Shielding
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1 (NRSV)
In an interview with The New Yorker, psychologist Lisa Damour said, “Mental health is not about feeling good or calm or relaxed. It’s about having feelings that fit the circumstances you’re in and then managing those feelings well. … The adolescent mental-health crisis doesn’t end when all teenagers feel good. It ends when teenagers have the support they deserve and are able to cope effectively with the distress that they will invariably face.”
This is true for teens, and it’s true for the rest of us, too.
Coping support is crucial. But how?
You or someone you know may be beleaguered. Facing consistent adversity. Coming against it again and again. Consistently hit with circumstances you couldn’t cope with. And the truth of life is that no one stays happy all of the time. There are times when we get low.
What do we do to prepare for those moments? What do we do when we’re in them?
We cope. With support.
Because, you see, when we cope without support, harm has a fantastic opportunity to set in.
So this is for anyone facing sustained distress, either for yourself or someone you love:
You. Are. Not. Alone.
The most important priority is that you address these two things: coping and finding support. Good support. Support that builds you up and does not tear you down.
God is your first line of help. And you don’t need to leap to reach God. You just need to close your eyes. Or gaze at the horizon. Or go to your quiet place. Or wherever you can go and just: listen. Or just: talk to God. Lay it all out. Say what needs to be said.
You are not alone.
Prayer
My prayer for you, in Jesus’ name: may your supports become ever clearer so that you can cope.
About the AuthorKaji Douša is the Senior Pastor of The Park Avenue Christian Church, a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, in New York City.