It keeps coming. I keep working on eliminating it and it keeps coming. First, I try something that worked before. Then, I try something that’s never worked before. Finally, I try things I’ve never tried. It feels like this particular pain will defeat me. Ever been there — constantly looking for answers but coming up empty? It leaves you at the edge of simply surrendering to the pain — crawling in and giving up. How do you resist that urge?

This is where I’ve been for the last two days. In the middle of my pain, when I asked how do I resist giving up, my focus shifted to these three things.

Faith in tomorrow.

It isn’t always going to be like this. This is temporary. One day this will be so far in my past, I’ll barely remember this pain.

Faith in why I exist.

I have a bigger purpose — a destiny to fulfill. I know why I’m here and I choose to be confident my purpose will be accomplished.

Faith in something bigger.

This pain, while all consuming, is much smaller than the larger universe. There is a much bigger story unfolding. If I keep my eyes on the One in charge of the larger story, I can resist the urge to crawl into this small pocket of pain and give up.

Whether you are navigating emotional or physical pain, being vigilant about what you are focused on helps you resist the urge to simply give in and give up. To navigate pain, develop faith.