“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory.”
Isaiah 61:1-3
The dawn of a new year is often a time filled with reflection towards the past and resolution for the future. When tragedy strikes, however, only consideration of the present moment is feasible, much less concern for the weeks and months ahead. Instead, focus and energy are often on survival. Life becomes a concentration towards our best attempts at gradually moving forward.
With that in mind, here are four tips to support you in reframing trauma as you discover the power of perspective.
1. Identify God’s purpose in the pain.
God leads us through certain sorrows to enable us to relate to others on a deeper level. Empathy is then produced, allowing a cultivation of greater understanding into the experiences of others through the shared similarities. Some of God’s greatest blessings come disguised as calamities. My husband -- a recovered injured veteran -- sets an incredibly inspiring and convicting example of this each and every day.
I hope my contribution with these articles also serve as an impactful means to reach out and encourage others with personal antidotes as well as regular reminders of the power of perspective.
2. Realize the ways in which tragedy has refined you.
As we submit to Jesus' direction through the tender thorns placed in our lives, our character is strengthened and developed. The adversity is not an obstacle but rather a catalyst propelling us to closer dependence on God. Perspective alters everything! Reconstructing our outlook to that of His, gives an unmistakable portrait of God’s divine attributes to imitate. This is one example of just how life altering the gospel is, with its many paradoxical truths.
Your entire mentality adjusts when you abide in Christ and remain directed towards His objectives. Realizing just how much profound purpose and meaning there is in the troubles of life despite the tragic evils is a magnificent epiphany.
3. Address adversity with an adventurous spirit.
Having endured more than most do in a lifetime, we’ve encountered various victories and triumphs on our journey. I still have hopeful anticipation for all that is to come, realizing it will not be easy but absolutely more than worth it.
God has blessed my family in ways we never could’ve imagined. He has gifted us with an extraordinary life, beautiful children, and compelling passions. Jed and I are deeply humbled and filled with gratitude at all that God has accomplished in our lives, which gives a beautiful testimony of His splendor and majesty to the world.
4. Remember: Misery is always momentary.
During Jed’s rehabilitation, God often encouraged me that his sorrow and suffering wouldn’t continue forever -- even if that pain remained his closest companion during our time here on Earth. The crushing burdens weighing on not only ours but every individual's shoulders are promised never to extend beyond the great expanse of eternity. What an extraordinary assurance!
Appreciate just how temporary everything truly is, especially the good. Life is so fragile, fleeting, and fast. I never again want to take anything in mine for granted.
Friend, God intends for your hurt to be your healing.
He uses our most debilitating wounds to be the greatest ministry. Just as Christ Himself did, on the cross 2,000 years ago.
In Conclusion
Supporting one another is so essential, especially during difficult life seasons. With that in mind, I’d love to hear your answers to the following questions about the power of perspective in the comments below:
What steps do you find helpful to take for reframing tragedy in your own life?
Are there any resources or recommendations you find beneficial to share with this community as we work together to overcome setbacks?
Love and hugs sent your way!
~ Anna Morgan
Portions of this post are excerpts from my upcoming memoir, Valley of the Shadow.
If you’d like to receive a free copy in exchange for a promotional review, check out this link: Launch Team | Anna Morgan - Author
Thanks for the encouraging message.
Hi Anna, I’ve found it helpful to focus on the cross when faced with pain and adversity. In other words, Christ suffered so much more than we have, and He is God’s Son. Who am I to think I don’t deserve suffering. After all, life is not about me at all. It’s all about Him. When I take my focus off of myself and place it on Him I get a whole other perspective.
I have also found more recently resources on dealing with depression to be helpful. One book I’ve particularly found helpful has been, “Winning the War in Your Mind” by Craig Groeschel