Crunch the Crisis!

         When you think of a crisis what do you think of? Usually we view a crisis as having some element of danger, no matter what the circumstances are. Have you ever thought of a crisis as being an opportunity? When a crisis does happen, it is up to each person involved as to how they will handle the crisis. Hopefully we can work to turn the crisis or the danger into an opportunity. We talked about the ABCX model which is designed to differential success in coping. A represents the actual stressor or event. B represents how we can cope with the stressor or crisis. C represents the cognitions or the definition of the event. A, B, and C interact to produce X, the crisis.

         There are several ways in which we can exhibit effective coping when a crisis happens. The first is we can take responsibility for yourself and your family. Taking responsibility means not denying, avoiding the problem, or blaming others, and that you will not play the victim in the game. The next way of effective coping is to affirm the value of your family's worth. In a crisis, you may have to remind yourself that you and your family are people with strengths and the capacity to cope effectively. The next step is to balance self-concern with other's concern. Researchers have found that families that handled crisis best were those in which the individual family members were aware of the grieving of other members and made efforts to empathize and support them. The next step is reframing which includes re-defining the meaning of something, a way of changing your perspective of a situation. The situation doesn't change but the way you look at it changes. The last step to effective coping is to use available resources. You are never alone in a crisis because you have numerous internal and external resources which you can turn to in a time of crisis.

         We have been told that we might have joy in this life as well that there is opposition in all things. It is from these oppositions in all things that we find joy because we can humble our selves and rely on the Lord. Brother Donald L. Hallstrom taught a very powerful truth: "Turn to the Lord. Exercise all of the faith you have in Him. Let Him share your burden. Allow His grace to lighten your load." May we always remember that when crisis come to us, to rely on the Lord. He will help us get through. He is the only person that takes away our pains and sorrows. It is through his Atonement that we can receive comfort and strength. Reach out for Him and he will give you the strength to make it through.