When Life Deals Hard Blows

I realized there are some events in life that can truly knock the wind out of you. Those sudden changes that abruptly causes the trajectory of life to shift without warning. It's like having the rug snatched from under you without warning.

These events can leave you grappling with the reality of loss, grief, instability, lack of direction, and even fear. Left unattended, one can be so paralyzed that they fall into a pattern of control spurred by fear of losing anything else. On the other hand, the event can lead one to be so broken and despondent that they give up and become immobile.

While it can be quite devastating when such events come that completely alters your reality, it is our responsibility to be sure not to settle into the identity of our circumstances. It has happened to you, but it is not your end.

As a kid, when we got the wind knocked out of us, depending on the severity of the blow, we either bowed and gripped our knees, fell to our knees, or laid out in hopes of expanding the lungs enough to receive proper oxygen intake. Each reaction was determined by the severity of the blow. And in some cases, we needed a helping hand getting up because the blow left us weak.

When life knocks the wind out of us, our reactions may be determined by how great a blow it was. As a result, the recovery of the blow may take more or less time than others.

Be kind and gracious to yourself as you RECOVER. We often gage how we should recover based upon past encounters and bounce back seasons. But I believe many of us have been dealt hands in the last 3 years that we've never had to play with before. So, it takes more time to figure out how to work with the hand you've now been dealt. Plus, there isn't a blueprint for navigation because this type of blow has never been felt.

The best way to move through it is to acknowledge the pain, breathe slowly while you build your capacity back up, and get up with greater alertness, yet care because you're now in recovery from what knocked you down.

Pace yourself... and know the Father is there with His hand extended to raise you up when you're ready to get up off the ground. He's also there in the midst of the crisis while you gather enough breathe to move again.

I promise, you're going to make it through.

Love you to life! 🙏🏾❤️