What To Do When Life Feels Paused
Life has a way of getting on top of us. Issues arise that stop us dead in our tracks. What do we do when it feels as though our lives have been put on hold?
Photography: Olivia Frolich. Stylist: Ana Tovar. Hair: Olivier Lebrun. Makeup: Tiina Roivainen. Producer: Raúl Boluda. Model: Alexandra Micu at Ford Models.
The year 2020 has been a perfect example of life not going to plan - on a massive scale. Going into the new year, we all had hopes and plans. Many of these expectations were quickly cut short. Lockdown and its restrictions affected and halted our plans. But somehow, we found ways to cope. We binge-watched every TV show we could find, we picked up new hobbies, we spent more time with our families, we survived.
For some, coronavirus resulted in much greater and harder challenges than a reduced social life. There are people who have lost their jobs and are unaware of where the next pay cheque will come from. Those who have lost loved ones, and those who have had to live in total isolation. Another lockdown is the least of their worries because their entire life is at a standstill. While the rest of the world copes and moves forward, for some this is unimaginable. It can be incredibly difficult to overcome this feeling, but we can find comfort even in these hard times.
Faith
Hardships, pain or grief can be overwhelming and the thought of doing anything else may seem impossible. Disappointments have a way of bringing our lives to a grinding halt. When faced with such difficulties, the most important thing is not to lose faith. Faith in Jesus gives us hope and strength to carry on when it feels like life has stopped. The Bible describes faith as ‘confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see’ Hebrews 11:1 (NIV).
So, when we feel like we are at a standstill and cannot see a way forward, hope in Jesus can sustain us. Trust and believe that He will get you through. Trust that He can do that which we cannot do for ourselves.
‘Prayer is a confirmation of our faith in God.’
Prayer
Prayer changes things. It changes us. Jesus’ apostle Peter instructs us to: ‘Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.’ 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT).
We are to take all our worries - about the present, the future, our burdens, hopes and fears - to God because He cares about them. When we pray, our burdens are lifted, and we find peace. Prayer is a confirmation of our faith in God and when we pray, we will receive direction from God on how to move forward.
Company
The company we keep is extremely important, especially in times of difficulty. We may find it hard to pray or even hold on to faith in these moments. It is therefore vital for us to have people around us who can do those things for us. We all need people who can encourage us, build us up, speak life into us and strengthen us when we cannot find strength in ourselves. King Solomon, the writer of the book of Proverbs says: ‘As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend’ Proverbs 27:17 (NLT).
‘As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.’
Seek out those friends who will walk with you and for you in these seasons, until you gain the strength to step forward again.
WORDS BY
Onome Beberi
