Remaining Strong in the Face of Adversity

“So do not fear, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

Life, sometimes, can really throw a curveball at people. Without realising it, people often end up at the lowest point of their lives, unaware of and unable to navigate their way out. That is when they get caught in the weight of their troubles and either run from them, or get overwhelmed by them. This causes many to actually fear hardship when it rears its ugly head.

Adversity, however ominous sounding, does not need to be feared; it should instead be seen as what it is: a part of life to be weathered and shouldered along the way.

Challenges should be treated as something that is temporary. Yes, it is difficult to see something so immediate and devastating as something that will eventually end. Some challenges might have an end date that is far away, and ends in a gradual taper rather than a bang. But if people work hard to meet and deal with the roadblocks in their way, and are persistent enough, then problems will eventually be solved. Think of it as a battle of wills: who will be the last one standing at the end of it? The obstacle, or the contender? It all depends on who is more stubborn and willing to stick with the problem.

Another way to stay motivated in the face of a mountain of troubles is for people to look back at how far they have come from the beginning instead of the distance that still has to be endured. They should try to be heartened that they have been able to accomplish so much, and have faith that they will be able to continue on that road until the task has made headway, or completion.

Never be afraid to share the load, no matter what the burden is, weight is much easier to carry amongst more people rather than shouldered alone. Asking for help from the most unassuming people may yield surprising results. Emotions should be shared with loved ones to reduce the emotional stress involved, even if no one can offer tangible help. Talk to loved ones, rant and question: do whatever that is needed to ease load on oneself. Just share the load… and remember to return the favour next time.

Furthermore, the best favour anyone can do for themselves would be for them to have trust in themselves, and the Lord. To have faith in themselves would mean that there is no need to fear trials—because they would believe in their own ability to handle the tribulations that life can throw at you.

A saying goes, “A bird that is perched atop a branch is not afraid of the branch breaking, because its’ trust is not in the branch, but on its’ wings.” Likewise, there is no need for people to fear external circumstances, for their capabilities are far enough to deal with whatever hand they have been dealt with, and they will have the Lord’s support , the wind beneath their wings. Think about it this way: everyone who is still alive now currently has a 100% survival rate for all problems they have faced in the past.

Successes will never taste so sweet if one does not understand the true labour and effort behind it. Therefore, never, never give up; have hope and faith, and work at the problem in order to sort it out. Neither ignoring problems nor getting overly stressed over the many challenges will settle the problems. In addition, eventually becoming overwhelmed and jaded because of life’s adversities will only lead to catastrophes for oneself. Take time to sufficiently deal with the problem and just watch the metaphorical miles fade away beneath the feet that tread them.

Without it many ups and downs, heartbeats would merely be a flat line. Likewise, one would never know the true ecstasy of successes without going through adversities in life. Therefore, remaining strong in the face of adversity and facing challenges head-on would be a great way to remain balanced in life. (By Charmaine)

Charmaine is a writer for cashback and discount site ShopBack who is still teasing out her place in the world and loves sharing her musings about life.