Let's face it.
Life is hard.
Life is really, really hard.
Each of us experience this challenge. Each of us face the difficulty of an imperfect humanity; a fallen creation. Each of us has to find the strength and grace to endure, even when we don't want to go on any more.
The truth is, we all cope with the challenges and pain of this life. The fact of the matter is that we weren't made for overwhelming pain and hardship. And when the harsh realities of this world rear its ugly head in our face, often times we don't have the ability to handle it ourselves.
We need help.
This "help" comes in a variety of forms, it shows itself in different ways. Sometimes the help may be a shoulder to cry on, a friend to listen, a lover to embrace. Sometimes the help may be in a false reality, a drug, or another destructive outlet.
Of course, the most true and real help we can have is One who will never let us down or let us go.
For many people, for those who have not discovered the joys of Christ, the grace of this Savior is an unknown comfort. Because they do not have grace, they must cope with other things, and in other ways.
How do you cope when you have nothing to hope for? No expectation that things will get better? No reason to believe the change will come? How do you bear with the knowledge that you are on your own and can do absolutely nothing about your circumstances and situations?
It's not easy to cope when you are lying there on the floor.
We all cope in different ways.
Jesus gives us the grace to cope best.
Some people just don't know that yet.
So do we believers give up on these ones? Do we disregard them because the harsh realities of their circumstances which have left them disillusioned? Perhaps a better question would be: How did Jesus respond to those who were caught in their own coping mechanisms, too distracted to open up to Him?
What about the story of Thomas? This man had just lost a brother, a leader, the greatest inspiration he had ever seen. How did he cope with loosing Jesus?
Doubt.
It was easier to say he didn't care, than to feel such deep pain and disappointment, discouragement and disillusionment. It was easier to just not let any hope in, than to embrace hope and be let down. How often do we feel that way? How often do we respond negatively to such responses from those around us?
Jesus had no such response.
He reached out to Thomas, where he was standing with raised eyebrows and all. He gave Thomas another chance to believe.
Because really, we all know when we just "surviving" and not really "alive". And how many of us, like Thomas, want to stay miserable? How many of us, when we get a chance at hope, really do want to turn it down?
People without hope don't want to stay there. But sometimes it takes a little bit of time for that hope reach through the skepticism and hurt.
Maybe Jesus can help us forget to judge the way people cope, and start helping them give hope a chance.
- Christina N Dickson
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Wow. Beautifully written, wonderfully thought out, and sincerely touching. Recently, I have had the desperate "surviving" feeling and have found ways to cope. Not all of them good. It is SO encouraging to know that Jesus understands and is there with open arms.
God mysteriously sends us places when we are least expecting to find hope. I don't remember how I came here, only that I am glad I did.
Going to read some more. Thank you.