer.  Addiction.  Financial strain.  Kids who act out.  Parents who act out.  Work stress.  Face it, life is not a smooth stretch of highway. 

Life just seems to have a way of testing us.  One moment, everything feels as steady as a rock.  The next, the ground shifts beneath your feet.  At that point it’s natural to feel overwhelmed, lost, and powerless.  But here’s the truth of the matter: while we can’t always control what happens, we can choose how we handle it. 

How do we get through difficult times without losing our minds?  How do we get up every day and show the world our resilience?   When we feel like we are being crushed, what do we have to do to withstand the onslaught of hopelessness that takes over our hearts and minds? 

First, we need to honor our feelings without pretending that everything is fine.  It helps to recognize that even the smallest steps forward are still progress.  Difficult times stir up all kinds of emotions – grief, anger, fear, disappointment, and plain old grumpiness.  Sometimes, we even go numb, our minds frozen with the overload of our situation.  Amid our bewilderment, we are unsure of where to start, so we don’t start at all. 

It is like seeing the porchlight on a hillside across a dark, deep ravine without knowing how to find the trail to get there.  That’s where pastors, counselors, and social workers come in.  When our clients call for direction, we are the part of culture designated to help them work through the confusion.  Understandably, there are people under our care who are looking for some kind of miraculous relief from their situation.  That’s not what we do.  In essence, we are like trail guides, helping people navigate their way through the rough terrain of life.    

It is a bit weird how the Apostle James is able to write, “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.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:2-5)   

Mindful decision-making requires us to think back on the most pivotal moments of our lives that had profoundly different outcomes.  Hard won wisdom reinforces our instincts in a way that will have a significant impact on how we make decisions under adversity today. 

Nothing is more sorely needed in our world today than the quality of wisdom.  And God provides a means for us to gain wisdom in abundance – it happens through trials.  Those hard lessons are the ones that are so valuable to a person’s growth. 

My prayer this week is one of praise for all of our social workers and staff at CityLinC who are fully committed and prepared to help people persevere towards a better day.  And as we help others down that road, may we experience our own personal growth as well.