How to Survive Death

The last two weeks have been rough. Rough like I didn’t want to get out of bed, and no brownie or walk with Effie could fix my mood. I was blasting Beyoncé and contemplating buying a beanie baby. But I just dyed my hair pink instead. I didn’t want to go to the Sunday meetings, and the idea of seeing anyone in the club made me recoil. No offense guys— I felt like a werewolf the night after a full moon. The enemy was on his game. But Jesus has already won the game, World Series, the whole enchilada.

As Christians, we are not immune from horrible weeks, days, years, and decades. In fact, I think we are more likely to have them, because they are God’s way of growing in us. We are most likely to talk to Him, and ask Him for things when we are miserable and desperate. Obviously we should be talking to Him and loving Him all the time without breaks, but that is often not how it happens. Growing in Him is often painful as our soul-life dies, but as Kirk Cameron would say, that is just Growing Pains.

Here’s some life hacks to get you through rough times when all seems lost. Brought to you by Jesus and the number three.

Call your Companions

God loves to use our companions to deliver us from death. My companions were there last week reporting for duty, ready to support me. They fed me their portion of Christ, and chocolate cake when I was starving and unable to feed myself. When your companions support you with a verse or a text, the Body of Christ is functioning. When I feel awful I usually try to avoid people, because I don’t want to infect them with my poor mood. But the Body suffers when we deny other members from sharing their portion with a member in need. It would be like cutting off blood flow to your big toe. You might think, I’m just the big toe it doesn’t matter if I suffer, but when the big toe is lost then the whole body loses balance. As members of the Body, our individual struggles become everyone’s; we can learn from other’s experiences and be fed by them. The Lord does not want us to handle these situations alone, because these challenges connect us to one another.

For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! –Ecclesiastes 4:10

Talk to the Lord

No matter what the scenario or situation, no matter if you have doubts— talk to the Lord. You can even tell Him, “I feel like a can of peas, Lord. Save me!” I often just tell Him how mad I am at my life’s situation. Jesus is our BFFE (Best Friend For Eternity). We should tell Him how we feel like we would tell our closest friends.

When the enemy is firing shots left and right, declare the facts. “Jesus is on the Throne”, “Jesus died on the cross for my sins” and “He is coming back for me!” Even declare the day you were baptized, “I was baptized into the Triune God on January 22^nd, 2015. I am regenerated into the kingdom of God”. These facts not only put Satan in his place, but they are a great reminder when our mind is full of marshmallows. These declarations anchor our mind to the divine facts and prevent us from drifting off into the open sea of despair. They remind us of how amazing the Lord is, and they prove how the Lord has always taken care of us. They also widen our individual, and often, narrow vision; this reveals that Jesus is coming back for us. Why would He abandon us now, if He is coming back?

Having the same spirit of faith… we also believe, therefore we also speak. –2 Corinthians 4:13

We Have to Die

God is our solution to every problem in our lives, but sometimes we don’t get the solution overnight. Sometimes we are meant to die (spiritually, of course). DUN-DUN-DUNNNNNN!!! Just kidding. We are meant to die so we can LIVE! As normal Christians, we die and resurrect all the time—it is a spiritual cycle we go through. But He will always bring us out of death to rise again through His resurrection life! When misery seem never-ending, look to John 11:25.

Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes into Me, even if he should die, shall live; and every one who lives and believes into Me shall by no means die forever. –John 11:25

We go through this process just as Jesus did, and it is helpful to look at how He handled it, and He was dying for real! Jesus had the heavenly vision every step of the way. He recognized that He had to die, because He saw the Father’s purpose even though the disciples did not. Poor zealous Peter, he did not want Jesus to die. He was confused when Jesus was angry with him for trying to stop the guards from taking Him to the cross. Peter did not see that Jesus’ death was necessary for our salvation, and so that He could enter in us. Peter was thinking about his own grief in that moment; he needed to widen his vision.

Jesus answered and said to him, What I am doing you do not know now, but you will know after these things. –John 13:7

Peter did not have the heavenly vision at that time, but we do! Praise the Lord! Christ died on the cross for all of our sins, and the tomb couldn’t keep Him in! He arose! He was lifted up, and now He is own the throne! And the Lord is coming back for us! We need to apply this vision to the difficult situations in our lives.

With this heavenly change in perspective, we can push through challenges to arrive at the feet of God. When we feel terrible we have the opportunity to lean on our spiritual foundation, and rely on the Lord. I got through it by simply praying, “Lord, help me enjoy You a little more each day”. And He answered this pray faithfully, and little by little I have returned to meetings and Bible studies with a fresh enjoyment of the Lord.

By: Kolean Gudalj