Times of pain and tragedy are never welcomed. Personal loss and setbacks can create doubt and uncertainty. Yet, these inevitable moments can be our greatest experiences if we learn to turn them over to Jesus.

Here are 5 keys to turn your situation around.

I cannot control everything, but I can choose my response

Life is not always predictable or fair. We always wish everything works out the way we plan or pray it should, but there are too many factors that are outside our influence.

We need to understand what is in our control and what we can influence.What we can control is our response, and how we choose to respond to times of difficulty will determine whether we come out bitter or better.

Yes, you can cry, pray, reason, question, doubt and everything else in between.

But nothing makes more sense than just to surrender and worship God and thank Him for His goodness even in the dark and lonely places of life. Worshiping God is the best response to all seasons of life.

God produces purpose out of pain

Often, adversity provides the raw material needed for greatness and rejection results in divine direction.

It was in absolute poverty and desperation that the widow in 1Kings 17 met the prophet Elijah and walked into a season of unmerited favour and provision.

It was on the verge of suicide and hopelessness that God intervened and breathed purpose.

It is amazing to see how God uses tragedy and pain to birth destiny and purpose in the lives of people. God can use the pain you are in and have been through to bring hope and greatness into this generation.

I am not suggesting that pain is a prerequisite to discovering purpose in God, however, people find great resolve in times and seasons of pain.

It is my prayer that you don’t waste anything you have been through. God can and will use everything you have been through to take you to the place He has destined for you.

Look to God – The author and finisher of our faith

Irrespective of our theological backgrounds and levels of maturity, the greatest thing we can give our spirit man is to look to God for wisdom and strength. Nothing surpasses our communion with God. In Him is our perfect comfort.

When we seek him in tragedy and pain, we are acquainted with the Holy Spirit as our comforter.

There is something powerful about being in the presence of God, which constantly moves and heals our heart that no human company and friendship can provide.

You are not alone, God is still at work

It is natural to feel abandoned and alone in times of difficulty, but our feelings are temporal and transient. The word of the Lord is eternal.

His word says that God will work all things together for them who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

We must teach ourselves not to reduce God’s word to meet our standards of experience, but seek to elevate our experience to match God’s word.

Rest in God

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

God is more concerned about you than you are about yourself. God will take better care of you, than you ever will.

God is mindful of you and those closest to you. We don’t serve a God that cannot be moved by our challenges and struggles. He is our ever-present help.

I hope this post encourages you to turn to Jesus at every big and small situation of your life.