In distress, not desperate

Letting ourselves be depressed over trifles is not only absurd, but it is also not pleasant for the people around us. There are people who have the ability to magnify the smallest setback, turning the most common inconvenience into a tragedy of great proportions.

For our sake it is necessary that we learn to catalog the events in our lives from a realistic perspective. There are big problems and there are minor problems. The attention we give to each other, and the effects of them on our mood and well-being, can never be the same. The people who interact with us will respect and value our emotional intelligence when they confirm that our feelings and reactions correspond to the problems in which we are involved. The opposite will happen when they discover that we are exaggerating our ills or illnesses and constantly complaining about anything.

I remember a big and strong young man who every day complained in an exaggerated way about a new pain or discomfort. He was so strong and his appearance so healthy that the other young men in the church laughed at him constantly, ignoring his laments. Perhaps he did it to attract attention because he felt a need for affection, but he was achieving precisely the opposite. One day he was offended because another young man from the church called him and tried to advise him:

"When you really feel bad, no one is going to listen to you."

We must all face life with an attitude of faith and hope that does not decline in the face of minor evils that are ultimately common to all equally. Accepting and solving small difficulties naturally and with good spirit prepares us to face the great trials that come to everyone.

The Bible says: Count it all joy when you find yourself in various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But his complete work may be patient so that you may be perfect and complete, without missing anything (James 1: 3). This does not mean that we should jump for joy when we are involved in difficulties, because that too would be a foolish reaction.

What it teaches us is that we can learn and grow in every problem we face. Trials should be used as opportunities to gain experience and spirituality. There is no greater satisfaction than knowing that with God's help we are overcoming the many inconveniences that life presents us. The God who helps us face and overcome minor evils is the same God who will give us victory when we are involved in some major difficulty or problem.

God bless you!