Discipleship at the Tip of the Spear: Survival Mode
“He is worthy of whatever we are going through for His sake. ”
Several requests came in this past month to help respond to extreme survival situations: A former Imam, now Christ follower, in hiding with his family; Americans sheltering in place in the Middle East as missiles and fighter jets flew overhead; locals and expats facing increased unrest in S. Sudan, and ore, so we thought we'd pass on the practical suggestions of godly practices and faithfulness "at the tip of the spear" for you to feel free to share with folks you may also know facing adversity or persecution.
1. Self-Care:
In these extreme survival situations, self-care is not a luxury but reduced to the simplest: enjoying a meal as a family with a candle (when no electricity) – a few moments of peace and having some food as a gift. Eating and sleeping should be entered into as an act of worship and stewardship of body
2. Sleep whenever possible
Under severe stress more sleep is often needed, although hard to do if there are large explosions in proximity
3. Process with friends as much as possible by naming what is happening.
Naming often releases some of the stress and increases focused attention.
4. Engage in restorative practices like worshipful music as a self calming technique (listening and/or singing)
5. Other self calming habits that are not destructive
6. Use distracting habits for short periods
Watching funny cat videos or if no internet read a fiction book aloud together. These remind us of normalcy and calm us down.
7. Avoid catastrophizing
Work at survival and do not give up until you are safe or dead.
8. Breath work
Practice box breathing (4 sec inhale, hold 4 sec, out 4 sec, hold 4 sec). Usually two rounds of this will calm the body.
9. What decreases antifragility and resilience is isolation and resignation.
Do whatever it takes to battle those - God never leaves us and there is always something under our control, even if all we can control is our heart attitude.
10. Team Endurance Strategies
In a team/community - have the team strategize how to brainstorm endurance strategies together.
11. Internal and External Routine
Routine helps us endure well, even if the routine is internal. Develop routines even in the safe rooms. Reading, Scripture memory, singing, playing a game in one's head (golf, chess, etc), exercise, etc.
12. Satisfaction and contentment
(Both mentioned in the Psalms) are possible, but it likely may require a battle. God does not always provide consolation (peace) in persecution or adversity - some have felt his deep presence, others his absence. Sometimes, his felt absence is so we can experience what it felt like for Jesus to feel abandoned on the cross. By accepting whatever the Lord gives, we enter into His heart.
13. Hope is a battle.
Focus on what God was doing on Holy Saturday when it seemed hope had died.
14. Theology of Failure
No one goes through trials perfectly, so extend a huge amount of grace to oneself. It is natural to take stress out on family, so keep short accounts and keep turning back to the Lord. (This is part of a theology of failure. It is honorable to keep turning back to the Lord – Luke 15).
15. Antifragility
It is possible to get through this and have limited or no have PTSD, but instead, PTSG (growth) and PTSJ (joy). What habits, thoughts, actions, will help become resilient (bounce back), but also grow and become stronger (antifragile)?
Once the person(s) are out of survival mode and in a safe place, then crisis debriefing or trauma resolution become possible.
