Struggles

21/06/2013 · by Sarah · in tornado. ·

Struggles & survivors is such a very unique experience. They are in between two different places. Kind of like being in between a rock & a hard place. It was such a crazy time for us. Holidays are also bittersweet to because those who have come through the stress of the tornado.

Holidays can be difficult for survivors, and it hurts them when they go through things. They struggle through the changes. They struggle the first months back. They get hurt by those who say they care for them.

Struggles with finances. Struggles with finding ways to pay credit cards, and other bills. Struggles even in the workplace. Struggles with the new everyday work environment. Some struggle with even going back to work.

Struggles with everyday work responsibilities.

Survivors will have struggles in every which way. They have good days and bad days. They struggle when sirens go off. They have struggles….and it takes time to recover. Recovery is a process for those who have gone through the Tornadoes, and other disasters in the United States.

Yet every survivor will recover in a total different manner than another person. Many will have the entire grief of going through it, all the stages. All the hurts, the anger and everything that goes with it. They need time to process the disaster, they need time to put things in order. What will you choose to do to help a survivor?

I know one thing that you can do in order to help a survivor. It is to listen. Listen to their story’s time and time again. Listen to what they need. They will forget your words, but will remember your hugs. Pray with them constantly.

How many times does it take for us to understand those who have gone through the disasters? How much time does it take to soften a harden heart? A heart needs to be soft. God wants us not to have a harden heart. He told Ezekiel that our hearts needed to be soft, and ready to hear the Word of God.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Interestingly these struggles on endure for season, but then we are much stronger than What we have been through our Trials.

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Yes, we weep over what we have currently lost, but true joy comes in the morning. He provides many ways for us to rejoice. Sometimes it is a marriage. Sometimes it is a birth of a child.

Many times people may put a label on us that truly doesn’t match us what God is truly doing in our hearts. He labels us as His child and doesn’t let us go for He:

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

We are engraved in His palms, permanently. We are in His hands. He never lets us go. We will not be snatched out of His Hands.

Life in its struggles are for us to Glorify God, not ourselves. You can do it, but only God sees those who humble themselves and give Him the glory are truly His children.