Can You Be Found In Crisis?
Can You Be Found In Crisis?
There are three helpful steps you can take: (1). Encourage action. Sometimes we over-function in crises, making the needy person dependent and undermining the very self-reliance in crises that can give them strength. Certainly, we must do for others what they cannot do for themselves, but we must not do for them what they will not do for themselves. Becoming proactive in a crisis arms people against despair and powerlessness. Encouraging manageable action steps builds emotional and spiritual muscle. Assisting them to evaluate their actions and validating their efforts rebuilds their confidence. When the crisis involves irreversible losses (like death or divorce), the work of getting through one day at a time and gradually adjusting to the changes is action enough. (2). Impart hope. Often there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel and a sense that the suffering will go on endlessly. What we need at that point is hope. Hope brings relief based upon the conviction that things will improve, and provides energy to deal with this crisis. The Bible is a book of hope. This book should energize us when we feel like this is the worst thing that could happen. It will never get better. (3). Do the follow-up. Crises are seldom resolved immediately. Life may perhaps soon return to a semblance of normalcy here in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. However, there may be episodes of relapse into sadness, helplessness, or loneliness. Your words may very well bring comfort and hope, but it is your abiding interest that helps people to maintain their faith and progress!
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