A Shattered Life: Victor Vs. Victimনমুনা

### Ways We Cope: Isolation The enemy wants us to think bad things happen only to me. No one else deals with what I do. No one else has this type of pain that gnaws and bites all day, every day, over and over, year after year. No one else notices my pain—notices that things are harder for me than it is for them . So we isolate. We become so comfortable in our little “club” that we forget it’s more than a single person club. There is no victory when we stay isolated in our victim mentality. I live in Oklahoma where we have tornadoes. If you don’t know what a tornado is and how it works, just picture an unpredictable cyclone of terror destroying whatever or whomever it may decide to descend on. I recently learned that tornadoes only have damaging power when they’re alone. When other cyclones start to form and try to join up with another storm, each separate tornado fizzles and disappears. But the storm which remains alone becomes destructive. How parallel is that to our pain! We are a single source of cyclone pain, allowing it to terrorize and destroy our path, and if left alone we can just continue on in that destructive manner. When we break out of isolation by sharing our pain, we realize there are many others out there with their own “cyclone” of pain. As we join together, sharing and bringing to light our hurts, not only will our terror start to subside, it causes the other person’s terror to subside as well. If this doesn’t speak to your spirit, you may also consider that you are in a God-ordained season of isolation from people so that you can only turn to God. Sometimes He gently allows you to have those feelings of loneliness so that He can prepare to launch you into something greater. Do some soul searching in how or why or who you may feel isolated from. Be open to the work God may be doing in you as you have more time to spend with Him. Another way we isolate is from God. We may think our little matters aren’t enough to bring to Him. We may even blame Him for being the cause of hard things. Even if you feel God is distant, He is always right there waiting for you to be awakened and turn to Him. For reflection today ask yourself if you are building up greater feelings of pain by isolating. First, make sure you are not isolating from God. Ask Him to help calm your storm. Second, ask God if he is bringing you into a season of isolation to reveal His next plan to you. Then work on your community. If you don’t already have a good, strong source of true community around you, begin to build one. Victim mentality will tell you it’s not your responsibility to find good people for your life, but think victoriously and prayerfully. Open your life, storms and all, to invite others in.