1. Give your sadness time – While pain resulting from an injury (either physical or emotional) is usually the greatest at first, the process of healing begins almost immediately. It is a process, however, and cannot be rushed. Give yourself permission to hurt for a while and allow the hurt to subside. Even Jobs three “friends” sat quietly with him for seven days , saying nothing (Job 2:11-13).

2. Pray – James wrote, “Is anyone suffering, let him pray”, (5:13). Perhaps James took his cue from Jesus who in his extreme distress went to his father in prayer (Matthew 26:36-46). Talk specifically about your sadness to God. In trying to express it to him, you may figure a lot of things out for yourself. Only opening up to God can provide the peace that is beyond explaining (see Philippians 4:6-7 on that).

3. Do the next most right thing you can think of, regardless of how small and unrelated it may seem. Restore some order to offset the pain – time is still moving forward, and you must eventually move on with it. Make your bed. Do the dishes. Mow the yard, etc. God did not put Adam in the garden to relax and take it easy, but to till it and to keep it (Genesis 2:15). We cultivate happiness when we do what is good as we were designed to do.

4. Serve – do something for someone else who needs it. We are not meant to spend our lives thinking of ourselves. Encourage someone in person or over the phone. Make cookies for a neighbor. Visit a shut-in, etc. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Following his example always leads us upwards!

5. Count your blessings – there are always good things on which you can focus. This will help you see how much good there is in your life which helps to cope with that which is not so good. All in keeping with two Biblical admonitions… A) to think on things worthy of praise, Philippians 4:8, and… B) to set our minds on things above, Colossians 3:1-2.