The Key to Successfully Weathering a Crisis

Here is the thing about being prepared… if you wait until you are in a crisis to become prepared, you are too late.

Here is the other thing about being prepared… you never know when you are going to face a crisis.

What is the best way to become prepared? Well, you train.

A person who is well-trained will stand a far greater chance of successfully navigating crisis situations. In theory, that sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, what about in practice?

Read on for the key to successfully weathering a crisis, part three of the Soldiers of Christ Woman’s Bible Study Lesson Series.

weathering a crisis

Weathering a Crisis: Soldiers of Christ Woman’s Bible Lesson Series

A few years ago, my husband and I took a much needed vacation to Alaska. Spoiler alert– it was awesome! Seriously, Alaska is a feast for the eyes. It is magnificent. It is refreshing. It is HUGE!

We saw the tallest mountains in North America, got a little too ‘up close and personal’ with some bears, and feasted on wild salmon and fresh halibut at nearly every meal.

About halfway through the trip, we took a day cruise to see glaciers and the marine wildlife (whales, puffins, etc..) in their natural habitat. Our cruise ship was excellent. There is a place south of Seward where the glacier meets the ocean. If you are lucky you can see climate change (or whatever you want to call it) in action as huge chunks of the glacier break off and crash into the water below. On the day of our cruise, the boat was able to get so close to the glacier you could almost feel the swoosh when an ice sheet cascaded off the cliff.

Of course, this cruise was cold. Oh my goodness, it was bitterly cold! We were bundled up with coats, hats, and scarves.. and then we still huddled together for warmth on the deck of the ship, as we drunk in the majesty of nature’s Arctic masterpiece. Once the ship turned around to head back to port, everyone piled inside the warm interior to thaw out. There was the promise of cookies, fresh out of the oven.. and I was really looking forward to their gooey warming comfort.

It was a perfect day.

When the Unexpected Hits You Over the Head

Just as the smell of almost ready chocolate ship cookies wafted into the dining cabin, someone screamed, ‘MAN OVERBOARD!’ Within seconds we saw the ship’s crew and numerous tourists running back and forth on the deck outside.

One! Two! Four! Five! There were five people in the water!

There were five people floating in the icy Arctic waters. As the boat maneuvered close enough to fetch the castaways, the grim reality emerged that two of the individuals had not survived. However, as best we could tell, the other three had.

The crew was fantastic. They knew just what to do to fish the survivors out of the water (as it turns out, these unlucky folks were on a pleasure trip in a small boat. The boat took on too much water and sank). However, there were only four or five crew members. There were about 50 tourists on board. Many of the tourists had no clue what to do, but they wanted to help in any way possible.

Then there was me. Out of the 50 passengers on board, apparently I was the only person who knew how to render first aid to the survivors as they were fished out of the water.

You see, I was trained. Actually, I had received substantial training both in first aid, and in how to deal with crisis situations. After all, I was an NCO in the U.S. Army.

I didn’t need to formulate a plan or consult a manual. I literally sprang into action, directing fellow passengers on small tasks they could do to help. Along with one other passenger, I stripped down to my skivvies and rendered skin-to-skin contact first aid in an effort to warm up the first survivor… a woman. I remember that when they pulled her aboard the cruise ship, she was still wearing heels.

Heels.

This was not a perfect day for her.

As the other two survivors were rescued, other passengers followed my lead, my direction, and were able to render first aid as well. The results were amazing.

All three survivors rescued from those icy waters went on to recover with only minor injuries.

We had saved their lives!

weathering a crisis

When You Encounter a Spiritual Crisis

So, what about the Christian faith?

What happens when you, or someone you love, gets smacked upside the head with a spiritual crisis?

  • You husband announces that he is leaving you for his girlfriend.
  • A member of your church is arrested for embezzling funds.
  • You are depressed… really depressed, and you just can’t make yourself get out of bed in time to worship with fellow Christians.
  • You have been hurt, or ignored, or mistreated for so long that you have reached a breaking point.

Or this…

The temptation is just so great, how can you resist?

  • Just one more drink
  • Just one kiss
  • Just one more time to lose control

Make no mistake– you are being targeted by Satan. You probably have been for a while. The spiritual battle waging around you is real.. and now you are in a spiritual crisis. 

Are you prepared?

Have you put on the full armor of God so that you can withstand the attacks from Satan?

Have you trained? Have you practiced? Do you know how to resist the devil so that he will flee from you?

Or, are you just hoping that it will all go away? Maybe you are just sticking your head in the sand and ignoring the ever growing problems that are threatening to pull you under for good.

weathering a crisis

How Do You Train to Defend Against a Spiritual Crisis?

Here are three steps you can take to drastically improve your chances of successfully navigating spiritual crises that will pop up in your life:

  • Spend time in the Word. Read your Bible! How will you know the most effective course of action unless you have read the training manual? 
  • Pray. Pray without ceasing. Don’t just pray when you are in a crisis. Pray every day for strength so that when the inevitable happens, you won’t have to plan, or equivocate. You will just know that God has you, and He will help you navigate through the murky waters until you are safely at the shore again. 
  • Fellowship with other Christians. Don’t try to do it alone. Let others help you. Seek guidance and if you need something specific, ask for it. Many times fellow Christians want to help, but they just don’t know what to do. Educate them. Let them help you weather the storm. 

Being prepared, being well-trained, doesn’t mean that a spiritual crisis won’t hurt you. Actually, a crisis will often sting. Sometimes the pain suffered will be deep and lasting. However, if you are well-prepared; if you have received adequate training, your injuries will be less severe. You might be scared, but you will be safe. You might be in pain now, but you stand a much greater chance of walking away from the crisis like the survivors of that sunken pleasure boat– with minor and superficial injury.

What is the key to successfully weathering a crisis? Preparation.

What is the best way to get prepared? Train.

So, when will you start your training plan?

weathering a crisis

Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!
Sara

Would you like more from the Soldiers of Christ Woman’s Bible Lesson Series? Check out these posts as well:

need to be clean

the ruck march 3

 

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2 Comments

  1. Very well said, Sara! You are exactly right about how we train for a crisis. I see how your training as an NCO has been useful in your faith experience as well. Military training does that! (My husband was an officer in the USMC and I get reminders still about preparedness!)
    Blessings on your day!
    Pam

  2. My, my! I never knew you had that experience while on your Alaskan trip! Your Army illustration is perfect for your topic. Thank you for surfacing this topic and making it really something that each of us can do something about.