Chaplaincy Newsletter – 25th April 2023

Lord, you will show us the path

of life.

Psalm 16:11

When the going gets tough!

Our path in life is shaped by many variable factors such as education, family
background, friends, our environment and our experiences. Everyone
experiences stresses and problems in life, so why do some people cope, and
others don’t? Research has shown that those people with a religion or firm
belief system recover quicker and have greater resilience.

How do you evaluate your life journey?

David wrote Psalm 16:1-11. He was seemingly going through a trouble patch
in his life when he wrote ‘Keep me O God, for in you I take refuge’.
Where is your refuge?
‘I bless the Lord who counsels me’, ‘You will not abandon my soul’. It is
important for us all to have people we can trust who will listen, offer us advice
and not abandon us when the going gets tough!
Who counsels or advises you?
When faced with life challenges we all need hope. We all need some belief in
what brings us meaning and purpose in our lives. This week, reflect on where
your life path is taking you. If you lack ideas, spend some time in a quiet
place, close your eyes, focus on your breath and repeat this short mantra:
‘Lord, you will show us the path of life’.
Chaplain Yvonne Myers
Last Week…

We talked about how automatic negative thinking affects our lives.

Consider talking to someone about your negative thoughts, particularly if you are
struggling to think of alternative ways of thinking. David uses the word ‘refuge’ in
Psalm 16 but sometimes our refuge can become the place we use to hide and avoid
situations that cause us stress and anxiety. The Bible is full of characters who had to
step out of their comfort zones in order to achieve what God wanted for their lives.

After Easter, two disciples were walking along the road to Emmaus and were unable
to recognise Jesus until he counselled them. This was a difficult time for the
disciples, they were in a state of grief and lacked purpose, meaning and hope. They
took refuge, laid low and remained firmly within their comfort zone. It took time, but
when they had received enough counsel, they began to trust the journey and once
they stepped outside their comfort zone their lives began to grow and move
forward…spreading the Good News.

Carl Rogers an American Humanist Psychologist wrote ‘The good life is a process,
not a state of being’.