Have you ever stood at the foot of a mountain and felt like a tiny speck compared to it? If you faced a mountain, standing directly in front of it, you would not be able to clearly see the peak, nor would you be able to determine the best path to take to get to it. Before you, would be the rock face, from one side to the other; only in stepping back would you be able to truly make any sense of it. This is what it is like to be in the middle of a crisis. It’s easy to just give up here, and either turn your back to it, or blindly climb, risking unforeseen disaster further up the mountain. It’s frustrating to be in this position, because you know that by reaching the top of this mountain, you will find the wholeness that you seek.
Recovering from any traumatic experience takes an amazing amount of resilience. We have to slow down and think clearly in order to work through this process. We cannot solve a problem if that problem is the only thing that we can see. Staring down what looks like an insurmountable obstacle is terrifying; we lose all sense of perspective, reason, and direction. It is in times such as these that we must use the first factor of resilience, resourcefulness. Being resourceful is simply stopping long enough to think of all possible ways to safely handle the situation.
You are like a vase that has shattered on the ground; it is crucial to put your life back in order after a fall. Because the pieces that have to be put back together are numerous, it is a time consuming project. It also requires you to remain calm and concentrate on it without distraction. If you rush through the healing process, you may miss something that will hurt you down the line. Just like a broken bone, you must set things in their proper place if you are going to mend yourself back into wholeness. If you can’t take the time to do this, you could potentially fall apart at the seams; or if you never actually address the pain and emotions that come with it, you could find yourself healing over old wounds that will follow you throughout the rest of your life.
The spiritual importance of resourcefulness is clear throughout Scripture. In Mark, chapter 2, Jesus is speaking to a packed house, when a group of men attempt to bring their paralyzed friend to be healed. The only way that they could get to Jesus was to cut a hole in the roof of the building that he was in and lower their friend to the ground. Jesus was so impressed with this that He praised the persistence and resourcefulness of the friends, and He healed the man. (v.1-5) God desires for us to be whole.
We are going to have those moments initially of fight, flight, or give up and die; but we must move into resilience. This is your moment to stand up, dust yourself off, and move forward. What are you stuck in? What is keeping you from moving forward and having confidence in your situation? Being resourceful right now might mean working out a plan to care for your own finances if you have been depending on your spouse for them. It might mean seeing an attorney to make sure that you know your personal rights if your spouse is being manipulative or cruel. You might have to find ways to get some time alone so you can work on improving your physical or mental well-being, focusing on your needs, rather than only seeing the pain you are in. Step away from the mountain, look at it from a distance, and find the best path to the peak.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Self-Reflection
In your current situation, what are some situations that are keeping you stuck facing the mountainside?
Brainstorm some resourceful ways to get a better perspective.
Are you taking time to emotionally heal?