How to Get Up When You're Down

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Paul's courageous faith is an inspiration and his words provide a model. Here is a simple plan for gaining perspective when your world is collapsing. I have used these three steps on several occasions. It helped me greatly.

1. Make a list of what is BAD. Don’t cover up. Just admit that things are really hard. You may want to write your list down.

I sometimes find the act of dumping everything into a list is itself therapeutic. If for no other reason because I can see “why” I am feeling burdened or sad or immobilised.

Here is Paul’s list: “We are: hard pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted and struck down.”

My list is usually longer and more specific than Paul’s. I detail the things that are getting me down. I once ran the list out to three pages. Then I grouped the items to make the next step a little more manageable.

2. Pair the list with what is WORSE. This is clever Pauline wisdom. “Yes, it is bad, but it is not THAT bad.”

Consider again Paul’s list, this time the evils he has not yet experienced: “But we are NOT: crushed, in despair, abandoned or destroyed!”

For each dreadful item on your list match it with a “but not”. This helps us get perspective. We often say “Oh, it could be worse”. Paul takes that a step further and reminds himself with specific examples just how true that old claim is. When you stop to think about how far you could fall, where you have landed may not look so bad.

3. Look forward to what is BETTER. Paul goes on to name things that are really exciting. Having looked at what is worse than his current situation he now looks at what is far better (2 Cor. 4:14-18).

He contemplates: resurrection (God is planning to raise you up with Jesus), inward renewal (unlike outward wasting away), eternal glory (not to be compared with momentary troubles) and fixing our eyes on what is unseen.This is a good start and you can add to it.

This prescription is simple but powerful. Try it, it can rescue your day!

If you have fallen, get up and run again. This amazing video of Heather Dorniden who did just that is sure to encourage you:

If the video does not load, copy this link into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-xuJeQ04Bw

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