One step at a time – when things go wrong
By: Gilainne Sytingco

Have you ever been in a situation where everything just seems to be going wrong? Where your life just seems to be falling apart, and you can’t seem to do anything to stop it? One thing I’ve truly learnt this year is that life is difficult. However, no matter how hard things get, we should always try to look at the brighter side of things. Here are three things I think about when I am put into a difficult situation.

Limitations
Humans are limited creatures with limited capabilities and capacities. There’s only so much we can do and take…and this is most clearly seen when we are put into difficult situations. However, it is only when faced with obstacles that we can see where we’re at, and strive to improve ourselves. Hence, try to look at difficult situations as challenges and a chance for self-improvement.

Growth
Difficult situations shape us into who we are and enable us to grow. With every mistake and encounter we experience, we learn different life lessons. Most of the time, the only way we’ll learn is through experience. The way I try to look at it is that difficult situations are just one of the classes in the school of life.

Impact
Through experiencing life’s blows, we are better able to relate to others and help them. We are able to understand and listen to others better, and we are able to offer better advice and suggestions. Thus, difficult situations help us make an impact in other peoples’ lives…no matter how big or small.

Finding yourself in a difficult situation is hard…But sometimes, getting out of it is even harder. When the obstacles and challenges just keep piling on, we start to feel as if we’re drowning and can’t get out. It’s like quicksand…you’re being sucked into a place where you don’t want to be in. One thing I’ve learnt is to take things one step at a time. Pray and trust in the Lord to guide you through it. God will not put you into a situation which you cannot handle. Although “God does not promise a life free of storms, he does promise to keep his watchful eyes over us as we go through them”.