A Way Out

Published: March 22, 2023, midnight

b'When I became a mental health counselor, I had no idea what to expect.\\nWhat unfolded was difficult to accept\\u2026 but forever changed the way I\\nviewed others. I learned firsthand that some people who might appear\\n\\u201chappy\\u201d in their everyday life are actually experiencing mistreatment from\\nthose they trust most.\\n.\\nFrom the outside, we might never dream that others in our lives are\\nundergoing such strife. I say this only to acknowledge that enduring a\\nharmful situation anywhere\\u2014at home, on a sports team, or even at church\\u2014is\\nsometimes a reality. If this reality has crept into your world, or a\\nfriend\\u2019s, please seek help! Reach out to a favorite teacher, school\\ncounselor, or another trusted adult. There IS a way out, and you don\\u2019t need\\nto go it alone. Yes, it\\u2019s hard to bring dark things into the light\\u2014and more\\nthan one try is sometimes required\\u2014but remember: God knows the truth. \\u201cEven\\nthe darkness will not be dark to you [God]\\u2026 for darkness is as light to\\nyou\\u201d (Psalm 139:12).\\n.\\nLife can be unfair, unjust, and painful. However, hope and healing and\\nrestoration are also real. So, for whoever may be suffering, do not bear\\nthis heaviness alone. Jesus always calls us to carry one another\\u2019s burdens\\n(Galatians 6:2).\\n.\\nMoreover, Jesus knows unjust suffering too\\u2014thrust on Him by\\nothers\\u2019 wrongdoing (Isaiah 53). He truly understands our pain. And though\\nour situation may remain unexplained, God, the Eternal One, \\u201cknows the way\\nthat [we] take,\\u201d and He extends His \\u201ceverlasting arms\\u201d to us (Job 23:10;\\nDeuteronomy 33:27), creating hope where once there was none, promising us\\nHis presence, and promising\\nthat the world will one day be made right through His death and\\nresurrection (Revelation 21:1-5). \\u2022 G. Kam Congleton\\n.\\n\\u2022 Read Psalm 72:14, Proverbs 11:9, and 1 Corinthians 13:4-6. God is not\\nokay with injustice and mistreatment. If you are experiencing\\nmistreatment\\u2014whether it be verbal, physical, sexual, or neglectful in\\nnature\\u2014please reach out for help. In addition to telling a trusted adult,\\nand if you don\\u2019t already have a therapist, one option is to use the Focus\\non the Family Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP\\n(4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an\\nappointment. In Canada, call 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.\\n(Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate. \\n.\\nEven the darkness will not be dark to you\\u2026 for darkness is as light to\\nyou. Psalm 139:12 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nPs.18.28|Ps.34.18|Mic.7.7-Mic.7.8|Ps.139.12'