Yesterday, we ordered tickets for Les Miserables. This morning my husband noticed that I had ordered them for the wrong day. No refunds, no exchanges. All sales final. I felt miserable. I started wondering, if I get this frustrated with little things, how am I supposed to cope with the BIG things?
When faced with hard questions, where do I turn?
The dictionary, so I looked up “cope” and found out it means to “deal effectively with something difficult” (The New Oxford American Dictionary).
Right away, I knew I was in trouble because this definition posed another question, “How effective are my coping skills?”
I paused my search, went to the fridge, pulled out the Hershey’s chocolate syrup (the only chocolate in the house) and made myself a mocha, complete with whipped topping and sprinkles.
Returning to the definition, I read through to the origin of the word. The roots of this word made me grin. From Middle English, it means to “meet in battle” or “come to blows.” Coping is a battle. It makes sense that often, while I am coping with difficulties, I want to smack someone or something in the face.
It gets better; the noun version of cope is a cloak. Figuratively speaking, when I cope I am hiding, covering or disguising my pain.
Definitions thrill my soul, a close second to a creamy mug of mocha.
I started thinking of ways we try to cope, and this acronym poem poured out of my pen.
At the end of the…
Running
Out of
Plans to
Engage.
We turn to…
Dulling
Our
Perception with
Escape.
Or we can…
Call
Out to God!
Pummel the
Enemy!
Which leads to…
Having
Our
Perspective
Enlarged.
After all my soul searching this morning, I turned to the Psalms. And this one fit perfectly with all my other musings. God knows what we need to cope! His very words define life so well!
O Lord, look how my enemies have increased!
Many are attacking me.
Many are saying about me,
“Even with God on his side,
he won’t be victorious.” Selah
Many are attacking me.
Many are saying about me,
“Even with God on his side,
he won’t be victorious.” Selah
But you, O Lord, are a shield that surrounds me.
You are my glory.
You hold my head high.
You are my glory.
You hold my head high.
I call aloud to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah
and he answers me from his holy mountain. Selah
I lie down and sleep.
I wake up again because the Lord continues to support me.
I am not afraid of the tens of thousands
who have taken positions against me on all sides.
I wake up again because the Lord continues to support me.
I am not afraid of the tens of thousands
who have taken positions against me on all sides.
Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
You have slapped all my enemies in the face.
You have smashed the teeth of wicked people.
Victory belongs to the Lord!
May your blessing rest on your people. Selah
Save me, O my God!
You have slapped all my enemies in the face.
You have smashed the teeth of wicked people.
Victory belongs to the Lord!
May your blessing rest on your people. Selah
Psalm 3 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
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