Opinion
Psycho-spiritual reflection on handling crises, By Rev. Fr. Udo J.M Iwuji
Prologue: Discover Christ in your crises
In the last few years, Nigeria as a nation has been battling with the challenges and crises of insecurity in different forms branded with different names. We are not talking about the tsunami and cankerworm of corruption that has eaten deep into the fabrics of Nigerians; we are not talking about it because it is like corruption has become synonymous with the word Nigeria. We want to look at the meltdowns that have shrouded and tramped us down at this very moment.
The year of the Lord 2025, like any other year, was ushered in by all citizenry with joy and good expectations. Low what did we see? High cost of living due to high inflection of goods and services. The water has passed our necks and many are already crazy on the streets. We think that tomorrow will be better but it turns to worse. To abet the situation for better is both simple and hard. It is simple and hard because the needed truth has not been fully said nor accepted by those concerned. My concern is the common man out there on the street.
What shall we do; what do we do to overcome this without losing our sanity and mental health? There is the saying that religion is the opium of the poor but we cannot negate the fact in the case of Job as contained in the bible; God vindicated himself at the end. The perseverance of Job proved to people that God himself is sovereign in suffering. This moment in life is a time to showcase our total dependence on God. Let’s all be patient with God and the situation.
In our troubles we need to persevere as to overcome, for perseverance overcomes {James 1:2-4; Rom 8:18-25; 35-39}. It is true that we are passing through challenging time but is also necessary to really examine ourselves to know if we have contributed to this. And I will say that many are part of the cause of this drastic moment. We need to call to mind that sin is self-inflicted crisis and an exile from home {Luke 15:11-18}. What we are passing through now could be as a result of that. We all need to pray especially during this trying time so as to discover Christ like the prodigal son so that we can come back home and be at peace with ourselves, with God and others. The absence of Christ is a big disaster and until He comes we cannot be at peace. It is evident in the scriptures. We have the story of Elijah. Why did he go to the cave to stay? He did not just go there to rest but he ran away for safety. After the encounter with the false prophets, Elijah’s life was sought by Jezebel. But when he was there at the cave God came to him. But even before his encounter with the divine there were still many turbulence but eventually he discovered God amidst all these. This encounter enabled him to overcome and got healing of the damaged emotion. The stormy and challenging waves were on the sea when the apostles were moving without Christ. But when Christ rejoined them the storms ceased. We need to invite Christ and as well do our bits.
This write-up is a way of encouragement as to remain focused and move on amidst the present day challenges. This is meant to enable us to overcome the many hurling rocks and landslides of the day as to have a new and fresh way. The titbits presented herein as a way forward are a combination of personal studies, reflection and ideas from some authors.
Some titbits on how to cope with crisis
I. Develop strong divine intimacy
Herein, I want us to consider two very important things in our lives {especially Christians}; PRAYER and FAITH.
Jesus is our model as in all good things. Not only did he spend often whole nights in prayer, his whole life was a prayerful outpouring of love of the Farther for us. In addition Jesus prays with us and in us. In any difficult situation we have to intensify our life of prayer as to have our faith sustained. St. Paul instructed the Thessalonians and Ephesians to “pray constantly” {1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 5:20}. Similarly, he commanded the Ephesians: “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” {Ephesians 6:18}.
Prayer helps each person form a personal relationship with God. The act of daily prayer is considered a proactive method of insuring a happy life {especially in the practice of our religion}. There is a belief that things begin to go wrong in our lives when we cease praying to God regularly.
The writer of Hebrews gives us the biblical definition of faith by stating in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Also, faith is a preresiquite for hope and love, “Now these three remain-faith, hope, and love… {1 Corinthians 13:13}. So in a sense, faith is belief in something and a requirement to possess other things. Faith is hard and does not come easily. Just like the muscles of the body, faith must be exercised to grow. You may go one inch the first day, two inches the second day, three inches the third, etc. Just like with any other activity into which you are growing, faith must be exercised every day.
It is very pertinent to let ourselves know this very fact, that we have a battle before us and that to win this battle, we need to believe in a power outside of ourselves, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus Christ who has promised that He can save me.
Faith opens the door to a victorious life! By faith, we can truly overcome as He overcame! “This is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith.” 1 John 5:5.
A good intimacy with God {the highest good} will enable us overcome in moment of challenges.
II. Focus on what is important
When dealing with the aftermath of a crisis, it’s important to focus your resources. Just getting through the day is an accomplishment, so paring down your responsibilities in order to just do that should be important. Cut down unnecessary expenditures and try to put unnecessary commitments on hold, and just focus on what really needs to be done to conserve your physical and emotional energy. Never try to impress anyone. Do not live above your income.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things”.{ Philippians 4:8 }.
