Several friends are struggling. For a variety of reasons, life’s ability to be incredible harsh, difficult, or painful is overwhelmingly real and tangible in their lives. I have no idea what I can or should do. Black and white answers that I can see are not mine to make. Each has the freedom and accountability within to what comes next. The best I can think to do is along the following lines.
Life and model the life that I believe would be the ideal. While the context will always vary, the heart of this statement is the intentional choices of living to make a difference. In my life, my aspiration dictates that this includes being relentlessly compassionate, caring, and willing to thing us, not me. In living I begin the sharing process.
Being ready and able to be available. This is rarely as simple as it sounds. Being ready means taking care of my heart and mind. When I am buried in a dark cloud, I have nothing to offer to anyone. When I am rested, centered, and focused, a door to being available opens and I have a choice. For me this comes in accepting Divinity’s presence within.
Live with the knowledge and confidence that something better is possible – for you and for myself. The natural question is the foundation for this view – are there aces in hand or have I played everything I have? As I read the Psalms and see the reaction then, “God, you smiled on your good earth! You brought good times back to Jacob!” (Psalm 85.1) I realize nothing has changed. We have unlimited aces in our back pockets, we can play them at anytime and know they will never run dry.
There is a caveat with this line of thinking. One must be present in order for this to have a chance. The hardest part comes next, waiting for the other to accept.
The key to struggles starts with embracing help. Aces and other forms of help make a difference but one needs to be willing to use them.
