During a recent faculty meeting a colleague shared a devotion on handling hard stuff better. She shared this YouTube video by Kara Lawason. This coach talks about are desire to get through whatever is in front of us so then life will get easier. She goes on to say that life doesn’t get easier. We need to learn to do hard stuff better.
I do this all the time particularly at work. I tell myself things like, “As soon as I get through this piece of the project… Once we have students registered… Once we have a system in place…” I could go on. I live in the illusion that once I get to the top of the current mountain I’m climbing life will get easier. It never does.
It has been the same way in other areas of my life, as well. I did it with my time in college. I did it with raising kiddos. The reality is that there is suffering in life and hard things prepare me to handle hard stuff better.
10-11 Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You’ve heard, of course, of Job’s staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That’s because God cares, cares right down to the last detail. 12 And since you know that he cares, let your language show it. Don’t add words like “I swear to God” to your own words. Don’t show your impatience by concocting oaths to hurry up God. Just say yes or no. Just say what is true. That way, your language can’t be used against you. (James 5: 10-12 MSG).
I don’t think I will ever have the patience of Job, but I can learn to lean on the One who brings strength, courage and patience when I’m in the midst of hard things. I can choose to stay positive and grateful in my thoughts and words to others. I can choose to learn from the situation and others. I can choose to let the current circumstance shape me into a better person for the next hard thing.
How are you at handling hard stuff? Do you just try to get through it? Do you allow it to shape you for the next hard thing? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.