5 Tips for Handling Tough Times from Blessed in the Mess
Learning to be stable in problematic situations is one of life’s most important lessons. In her new book, Joyce Meyer reminds us that we are blessed even when we are going through a tough time—and remembering that will help us survive any challenge, faster and stronger. God shows us how to use our troubles to our advantage. With Him, we can always come out on top.
Here are 5 ways you can handle tough times starting today!
1. Take responsibility.
We need to be responsible to get to work on time, do a good job while we are there, take care of our possessions, pay our bills on time, not spend more than we make, and dozens of other things. When we do what is right, we will enjoy our lives. When we don’t, we will have messes of our own making. God is merciful, and we can recover from bad choices, but our first step toward recovery is to take responsibility for them. Then we should start consistently doing what is right. Every good decision we make will help us recover from a bad one made in the past.
2. Have hope and expect good things.
When we have hope, we live with the expectation that God will do something good for us. Hope is a powerful motivator. Anyone can have hope if they want to. All you need to do is expect (believe) that something good may happen to you at any time. There were many years when I expected and waited for the next bad thing to happen in my life. I was actually afraid to believe for good things, because I didn’t want to be disappointed. I have changed, by God’s grace. Now I expect good things all the time, and I encourage you to do the same. If you have trouble being hopeful, start by saying aloud several times a day “Something good is going to happen to me, because God is good.” You will find that the more you speak this and meditate on it in your thinking, the more you will believe it.
3. Stop procrastinating.
Procrastination is deceptive because we tend to think planning to obey God equals obedience. But it doesn’t. We have not obeyed until we have actually done what He asks us to do. Is there something in your life that you are putting off until another time? Do you need to forgive someone? Do you need to apologize to someone? Do you need to fulfill a promise you made to God? If so, I urge you to stop procrastinating and do it now.
4. Have control over your emotions and your tongue.
Are you able to stay calm when trouble comes your way or when you are suffering? I’ve made a lot of progress in this area of my life, but I certainly still have a long way to go. Not allowing myself to become upset requires me to control my emotions instead of letting them control me. Trouble stirs our emotions and prompts us to say things we should not say. I encourage you to take one week and listen to the words people speak. If you do, it won’t take long to understand why they have problems in life. We can give ourselves that same test and gain insight into our difficulties. Let’s make a commitment to be more careful about what we say at all times, especially when we have problems that stir up our emotions. When trouble comes your way, don’t let it offend you. Trust God to help you get through it and to work something good out of it.
5. No parking in your pain.
Over the years, I’ve spoken with many people who allowed their pain or hardships to keep them from moving forward. I call this “parking in your pain.” Painful experiences can leave us bitter, offended, and focused on the person or situation that has harmed us. But we have another choice. We can move past the pain—we can forgive anyone who has hurt us, and we can let God deal with the situation. Ask God to heal your brokenness and your wounds. Put yourself in His hands and follow His guidance, and you will see God turn your mess into a blessing.
Renowned Bible teacher and #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer shows readers how to not just survive but thrive amidst both the everyday and the monumental messes we experience in life.
Life is often messy. We hear people say, “My life is a mess,” or “This situation is a mess.” What they mean is that life has become difficult, painful or confusing. But God never promised us a trouble-free life. In fact, His Word tells us to expect the opposite. In John 16:33, Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV).In Blessed in the Mess, beloved Bible teacher Joyce Meyer shows us how to be blessed in the midst of life’s most challenging circumstances. The Bible is filled with instructions on how to handle ourselves when difficulty comes our way, and Blessed in the Mess shares that wisdom through poignant and practical teaching that equips us to remain stable and hopeful in every situation. No matter what problems we may face, there is a way to remain joyful and patient as God works on them. If you have not handled the messy issues or challenges in your life well in the past, then with God’s help, you can begin to manage them better, starting now.
We should never waste our pain. Through the wisdom distilled in this book, we can learn how to gain something from our messes, use those insights to avoid trouble in the future, and share our experiences to help other people find blessings in the midst of their messes.
A study guide as well as a Spanish edition, Bendición en el desorden, are also available for purchase.
