When things aren’t going well, how do you respond? Many people find it helpful to vent their frustration. It helps them to validate their feelings, communicate their issues, reinforce their viewpoint, and interestingly enough, to actually search for a connection with others. This can be constructive or it can become destructive if someone continually dwells on the negative or frequently complains.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” The wiser approach to trials is not just to recognize what is wrong, but to work toward a solution. You can do this by training yourself to look for something positive even during difficulty. Ask God to help you reframe your perspective to see a blessing in a situation. For instance, something to be learned, a relationship to be strengthened, character to be forged, or a deeper empathy to be developed. God brings beauty from ashes, light from darkness, and life from death. With eyes of faith, see the light of God amidst the gloom of adversity. Shine the light of Jesus for others stumbling in darkness (Matthew 5:14-16). By trusting in God’s grace and power, be the person who lifts themself up and others up during difficulty, rather than sinking further down.
I wrote a song about this which you might enjoy. It’s titled, “Silver Lining.”