Have you ever had a day where you just needed to breathe? The type of day where one thing after another seemed to add more to your plate? The day where you could only exhale at the same time you rolled your eyes because you were wondering if anything else was going to drop? There are some weeks where you only have one “special” day like this and there are others times in life where it seems these are the only days you have.

Those types of days are hard days. I don’t like them. They hurt, they weigh on you physically and emotionally, and they are exhausting. Yet, in the midst of chaos, there are some things I’ve learned along the way that helps me to cope.

1. We all have these days. When we are in the midst of hard times, we tend to think we are in this on our own. We forget that there are people out there going through hard things, as well. We tend to put our focus on ourselves; we turn inward.
2. We must keep moving forward. When I know there are hard days, I make sure I’m serving others so I can think outside of myself. This will look differently for everyone. I try to find ways to help those in my family, my church, or volunteer to help those having worse days than me.
3. We need other people. I find it’s very useful to tell others about my hard days. No, I don’t announce it on the mountaintops, but I do confide in a few close friends who know when I need encouragement and also know when I need to a good kick in the pants to get me moving.
4. We have to focus on God’s goodness. During the hard times, I want to question God. I want to try to figure out what I need to learn from the situation so I can get it over faster. The truth is, though, sometimes life happens and God uses hard times to teach us stuff, but He didn’t cause it to happen. God is not evil; God is love. If God is love, He is not capable of causing us harm or hurt. We must remind ourselves to truly believe that God is good!
5. We have to breathe. You all thought I was just being dramatic about needing to breathe, rolling my eyes, and letting out gigantic exhalations, right? Nope! Breathing is grounding, it is therapeutic, and it can truly calm you down. Stress, a.k.a hard days, causes fast and shallow breathing. We need oxygen to survive and longer and slower breathing will help you get the oxygen you need to make it through your day.

Life is not always easy, sin stinks, life sometimes stinks; yet, God is good! Would you take a moment right now and take a deep breath? Slowly breathe, close your eyes, and thank God for His goodness in your life. Thank Him for never leaving your side. Then, ask to whom you need to serve. Ask who it is you need to confide in these days. God is ready to wrap His loving arms around you in this hard season. Run to Him! He’s waiting to help you with your burdens.

© 2019 Susan M. Sims

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