III. Find support
If others know about your predicaments, chances are that they can offer you some help. So be open-minded and reach out for help. Let your loved ones lighten your load by helping with tasks or providing a supportive ear. Listening itself is therapeutic and it may be all that you need. It is not often easy to bend-low and ask for help. It goes with high level of humility. That notwithstanding, we as human beings and above all as Christians to discover a brother in need and give him a helping hand, “carry one another’s burdens” {Galatians 6:2} – show a little kindness. Remember, “He encourages us in our trials, so that we may also encourage those in trial, with the same comfort that we have received from God” {2 Corinthians 1:4}.
You can feel better from receiving support, and others will probably feel better by being able to do something to help. That’s what friends do best. Do not feel humiliated to ask or seek for help from others. You need a whole lot of humility. Pride is a cheater, avoid it, “I cheat you of genuine friendship because nobody’s going to know the real you”.
IV. Lessen your stress response
When you experience a crisis {or even when someone close to you experiences a crisis}, your body’s stress response may become triggered and stay triggered, keeping you in a state of constant stress. There’s no doubt that stress can hurt you, negatively impacting you on all levels—physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. Too much stress, called distress or chronic stress, can bring on certain diseases and disorders, make existing pain and chronic illnesses worse, and lead to such problems as anxiety, depression, isolation, and burnout, etc.
It may be difficult to feel “relaxed” in the midst or aftermath of a crisis, but you can practice stress relief techniques that can reduce the intensity of your stress levels, help you reverse your stress response, and feel more resilient in the face of what comes next. Strategies like guided imagery {imaginations}, contemplation, meditation, and some physical exercises or some sort of muscle relaxation can be beneficial. Above all, ell yourself the needed truth, there is time for everything and let tomorrow rake care of itself. I encourage you to model your life on the word of God. On occasions like this one of the things to do is to use Matthew 6:34 to pray. This biblical portion has it thus, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes” and you can pray thus, I do not want to worry or be anxious about tomorrow, but instead I want to place my trust in You entirely each and everyday. Father, help me remember in times of need that You have always been faithful to provide in any and every situation or challenge.
V. Process your feelings
Whether you write in your journal, talk to a good friend, or consult a therapist, spiritual director, it’s important to put words to your experience in order to better integrate it. As you move through the crisis, you may be tempted to ignore your feelings for fear that you’ll ‘wallow’ too much and get ‘stuck’, Indeed circumstances may not change, but processing our feelings brings inward growth and peace to settle our heart over time{letting them go for your good}.
“God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I got my act together, he gave me a fresh start. Now I’m alert to God’s ways; I don’t take God for granted. Every day I review the ways he works; I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together, and I’m watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes”. {Psalm 18:20-24 MSG}.
VI. Take proper care of yourself
In order to avoid adding to your problems, be sure to eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and do other things to keep your body functioning at its best. Also, try to do some things you normally enjoy, like seeing a movie, reading a good book, or gardening, to relieve some of the stress you’re going through. Comforting yourself when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed is also important. Strategies like going for a short walk, writing in a gratitude journal, meditating, or relaxing with good friends and family members can foster positive feelings that may help boost resilience and mental strength. Minimize anger.
“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun”. {Ecclesiastes 8 15}
VII. Practice accepting your feelings
Painful and difficult emotions can be scary, but learning how to accept and tolerate these feelings can be helpful. Instead of rejecting, denying, or trying to suppress such feelings, emotional acceptance stresses the importance of allowing them to exist and recognizing that they cannot harm you. Rather than rejecting your feelings or feeling overwhelmed by them, acceptance allows you to focus on dealing with your feelings in healthy or productive ways. Doing this can help you better understand your emotions; it can also help you regulate them more effectively.
“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life”. {Ephesians 4:26-27}
VIII. Focus on your senses
When you feel overwhelmed by distressing feelings or thoughts, grounding yourself in the present moment can help reduce feelings of anxiety and fear. Grounding is a strategy that helps distract you from intrusive memories, difficult emotions, and flashbacks.
Physical grounding techniques that you might find helpful include:
Ø Touching or picking up an object near you and focusing on the texture, color, shape, and feel of it.
Ø Taking slow, deep, controlled breaths and focusing your attention on your breathing
Ø Taking a bite of food or sip of a beverage and concentrating on the taste, texture, and feel of the food or drink.
Ø Noticing your surroundings, including the sights and sounds of the people, birds, animals, weather, and other objects in your environment. These often leads to deep contemplation on God’s greatness.
