Padre's Corner - When the pressure’s on, don’t give up
October 12, 2021 - Padre Kevin Sam
I am sure you have faced some vulnerable situations either on the field, at work or at home. The pressures of life and the things that make us anxious can be overwhelming.
When troubles begin to boil at home while we are away on exercise or deployment, everything can seem dim – even dark and hopeless. No one is there to help. When no one is there to understand and empathize with us, it feels lonely. When those around are not the people we can share our deepest concerns with, it makes it hard to walk alone.
These are the times when one needs hope. Hope can appear when we least expect it. The thinnest string of hope can suddenly appear out of nowhere. When nothing else seems possible, hope, like a ray of light, can beam out of the darkness and you find your rescue has arrived. This is when you know there is a higher power and there is a God who cares.
In moments of self‑doubt I have learned to call on God to follow along on my life’s field of slush and mud. Ever been in a situation where you’re on the verge of losing your health, your house, your spouse or kids? Ever had your significant other tell you this is the end and “I’m leaving you”? Or when you feel your boss or your chain of command doesn’t care about you? Yeah, I know many of you have been there.
The temptation is to do something you might regret later. I have learned it was at this time when I most needed to pray and ask God to give me the faith to hold on and not give up.
Ever get stuck in mud and you kept digging yourself deeper? Mistakes can happen when we misplace faith with our own devices. By taking things into your own hands, we make mistakes that dig us deeper. If we wrongly conclude the situation as hopeless, and try a course of action to escape that ends up making our bad situation worse, we end up in deeper pain and despair.
Has your vehicle ever been stuck in a mud pit forever? No, someone eventually comes around to help. We might fall into an area feeling like we’re stuck in a two‑foot pit of despair. When you are stuck in a funk, refuse to believe you will stay in that place forever. A person’s situation will change for the better . . . eventually. It always does. Look on the bright side. When life is in the pits, it can only get better. Worse case, when the sun starts to shine, mud dries.
When life cannot get any worse, light can appear at the end of a dark place. This is when we begin to realize God was looking out for you. God was always there and will always be there, even when we think God has fallen asleep at the wheel. I have seen many people ride out their tough times and come out the other end in one piece.
Yes, life might have brought you down into the lowest of lows. Your field of dreams might not have had the prettiest patch of flowers, but that’s okay . . . life is like that sometimes.
I was raised in a home where religion and faith was practiced, and God was more than just a figurehead. I was taught to trust in God even in the toughest of times, but when life brought on challenges I did not foresee, my faith was suddenly challenged. I questioned my family’s faith and wondered if God was more than just a figurehead. I asked, “Has God fallen asleep on me?” For me today, God isn’t just an entity I believe in. I have relied on faith in God to pull me through some hellishly scary situations.
My faith, my family, my network of praying brothers and sisters have prayed for me. As a result, I have ridden out bad times and hopeless moments I never thought I would escape. This is why I offer my encouragement to those who have felt hopeless. Remain steady in your faith, no matter how small it may seem. There will be brighter times ahead.