Get through it.

When something unexpected happens, for example we don’t get that job we applied for, the relationship comes to an end or life happens, our default is to try and get over whatever it is we are facing. We say things like, “Yeah, I’ll get over it.” But we are not really doing anything about it, we are hoping it will go away on its own.

So many times, we process life outside of God. Trying to get over something is an example of us processing life outside of God. It means we think we got this. We can make ourselves forget the pain, the trauma, the hurt or disappointment. We can find a closet to shove it in and never open it again. However, unprocessed negative emotions do not just go away on their own. They may fade into the background for a while but eventually they will find their way back to the surface again.

Getting over something is a coping mechanism. We just want to make it through the day, the week or the next chapter of life. God does not want us coping. He wants us thriving, overcoming and winning in life. What then do we do when we are confronted with situations that make us feel some type of way? We take it to God in prayer, Philippians 4:6-7.

Yes, we take it to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Read the book of Psalms, it is full of verses and chapters of King David processing life with God. He would air out his thoughts and feelings before God and one thing you will see is that each time, he would not leave the Presence of God the same way he came in.

Let’s look at Psalm 54 which says, “God, deliver me by your mighty name! Come with your glorious power and save me! Listen to my prayer; turn your ears to my cry! These violent men have risen up against me; heartless, ruthless men who care nothing about God seek to take my life.

Pause in his presence

But the Lord God has become my divine helper. He leans into my heart and lays his hands upon me! God will see to it that those who sow evil will reap evil. So Lord, in your great faithfulness, destroy them once and for all! Lord, I will offer myself freely, and everything I am I give to you. I will worship and praise your name, O Lord, for it is precious to me. Through you I’m saved—rescued from every trouble. I’ve seen with my eyes the defeat of my enemies. I’ve triumphed over them all!”

David starts off sounding desperate and he is pleading with God. He is upset and scared for his life. That would be traumatising, knowing that your life was physically in danger. David went before God with all his emotions, but something happened when he paused in the Presence of God. When he stopped focusing on what was happening around him his language changed.

He doesn’t sound overwhelmed anymore. He remembers who God is and has been to him and he calms down and says, “But the Lord God has become my divine helper.” Note he didn’t say but the Lord is my divine helper, he says “become”. This suggests that this happened over time. As David learned to process life with God, God became his divine Helper. As we learn to lean on God, God begins to step in and help us in our time of need.

In the Presence of God, David also receives divine insight from God because in his second last sentence he speaks to his future. He says, “Through you I’m saved—rescued from every trouble.” David doesn’t say through you I was saved before and I hope You will do it again. No. David remembered who his God was and regained his perspective and began to see things through God’s eyes. Through God I am saved, continually. Regardless of the circumstance, because God does not change, and He is faithful.

This is what happens when we process life with God. We come with all our stuff. God does not ignore it or pretend it is not real, but He gives us His perspective. So that instead of trying to get over things, we are strengthened to go through them. We are strengthened to confront the giants in front of us knowing God is not only with us, but he is for us.

Giants are not always demons or attacks of the enemy, they can be our own emotions and our own thoughts. God wants to help us process our thoughts and our emotions. In His Presence there is fullness of joy. We go in feeling some type of way but when we process life with Him, we come out refreshed, with clear direction and full of strength to overcome the obstacles in front of us.

Stop trying to get over things, instead take them to God. Sit in His Presence and allow Him to help you process it so you can get through it.

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.