When you’re feeling down and out

There are times in our life when we feel we are down and out. The problem are too much to bear and we feel that there’s no way out— the tunnel of solution seemed dim; and the only thing we can do is just to allow our tears to stream down on our checks to express the pain that we are suffering. If you are in a situation like this, read this story of Jerilyn. S. Robinson in the book, “Simple Little Words.”

I’ll never forget the moment the doctor said, “You have twenty to twenty four months to live.” Those words – with the prognosis of inoperable pancreatic cancer – changed our lives forever. My husband, Don and I held on to the loving, comforting words of Psalm 91: “He who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him I will trust.”

My husband and I spent many hours on our knees praying to God for His healing power. Things seemed to be hopeless but those words, “I will be with you,” brought me comfort. With hope and joy gone, my husband turned to the Lord in prayer for comfort. On his knees, he asked the Lord to take this unbearable burden from him. Don reported that at that moment of surrender he felt the suffocating weight of despair lifted from his shoulders and an amazing sense of peace and serenity took place. This was the first of many mercies the Lord provided during our trial.

On May 25, 2007, the oncologist ordered another CT scan. In the evening of May 30, the oncologist called us at home and stated that he had the results of the CT scan. What he said next, stunned and electrified us, “The scan shows no cancer, no tumor, and the lymph nodes are normal in size.” My husband and I fell on our knees and thanked God for the miraculous healing He did in my body.  God heard our cries and responded with loving tenderness, grace, and mercy…”

God is our only refuge, our  shelter and our protector, especially in times of trials when life’s journey is too rough and tough to bear,  and there’s no one we can turn to and seek help except the Lord. I can say this with all candor and honesty because God was and is with me in my moment of despair, especially when my late husband had a heart attack and hospitalized for three months and one week, until he passed away on February 20, 2006.

On the other side of the coin, so to speak, there are other ways wherein one can deal with pain. As the saying goes, “Different folks different strokes.” Madison Sonnier of “tiny Buddha website,” suggests the following ways:

Step back and self-reflect. Try to stop, reflect, and get to the root of your feelings.

Reach out to someone. Learning to reach out to  a loving, understanding person is one of the best things you can do.

Listen to music. Music can heal, put you in a better mood, make you feel less alone, or take you on a mental journey.

Take a nap. Sometimes we just need to recharge to feel better after getting some rest.

Cry. Crying releases pain.

Let go. Say this to yourself several times each day. This is very liberating and empowering.

Remember nothing lasts forever, “This too shall pass.”