My Top 5 Secrets of Passing Through a Crisis
“Crisis management” is not my favorite thing. It is, however, often thrust upon you out of nowhere. If you knew it was coming, it wouldn’t be a crisis!
Can you keep your head in a crisis? Do your choices lead to disaster or do they point the way forward?
Here are the 5 top things I do for direction in one of life’s sudden, unexpected crises:
1. I immediately solidify my prayer time, daily Bible reading, and fasting.
God has the answer, you don’t. The most reassuring thing in crisis is to go through your daily devotional time. P.S.—“That’s why you need a daily devotional life.”
I read through the One Year Bible and The One Year Devotional every day. It is amazing how often the answer to my crisis is directly in one of the daily readings.
I also stop horsing down all the food I can find (my usual pattern). I cut down to one meal a day, not to “buy God” but to sensitize my spirit to hear His voice better.
2. I banish all negativity and fear from my mind.
I remind myself often of the story of the woman who was stranded for hours on a lifeboat with other women and a male crew member after the Titanic sunk. The crewman was so negative, she finally said, “If you say one more negative word, I’m going to knock you off into this freezing water.” He shut up!
Fear and negativity will paralyze you in a crisis. Don’t look at the possible negative outcomes; look to the positive outcomes. You are not being naive when you look and speak POSITIVE things that God is able to do.
“Submission is the beginning of your “mission.””
3. Follow the Holy Spirit.
Pray for His leadership. Invite Him to lead. Wait upon His direction in your spirit. Listen for the “still, small voice.”
Walk in step with His leadership. Don’t get ahead of Him in your actions. Don’t lag behind Him in your fears. Only do what you sense He is giving you peace about doing.
4. Follow these steps (James 4: 7-8)
“Submit to God”—Be sure your body, mind, heart, ego, ambitions, and future are all submitted to God. Submission is the beginning of your “mission.”
“Resist the devil”—Satan causes much of the crisis in our lives (some of it we cause ourselves). Out loud, command him and his forces to stop in the chaos and confusion they are working against you.
“Draw near to God.” Start praising Him for His goodness and His grace (I love Psalm 118, the middle chapter of the Bible.)
5. Forgive your enemies.
Make a conscious effort to release those who have caused this crisis through their neglect, revenge, or failures. When you forgive, Satan has no more room to use this crisis to divide you and your family and friends.
Crisis is not all bad. It exposes wrong habits. It brings enemies together. It drives us to God.
Relax...and make it through this crisis.