The past couple weeks found our family in the middle of a hard. A loved one experiencing a health crisis put us all on high alert as we moved through the maze of urgent care, ER, hospital and round-the-clock care at home. As I was lamenting not having inspiration nor energy to write for a second week, the practical husband said, “Well, you’re in the middle of a hard. Isn’t that what you write about?” I gave him the requisite eye-roll, but my insides quickened with some immediate Spirit-directed thoughts.

One of the tough things to deal with in a hard is taking care of yourself so you can either support another, or keep yourself from imploding in your own struggle. In a time of trouble, the “back-burner method” of dealing with life comes into play. If something is not critical, it gets pushed to the back-burner, and self-care is often one of the first. Whatever you’re dealing with, long or short term, becomes more important than routines and habits that keep you at your best. Understandable. Necessary. Survivable for a time.

However, there are things we can do to help keep us stronger through our trouble on all fronts: physical, emotional, and spiritual. 

Physical. In a crisis, taking care of even our body’s basic needs becomes difficult, so when a window cracks open, jump through. Get a power nap. Stretch tired muscles with a quick walk. Hydrate. Keep supplement and vitamin regiments going. Missing these depletes energy, lowers immunity, and throws prescription needs in the ditch.

Let others know what they can do to physically support you. People respond different to hardship, so it can be difficult for those on the outside to know how to bless.  Communicate what would be helpful. Putting a need out to a group can both inform and allow a number of individuals to respond in different areas, keeping the burden off of any one person.

Also, seek moments of solitude to decompress the stress. To exhale. To acknowledge what you’re feeling. Or perhaps to feel nothing at all; just to rest.

Emotional. Feeling alone in your hard brings emotional exhaustion to a whole new level. One of the greatest supportive foundations in a crisis is having at least one who “gets it”. Someone who sees and understands your fears, weariness, frustrations, concerns, needs. Someone who allows venting with no condemnation. 

We build these types of relationships outside of a difficult season by taking time for others and being their “someone” in their hard. Without these compassionate warriors we would shrivel up and blow away in our plights.

Spiritual. Your greatest warrior-friend is Jesus. He’s on call 24/7. He’s aware of every detail of your trouble and fine-tuned to your needs before you pray the first word. He is an unending, never-dries-up reservoir of love and compassion, strength and power. He never wearies of your heightened emotions and fears. He is not defensive as you verbalize frustrations. 

Disciplines of quiet time, Bible study and prayer can be demolished in the disposal of a trial, but our communication with, and spiritual proximity to our Lord need not abate. Instead, it is often the catalyst for building a deeper trust and drawing closer to His side to experience new levels of understanding Him.

When a hard hangs around for a prolonged time, our physical care may lapse altogether as we transition into survival mode. Our emotional needs and support may ebb and flow. But, if we are wise, we will press ever closer to our Heavenly Father. He will supernaturally hold us up when we’re falling apart. He will stand with us no matter how long or how heavy things become. He will be our all when others grow weary or fall away. He will continue to whisper words of encouragement and hope. He will never stop pouring strength, power and sustenance over us for the duration of our hard. He will see us through.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash