Are you falling apart?

When in trouble or facing trials, we often hear people use the phrase“I’m doing my best to keep it together”, or “I feel like I’m falling apart”. 

Yet is it truly possible to take control on the way you respond under difficult circumstances?

I briefly investigated what these phrases mean:

To hold it together: remaining emotionally calm and composed in adversity

To fall apart:  the outcome of becoming emotionally disturbed and unable to think calmly or to deal with a difficult situation

Both are actually automatic emotional responses to a given situation or circumstance.  

Jesus tells a parable that makes it comparable two home builders.  Thus, portraying the two very different responses.

They both built homes, and both faced hardship (the storm).   

One home remained intact while the other fell apart (Matt. 7:24-27). 

They couldn’t control their response to the storm during the storm.  It was the way they built their homes prior to the storm that directly impacted the end result.

Your automatic emotional response to difficult circumstances is directly related to the way you lived life prior to the trial that may have comets endure.

Jesus reveals the secret of the wise builder’s home remaining intact.  He was a “hearer” and a “doer” prior to the storm.  

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matt. 7:24 NSV)

 

The wise man was intentional about taking the time to hear and do what God’s word says.  

 

How intentional are you about your relationship with God?  Do you consistently set time to hear him out of the word and do what it says?  It is directly related to how you will emotionally respond to the challenges you will have to face in the future.  

It’s so inspiring to see this in action.  We recently attended a funeral that just blew me away in their emotional response. In most cases you find the immediate family in the front pews struggling to keep it together. But on the contrary, this family was leading and encouraging the entire congregation.  I can’t say they weren’t sad, but there was undeniable calm and peace present.

On the other hand…

Have you suffered a storm and feel that you are struggling to put yourself back together again?  Are you having difficulty dealing with the emotional response to a current or past difficult circumstance? God also offers hope and restoration to those who have “fallen apart”. 

…their foundations were swept away by a flood… Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.  Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. (Job 22:16-23 BSB)

In other words, turn to him and become a “hearer” and a “doer”.  Initiate a steady relationship with him and become intentional on setting time to hear a “word from his mouth”.   

He will build you back up, piece by piece, as long as you

continue in the word. Thus, making you secure and strong enough to face any challenge that may come your way.   

Supporting Text

My mothers and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. (Luke 8:21 KJV)