In life, we will experience hard times. There’s no way around that. When we find ourselves in hard times or seasons when we’re stretched, we must stay positive. This is the key and often the biggest test. Staying positive when in hard times can sometimes be the deciding factor on how long we remain in those hard times. Here are 5 tips to help you stay positive, no matter what’s going on in your life.
1. Pray
This is sometimes viewed as a last resort, but it actually should be our #1. When times are hard or we are challenged and frustrated, we must pray. We must go to God with our concerns. This allows us to cast our cares in a healthy way, and not turn to venting in a destructive way. It is not wise to always give life to our feelings. Though we feel how we feel, we must process it the right way, and prayer helps with that.
2. Rest
When in seasons of testing, we must rest. Our physical bodies need rest, our minds need rest, and our souls need rest. When we are not rested, we are more likely to respond in unhealthy ways to our tests. Think about how you are when you are tired. Are you snappy, irritable, or prone to complain? We must realize that we are in a spiritual battle. Our enemy knows when we are tired and he often attacks us when we are vulnerable. We must stay mindful of the importance of rest.
3. Read
God’s Word is our source. This is our source for the truth that keeps us going and growing in the right direction. We must be intentional to read God’s Word, as it renews our mind and gives us His perspective. Apart from God’s Word, we are left to our own understanding, which is nowhere near God’s standard. We must read God’s Word to learn about His way, and how He works in the lives of His children. God’s Word will help us to make sense of our situation.
4. Write
Writing is another way of making sense of things. Writing provides another outlet to get our frustrations, hurts, and cares out. We cannot keep everything bottled up on the inside. It is important for us to express ourselves in healthy ways. Writing can be a safe space to truly express yourself without experiencing judgment. Not only does it provide a sense of relief, but it also brings a level of clarity. As we write our feelings down, it often feels easier to work through them.
5. Move
Our feelings have a way of discouraging us, which can lead us to stop. No matter what season we’re in, or how we’re feeling, we cannot stop. We must keep moving. Now, moving may look different depending on the season that we’re in, but we may stay forward-focused. Life has a way of attempting to discourage and distract us. We cannot give in to those attempts. No matter what is going on around us, we must keep moving in God. As we keep Him first and pray to Him, He will show us what we need to be doing.
Life can be hard. It seems there is always a battle to fight, a mountain to climb, a situation to work through. It can be easy to become despondent, due to the various trials. We can all relate to that. In order to overcome the blues that try to weigh us down, we must stay positive.
John 16:33 assures us that we will have trials while we are here, but Jesus also reminds us that He has overcome the world, so we can be of good cheer! This requires prayer and spending time in God’s Word. As we do, His truth will revive us in such a way that we’ll see the situation through His lens. His perspective will give us the ability to stay positive, no matter how it looks or how we feel.
Read How To Keep Moving Forward in Life: 5 Tips
