A Way Out

<p>When I became a mental health counselor, I had no idea what to expect. What unfolded was difficult to accept... but forever changed the way I viewed others. I learned firsthand that some people who might appear “happy” in their everyday life are actually experiencing mistreatment from those they trust most.</p><p>.</p><p>From the outside, we might never dream that others in our lives are undergoing such strife. I say this only to acknowledge that enduring a harmful situation anywhere—at home, on a sports team, or even at church—is sometimes a reality. If this reality has crept into your world, or a friend’s, please seek help! Reach out to a favorite teacher, school counselor, or another trusted adult. There IS a way out, and you don’t need to go it alone. Yes, it’s hard to bring dark things into the light—and more than one try is sometimes required—but remember: God knows the truth. “Even the darkness will not be dark to you [God]... for darkness is as light to you” (Psalm 139:12).</p><p>.</p><p>Life can be unfair, unjust, and painful. However, hope and healing and restoration are also real. So, for whoever may be suffering, do not bear this heaviness alone. Jesus always calls us to carry one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).</p><p>.</p><p>Moreover, Jesus knows unjust suffering too—thrust on Him by others’ wrongdoing (Isaiah 53). He truly understands our pain. And though our situation may remain unexplained, God, the Eternal One, “knows the way that [we] take,” and He extends His “everlasting arms” to us (Job 23:10; Deuteronomy 33:27), creating hope where once there was none, promising us His presence, and promising</p><p>that the world will one day be made right through His death and resurrection (Revelation 21:1-5). • G. Kam Congleton</p><p>.</p><p>• Read Psalm 72:14, Proverbs 11:9, and 1 Corinthians 13:4-6. God is not okay with injustice and mistreatment. If you are experiencing mistreatment—whether it be verbal, physical, sexual, or neglectful in nature—please reach out for help. In addition to telling a