For many survivors, our challenges and adversaries are so numerous that we can easily feel overwhelmed. There’s an accumulation of difficulties, internal and external, which you probably don’t know about; please email me if you’re curious about what those could be (Mary.Brown@SilenceBrokenNow.org). And like most other people, we as survivors tend to focus on our individual resources (which are not enough), our personal strength (also not enough), or our failures (which—for me, anyway—are plentiful).

Part of your job as a supporter is first to acknowledge that life is hard and that a survivor’s adversaries are numerous. If someone is looking sad, scared, or distressed, please don’t try to make them look happier! There’s no place for the “fake it ’till you make it” philosophy here. But you can say something as simple as “Rough day?” If they say “Yes” you can ask, “How can I help?” and then wait, and listen.

As believers who seek to be like Jesus, we can follow his example and focus on God, especially on behalf of someone whose adversaries are numerous. We’ll discuss this more thoroughly next week, but for now remember that God is the one who delivers, heals, and restores. Ministers are just assistants who are given the privilege of helping.

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