Closing Out a Difficult Year

The story of Job in the Bible has captivated me since I was young. Job enjoyed perfect health and great prosperity, earning himself the swanky title of the greatest man in the East. Then one day, without warning or premonition, the rug was pulled from under his feet. He lost everything—including his sons and daughters. The severity of his loss is dumbfounding.

Like Job, many of us have trudged through difficult seasons that we didn't even think we had the tenacity to muddle through. We may have dealt with sickness, lost loved ones, broken relationships, and financial difficulties, among other turmoil. As the year folds, we may feel dejected and at a loss on how to forge ahead. Here are some suggestions on how to wrap up a difficult year.

Sitting in the season

Before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus gave his disciples an interesting raincheck. He promised that they would have trouble in the world. However, they were to take heart, for he had overcome the world (John 16:33). That same trouble-filled world is the one we live in hundreds of years later. We, too, are not exempt from the hardships in this broken world. We will have seasons where all is fine and dandy and then plunge into tough seasons.

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4).

God has allotted time for our difficult seasons just as he has for the cozy ones. There is a time to weep, mourn, die, tear down, throw away, and even for war. Each catastrophe we muddle through has been allotted time by the author of time. It is, therefore, okay for us to sit in the difficult seasons and go through the flurry of emotions.

It's okay to grieve our losses and be vulnerable. Our role model, Jesus, did not brush off his emotions. He was deeply moved when he saw Mary and their friends who had visited her mourning the death of Lazarus. He wept with them (John 11:33-35). It was time to mourn and he did not evade it.

In the garden of Gethsemane, as his crucifixion drew near, Jesus confided to his disciples that he was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:38). He was in a season of sorrow and he didn't sugarcoat it or rush through it. He allowed the season to run its full course. In our seasons of trouble, we can acknowledge the pain and go through it. We can fix our eyes on Jesus' promise that though we will have trouble, he has overcome the world.

Remember that God is close

As we go through the storms in our lives, we have a sure anchor. God will never abandon us in our hour of need. King David referred to him as our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He doesn't turn his back on us when the waves come crashing on us. He stays right there and empowers us to sail through triumphantly.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” ( Psalm 34:18).

When our hearts are ripped apart by sorrow, disappointment and despair, God is close to us. He reaches out to save us just like Jesus saved Peter when he was sinking. Jesus is Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). He is with us in all the varying seasons of our lives. He promises that when we pass through the waters, rivers, and fire, he will be with us because we are precious and honored in his sight (Isaiah 43:2-4). We can take comfort in the blessed assurance that the master of the universe is with us in our storms.

Express your lament

God did not intend for us to go through trouble in silence and isolation. The scriptures brim over with the admonition for believers to bear each other's burdens. When muddling through a rough patch, it helps to talk to someone you trust. Talking about your plight lightens your load, reduces emotional distress, and offers comfort. Besides, as you open up, you may discover that you are not the only one facing that kind of turmoil. Paul taught that every trial we hurtle through is common to man (1 Corinthians 10:13). This realization often brings untold relief.

You can talk to a therapist, a church leader, a trusted friend, or a family member. Scripture records that by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in the abundance of counselors there is victory (Proverbs 24:6). If talking to someone doesn't float your boat, consider penning down your lament. Writing down your thoughts and expressing your pain will help ease your emotional stress. It's also a form of prayer as you express to your maker your innermost pain.

Jeremiah penned down his grief when the city of Jerusalem was plundered by the Babylonians. His elaborate bemoaning makes up the book of Lamentations in the Bible. David also often freely expressed his distress before God. “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). We too don't have to feign strength or bottle up our pain when at the end of our tether. We can freely lament to God and rely on his strength to buffer us in the storm.

Make room for the lessons

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

Four months ago, I was taken ill, and in a split second, my health went downhill. My doctor painted an awfully grim picture of my health. I agonized at the prospect of my life taking an entirely different trajectory. But God restored me and on the day I ambled back home from the hospital, I was overwhelmed with gratitude, seeing that God had given me a new lease on life. As such, my entire life flipped around. I loved more, forgave easily, empathized more, gave more, and sought to deepen my relationship with God. That's the thing with suffering, though it comes dressed in pain, it polishes our character. Though it's downright torturous, it thrusts us forward.

Paul even had the audacity to glory in his sufferings since he cherished the character transformation above the discomfort it brought. As we seek to forge ahead after a tumultuous year, let’s embrace the lessons the hard times threw our way. Perhaps you learned to define your boundaries, be present for your family, live healthier, expand your streams of income, prioritize, and to be grateful. Hold on to the lessons and let them form the bedrock of your new year.

Press on

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13).

Admittedly, the end of the year does not mean that our troubles will grind to a halt. We may still contend with pain and disillusionment long after the new year has settled in. However, we can still trust God and find solace in him even when our circumstances do not change. God doesn't always bring healing and restoration in the way we desire. But we can forge ahead in full confidence that he will never leave nor forsake us. We can entrust our future to him.