Christian LifeSkills
Christian Counseling Resources
For Personal & Spiritual Growth

Coping Well in a Crisis

In times of crisis a few characteristics are very important to cope well.  First, it is important to stay close to people.  Learn to express your emotions openly, and to talk about your problem with friends.  Let people help you without a compulsion to repay.  Increased dependency is normal during a crisis.

Second, when trying to solve a problem, choose manageable tasks to accomplish.  Train yourself to avoid impulsive actions.  If possible, seek to gather good information about how to solve the problem. 

Third, stay in good physical condition through exercise and nutrition. 

Fourth, be realistic about any guilt.  Sometimes we feel guilty in a crisis when there are no reasonable bases to justify the guilt.  For example, a person may feel guilty because they survived a tragedy and others did not.  A person who copes well recognizes that guilt accompanies crisis and change. 

Fifth, commit to maintaining your spiritual growth through prayer, Bible study, and worship with others.

God reminds us that tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, poverty, peril, or war shall not separate us from the love of Christ.  We are assured that in all these things we have complete victory through Him who loves us.  (See Romans 8:35-39).  God is faithful and greater than any crisis.

Article provided by Larry Roach, Christian Counselor