Things don’t go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen
to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you are intended to be. – Samuel Johnson
In this life you will have trouble!
Accepting the fact that our lives come with troubles, challenges and trials makes life less difficult. In doing so our problems simply become something to overcome; to grow and learn from as we become all that we’ve been created to be.
In his book, The Road Less Traveled, Dr. Scott Peck writes, “It is in this whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call forth our courage and wisdom … it is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually.”
Challenging and encouraging your human capacity to solve problems will lead to growth, resiliency and a fulfilled life. You can use your troubles to make you bitter, or you can use them to make you better.
Fearing the pain involved, many of us, in one form or another, work to avoid problems. We procrastinate, ignore, forget and pretend the problem does not exist. We skirt around to avoid the problems rather than meet them head on. We will even take drugs to assist us in ignoring them, so that by deadening ourselves to the pain we can forget the problems that cause the pain.
Many people of faith find, regardless of their source of belief, that their spiritual practices help them get through tough times; helping them to find the courage and wisdom to move through their trials and tribulations well; and become better because of it.
What spiritual practices do you use to move forward in a progressive way through life’s difficulties?
Below is a list of seven spiritual practices that others call upon to comfort and guide them in challenging times:
In whatever way you chose to work through the troubles of life, have faith that spiritual practices grant you courage, wisdom and solutions.