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Articles:
A Practical Response
To Crisis Times
By Virgil Fry
Everyone experiences
transition: some major, some minor, some chosen,
some imposed. Change may be our friend at times,
our nemesis at other moments. We all experience
crisis moments with family turmoil, serious illness,
job loss or changes, financial distress, death of
loved ones, moving, natural disasters, etc. People
of faith search scriptures for assistance in not
just coping, but also with redeeming crisis events
with betterment. Here are a few suggestions for
pro-active responses to crisis events.
•Seek
and accept the support of caring friends.
•Grieve as you need to, knowing that feelings
of loss are normal and require time to heal.
•While figuring out new ways to act and behave,
set healthy boundaries with others.
•Lower perfectionist expectations: allow grace
to minister to your soul.
•Choose sojourners and activities wisely, refuse
to allow others to impose guilt messages.
•Laugh and cry, rejoice and weep, as these are
God’s gifts to grievers.
•Keep moving, even if it’s short walks.
•Rest adequately, allowing your body to be refreshed
with sleep.
•Find times to be silent, meditating on one good
aspect of God’s presence in your life.
•Enjoy social ventures, finding a balance between
being a recluse and overbooked socialite.
•Plan, control what you can, then let others
have the joy of assisting you.
•Do fewer things in a day, do them well, and
learn to place the remainder in God’s care.
•Refresh your inner spirit with good reading,
good music, and very little television.
•Pray, and seek the prayerful support of others.
•When stuck in one emotional or spiritual mode,
consider competent professional counsel.
•Consider new ventures, new possibilities that
the crisis has opened up for you.
•Be gentle with yourself, and with those around
you who also may be hurting.
•Be honest in what you need from others, and
learn to be specific in your requests.
•Reach out and touch someone else in need: we
are never meant to serve only ourselves.
•Relax about the small details, believing that
life is more important than daily chores.
•Seek special moments alone with God, and with
good companions.
•Grieve that which is lost, enjoy what is present
today, and believe in God’s promise for tomorrow.
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