I listen to a lot of people’s heartaches and offer prayers up for them. I hear a lot of heart wrenching tragedies in people’s lives, health issues, relationship issues, and work-related concerns. I hear people worry about their loved ones, and fret about illnesses. Many people hold fear of the unknown for the future. I don’t care what anyone’s life looks like on the surface. Underneath they are still human. Beneath the smooth surface are quite often troubled waters.

A broken relationship, whether it is because of an unfaithful spouse, between a parent and child, or between friends brings cascades of emotions and hurts that can last for years. What we do and how we do it has great impact on those around us. Likewise, we feel the influence of other people’s choices on our own lives.

There are times when we are going along smoothly and feel like all is right with the world. Then out of nowhere, something unexpected totally upsets the balance of things. Sometimes life throws us curveballs.

In times of trouble, it is best to be a person who allows a little time for things to sink in and responds with a clear head rather than someone who always reacts and rails against the wind. But it isn’t easy to stay level headed or unemotional when something unpleasant comes.

I talked with someone this morning who was hit with a huge shock after recently going through a period of grief. This person thought they had come to a place of peace and resolution about that whole period of calamity and had come to a place of smooth sailing. Out of nowhere they were hit with an unexpected blow. This person is so often optimistic and tries so hard to get back up when life knocks them down. It seems like they get hit time after time with disappointment and heartache.

Sometimes I think that if we don’t learn our lesson from a bad situation or a tragedy, we are destined to have to walk through it again. So, what do we do?

I suggest that we need to look at the situation honestly. Look at ourselves realistically and see what our part was in the situation. Learn the lesson there is to learn and move forward.

There is a Bible verse, Romans 8:28, that says, “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes.” If one individual quotes this verse to a person right in the middle of their disaster, it might not be appreciated. I think it best to keep that promise in mind and pray for them until they come through the other side of the situation and can actually see that some good did come out of it. The verse doesn’t say that all things are good. It says that no matter what happens in our lives, God will bring good out of it if we will let Him.

We all have room for improvement. We all live and learn. If we are existing peacefully and calmly today, there is sure to come something in one of our tomorrows that disturbs that peace. I always try to go to God first in prayer and let Him help me work things out. Some situations are so enormous, there is no way we can sort them out on our own. But even in the little things, God’s wisdom and love working in our lives can help us cope with whatever is going on regardless of the curveballs life throws at us.

Reach longtime Enterprise columnist Judith Victoria Hensley at judith99@bellsouth.net or on Facebook. Check out her blog: One Step Beyond the Door.