Contemplating on the greatness of created things the creator is revealed.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. {James 1:12}
IX. The need to do creative exploration
The arts and creative expression can also be a way to cope with trauma. This approach suggests that artistic methods can help promote healing and foster greater mental well-being. Research has found that art therapy can be helpful in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Another study found that art therapy was associated with significant reductions in symptoms of trauma and depression in adults who had experienced a traumatic event.
Necessity we say is the mother of invention and so creative expression is something that one might opt to try on his/her own. Some strategies you might try include coloring, drawing, finger painting, sculpting, painting, or photography, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom”{Ecclesiastes 9:10}. Or you might choose to seek help from a mental health professional who is experienced in this approach to therapy.
X. Take deep breath
Deep breathing can be a highly effective tool for coping with feelings of anxiety and stress. Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this approach involves taking deep breaths from the diaphragm rather than shallow breaths from the chest.
During times of stress, people often tend to take rapid, shallow breaths that increase the body’s anxiety response. Taking slower and deeper breaths helps calm the body and induce a state of relaxation, “Slow down. Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?” {Jeremiah 2:25 MSG}.
You can do this by taking a deep breath that causes your stomach to rise. Hold the breath for three counts, then slowly exhale. Focus on repeating this breathing pattern for several minutes until you feel yourself begin to calm. This deep breath can help to launch one into brainstorming and the outcome can be amazing and wonderful.
XI. Stick With a Routine
When you are dealing with traumatic events in your life keeping a routine can be a helpful way to protect your mental health. When life feels unpredictable, this routine can provide you with a sense of focus and control. Like the Psalmist pray the Lord, “Show me the way I should go” {Psalm 143:8}
Research suggests that such routines can help people manage their stress and anxiety levels. Maintaining some sense of structure can also help you take better care of yourself and your health as you face life’s challenges. Engage yourself in eustress; that will energize you and motivates you to make a change.
XII. Focus on things you can control
When you are coping with trauma, you may feel powerless or helpless, which can be both overwhelming and frightening. You can easily get irritated and maddened to those around you as if they are the cause of the situation. Take your time, to remain calm bearing in mind that, “whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” {Proverbs 16:32}.
More still, one of the ways to combat crises and unrest is to focus your attention on what you can control. The tendency of becoming annoyed unnecessarily and easily is always there but keep in mind that such is meant for fools, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools {Ecclesiastes 7:9}. Keep in mind that, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” {Titus 2:12}
When you shift your attention off of the things that you have no power over or that you cannot change, you can better focus your energy on the things within your control that might help improve your situation. This can help you feel more empowered and resilient as you cope with stresses in your life.
XIII. Know When to Seek Help
If you experience intrusive thoughts and feelings, have recurrent nightmares, or are unable to move through your life the way you need to, because of your reactions to the trauma, even after several days or weeks, you may want to talk to a professional {a counselor, spiritual director} about your situation to be sure you get the support that you really need.
Even if you have no major problems but just feel that it might be a good idea to talk to someone, it’s better to err on the side of having extra help. Effective treatments can help you feel better and get back on track. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”{Galatians 6:28}; “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”{1 Thessalonians 5:11}.
Conclusion: do your Bit and trust God at all Times
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” {Philippians 4:6-7}
When you develop the spirit of prayer, the spirit to seek God at all times it simply points to the fact that you have discovered God even in your Crises; it shows that your perspective of Good is very big and that will automatically turn your perspective about your ugly situation to nothing.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”{Psalm 46:1-3}
The present day society is both challenging and confronting. Many are passing through huddles. In fact, many look very good outwardly until you have a deep conversation with them. Please, don’t judge people by appearances. We have heard it several said many times, “do not judge a book by its cover”. I think that saying seem ad-ream this point in time. Many are passing through pains struggling to survive through smiling faces and pretty pictures, false presentation on social Medias, etc. People are going through a lot in silence. Do not be swift to judge.
Please, chew and choose your words and expressions as not to provoke people. Try to speak softly, show concern, keep reaching out to people in the little way you can. Do not ignore people in their lowest state. A little word of advice, encouragement and support will go a long way. Please, bear in mind, if you cannot be of any positive help, please leave people as they are, and do not worsen their situation.
Finally dearest friend, I conclude appropriating the words of the author of the Letter to the Hebrews, But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him]. {Hebrew 3:13}
In all our sufferings, conflicts and crises, may the good Lord never forget us. Amen.
May His merciful love locate us as He did to the Prodigal son and the drowning Peter. Amen
May He send us help as he did to Elijah. Amen.
May the Jezebels of our lives never overcome us. Amen
Fr. Iwuji is of the Society of Divine Vocations (SDV). He can be reached via: [email protected], 08156198851
