by Ronnie J. Johnson Ph.D.
The following lesson is taken (with permission) from Facing Life's Crises, © 1996 Baptist Publishing House. It is a student book for the adult Christian Growth Literature. This student book, teacher's guide and others are available through the Baptist Publishing House, P.O.Box 7270 Texarkana, TX 75505, (800) 333-1442.
Lesson 1 Title: The Certainty of Crises Central Truth: Use life's inevitable testings to strengthen your character as a Christian. Focal Passage: James 1:1-16 Daily Bible Readings: Monday: Genesis 50:15-20 Tuesday: Job 14:1-14 Wednesday: Psalm 11:1-7 Thursday: Psalm 73:1-17 Friday: Luke 17:1-6 Saturday: I Peter 1:1-9 Have you had a crisis lately? Think about the worst thing that happened to you this week. Now, try to remember the worst thing that happened to you in the past year. Take a deep breath and recall the worst thing that happened to you in your lifetime. While it is possible for a single, recent event to fulfill all three directions, it is likely that you thought about three different events or calamities. How many of those things were crises? Stress and everyday annoyances are not crises. Situations that interfere with normal activity, inspire feelings of panic or defeat, and bring about deep emotional reactions are crises. A crisis is a "turning point" or a crucial time that will make a difference for better or worse. The Chinese word for crisis is made up of two characters: one means despair and the other means opportunity. when a person experiences crisis, there will either be a negative outcome or a positive one. The direction of the outcome depends on a number of factors such as: physical and emotional health of the individual, support from others, childhood upbringing, past experience with similar situations, and duration of the crisis situation. A significant factor leading to positive resolution of a crisis is a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. Christians have a resource that non-Christians do not have: the strength of God. Peter said that Christians should continually be, "casting all your care on him for he cares for you" (I Peter 5:7). The external situation is not what defines a crisis. The individual's internal reaction to the external event is what makes an event a crisis. Something that is perceived as a crisis by one individual may be seen a nuisance by another. When ministering to a person in crisis, remember, it is that person's perception of the situation that counts. Because you may view the situation differently, it is necessary to be sensitive to the feelings of the person involved. The Complexity of Crises James tells us that we will fall into divers temptations (verse 2). Notice that he says when, not, if, you fall into divers temptations. Be assured, crises will come. The word, divers, literally means motley or multicolored. Here, it refers to the many different kinds of trials we will face in life. Life is full of crises. Loss of a job, death of a loved one, illness, and divorce are examples of crisis situations which usually happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Other crisis situations are developmental in nature and are more predictable. However, the predictability of a situation doesn't necessarily lessen its impact. Turning 40 or retiring from work occasionally develop into major crisis situations for some people. Even though there are a many different crisis situations, there are a few things that all crises have in common. First is the impact of the crisis. Shock and numbness are the first responses to a crisis situation. A person will feel overwhelmed and out of control for a matter of hours or even a few days. A period of emotional turmoil usually follows the initial shock. This is when grief and related emotions are felt. Anger, guilt, fear, and/or denial are usually experienced at this time. Recognize that the emotional reactions may be different for each individual. Depending upon the severity of the crisis, it usually takes several days or even weeks to work through these emotions. Unfortunately, some people never completely resolve these feelings. A period of adjustment and reconstruction of a normal life-style follows the time of turmoil. This may take weeks or months to accomplish. The person accepts what has happened and strives for understanding. Positive thoughts begin and hope slowly returns. Purpose of Crises James reveals some purposes that are served by crises. Crises help us develop our will power, strive for more knowledge, and grow spiritually. Crises will increase your patience (verses 3-4). Patience is defined as the capacity to bear trials calmly. It also carries the meaning of being steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity. So you must face trials in order to develop patience. Crises will get you to ask the question: "Why did God allow this to happen?" (verses 5-)t is O.K. to ask, if you ask in faith, not as an accusation or complaint to God. Ask honestly searching for an answer. However, understand that God may not reveal the answer right away. Crises will help you focus on God, not your situation (verses 9-11). Crises happen to peole of all classes, races, and groups of people. Crisis situations may be especially helpful in reminding the rich that they are frail and their material wealth is temporary. Those who endure trials, will be blessed (verses 12-16) . Some crises may be brought on by willful disobedience, so repentance and confession of sin is necessary. You must also guard against giving in to sinful despair and selfish self pity in any crisis. Why does God allow innocent children to suffer or die? Why do bad things happen? Answer those questions and you will have a theology of suffering. Why do bad things happen to you? Answer that question and you will have your theology of suffering. Are the two similar? We tend to view things differently when they happen to us personally. Crisis situations cause us to search the scriptures and pray with great urgency. They also help empathize with other people when we see them hurting. There are at least four reasons why bad things happen to you: You are part of the human race, you sin, you can develop greater dependence on God, and you can be better prepared to help someone else. 1. You are part of the human race. The human race is a fallen race. All mankind was reckoned as participating with Adam in his sin (Romans 5: 18-19). Just one of the consequences of sin was the curse of sickness and death (Job 14:1). 2. Sin. While every crisis is not necessarily a chastisement from God for a personal sin, some are. Willful disobedience or bad decisions can have disastrous results (Psalm 11:5-7). 3. You can develop greater dependence on God. In crisis, people turn to God. The feeling of being out of control is a common component of crises. Sometimes, such a reminder that God is the only one who is in control will promote greater dependence on Him ( I Peter 1:6-7). 4. You can be better prepared to help someone else. Many people feel great support in knowing that someone has had a similar experience and lived through it. The Value of Crises James says to "count it all joy" when faced with various trials in life (verse 2). Why rejoice in crisis? Working through crisis and the "Why me?" question should help you recognize sin in your life, strengthen your faith, and help you develop compassion for others. Reconsider the crisis situations of your own life that you identified at the beginning of this lesson. For each one, ask the following questions. Did this happen to me because I am part of the human race? Did this happen to me because of personal sin? Did I learn greater dependence upon God because of this crisis? How can I use what I learned through this experience to help someone else? Please prayerfully consider the following applications of information presented in this lesson. Application 1: When You Face Crises When you are faced with crises, you probably won't remember this lesson or the suggestions that could be placed here. However, there is something you can do right now that will help you through any crisis situation. Work on your relationship with God. Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the necessary first step. Then, the closer you get to Him, the easier you will negotiate crises of life. By studying God's Word, praying, fellowshipping with a local church, and developing your spiritual gifts, you will increase your ability to handle crises. Crises will still come your way, but when your life gets out of control, you can turn to the one who controls your life. Application 2: When You Want to Help Someone In Crisis You will have many opportunities to minister to people in crisis. Some things you can do that will be helpful in any crisis situation include the following: 1. Be available to the person. You don't have to say the right thing or have all the answers. Just be there. 2. Accept the emotions that are being expressed. The person must express and resolve emotional reactions to the crisis. Listen to the person! 3. Let the person feel loved. Express your love and, at the right time, remind the person that God loves him too. 4. Provide support. The person may need various amounts of support through the shock, emotional turmoil, and adjustment periods of the crisis situation. You should be one source of many. Get the person involved with family, church, Sunday School classes, support groups or professional services, if necessary. 5. Don't forget to pray. Pray for the person (and pray with the person) in crisis.
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