Scriptural Coping Skills

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

In order to succeed in life, you need good coping skills. The salesperson has a quota. The performer has rehearsals. The therapist counsels one depressed soul after another. The pilot has to sit in the cockpit for hours. The preacher is never free of sermon preparation. Then there is the parent with tiny children facing fourteen hours a day of making decisions, competing with strong wills, and trying to be everything to everybody.

How do you develop the coping skills required to live the abundant life Jesus promised? (See John 10:10.) Paul tells us, ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks.’ Rejoice in the things that never change, can’t fail, and won’t let you down (like God’s promises!). And when you feel like you can’t cope, pray. Better yet, live with a prayerful heart! With every breath, say, ‘I trust you, Lord; I turn it over to you, for I know you have everything under control.’

And don’t forget to give thanks. Remember the old adage: ‘I grumbled because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.’ Instead of complaining, start counting your blessings. Do you remember what life was like before you met Jesus? Weren’t there days when you thought you wouldn’t make it? Now look where you are! On the other side of the Red Sea, looking back, the Israelites declared that the Lord was their strength, their song, and their salvation (see Exodus 15:2). And isn’t that what He has been to you, too? Come on, praise God!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for being my strength in times of exhaustion and my joy in drab times. In Jesus’ Name, Amen