by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed.D. @khutch0767

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Recently, I had to visit the courthouse located downtown to submit paperwork for a replacement passport. I was feeling anxious, as I had lost my passport somewhere in my home and was running out of time. I needed the passport to travel out of the country to a writer’s conference, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to find it in time. This made me feel frustrated and helpless, as I was unable to locate the passport. I began spiraling and thinking back to the week prior when I’d left my backpack filled with all the documents, handouts, and laptop I needed to keynote and teach at another writer’s conference. This incident cost me three times what I would be paid for this job. I then began fantasizing about the many things I could’ve done with the money I’d spent on my mistakes over the last few weeks.

As I waited at the passport processing office, feeling sorry for myself, I began listening to the conversations around me. I realized the office also housed the foreclosure office and heard people trying to explain their situation to the government workers. Hearing these stories, I could also sense desperation as strangers explained why they had fallen behind on their mortgage payments. I saw stacks of paperwork, emotional outbursts, and stoic faces. These people were on the brink of losing their homes, and it was heartbreaking to witness.

While waiting for my turn, I began feeling grateful for my problems. I realized that my lost passport was nothing compared to the struggles that these people were facing. I also reflected on the extraordinary writer’s conference I’d recently returned from. My experience made me reflect on the things I take for granted in my life. It was a sobering reminder that even in our darkest moments, someone is always going through something worse.

But what about us? Is our ability to succeed and flourish tied to our current circumstances? Let me rephrase: How many of us experience flourishing when bad things happen to us and around us?

Here are four ways to flourish despite the circumstances:

Train Yourself to Shift Your Mindset.

God tells us through his word that he uses everything we go through for the believer. These difficult circumstances aren’t necessarily something to minimize or avoid but something to embrace. When we purposely shift our mindset, there’s often a reason to take joy in our circumstances. This way, regardless of how things turn out, we’ll develop perseverance when we endure trials.

Thank God for Specific Things.

We can start thanking God despite the difficulty of our circumstances and link them to specific work we can see him doing in us or through us.

As I observed those people fighting for their houses, I found joy in knowing I would return to my home that evening. I also thanked God for the courteous passport clerk, who was kind and informative and showed me how to expedite my passport. Despite the hardship of leaving my conference backpack at home the week prior, I was grateful God provided the resources to purchase what I needed to be prepared, and a wonderful technology expert assisted me. I was grateful to attend a new Christian writer’s conference, make new friends, reengage with old ones, and experience success in delivering God’s word and teachings.

Pray Strategically.

God changes us through heartfelt prayer. When we’re transparent with our Father and allow him into every area of our lives, we can experience deep communion with him during a trying time. This sort of prayer will have a growing and sustainable effect on us.

 Read the Bible Consistently.

The Bible is God’s word. One of the fundamentals of our faith is that we believe that God himself is shaping us according to his word. When we consistently read God’s word, we will encounter many stories of people who faced and overcame the challenges of dire situations. We’ll also observe others who didn’t deal with challenges well. Both examples show us what to do and what not to do. God’s word also tells us over 365 times, “Not to fear.” This assures us that God sees us and fights for our victory!

As Christian writers, it’s essential to remember that our faith is a vital aspect of our writing. We must train ourselves to shift our mindset and embrace difficult circumstances, knowing God uses everything we go through for the believer. We can find joy in our circumstances and thank God for specific things, linking them to the work we can see Him doing in us or through us.

 When we face trials, we can pray strategically, allowing God into every area of our lives. We can experience deep communion with Him through heartfelt prayer and be sustained through trying times. Consistently reading the Bible is also crucial, as it is God’s word and shapes us according to His will. We can learn from the many stories of people who overcame dire situations and those who didn’t handle challenges well.

 As Christian writers, we can take comfort in knowing God always has the final word on our circumstances. James 1:2-4 (NIV) reminds us to consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds. We know that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, and we can trust that God will bring us to maturity and completeness, not lacking anything.

Author, speaker, educational consultant, and editor–Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed. D. has had her hand in leadership for many years. She loves speaking to groups and delivering messages with a quick wit and real-life stories. Katherine is a freelance writer/content editor, a content editor/writing coach for Iron Stream Media, and a sensitivity reader for Sensitivity Between the Lines. She is a review board member and contributor to Inkspirations (an online magazine for Christian writers), and her writing has been published in Guideposts. Her work in art/writing is distinguished by awards, including the New York Mayor’s Contribution to the Arts, Outstanding Resident Artist of Arizona, and the Foundations Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference (2016, 2019, 2021, 2022). She was a finalist in the Genesis Contest ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers/Romantic Suspense 2022). She is a finalist for the Claymore Award 2022 (Thriller Division) for the best-unpublished manuscript. She is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color), AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators). She serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 and is an art instructor and virtual exhibition specialist for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future. Katherine is the host of the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She has authored a Christian Bible study for women and is currently working on the sequel and prequel to her first general market thriller novel, “A Fifth of the Story.”