Prayer is a powerful thing and as men we need to add it more to our daily routine. For me it didn’t come easy and took a lot of work but starting my day with it along with reading the bible helped cement it as a daily habit. Praying with others when they are going through a difficult time has been something I have really had to work at, but the more I offer to do it, the more I see how receptive people are to praying with me.

This is Billy Horton in a nutshell- I am a Christian who loves his wife and kids, coaches baseball, and I pray a lot, even during the game. If you’re paying attention while I am coaching third base, you may see my lips moving throughout the game. I am doing one of two things: praying to God for guidance, which I do mostly, or talking to myself about the current situation in the game and thinking about what decision I will make based on an estimated future result. 

My pastor, Travis Hearn, gave a message earlier this year and used the acronym P.U.S.H. (Pray Until Something Happens). I loved it and did a little research on the topic. I saw that many others have preached on this as well and did a little more digging. It led me to today’s blog where I give you another acronym for P.U.S.H. on top of its current acronym. DOUBLE ACRONYM! Who does that?!! This guy does. Here are four things to do when you are going through difficult times in life.

1. Persevere through trials

Easier said than done, right?! Going through trials are not easy. Let’s face it. They suck. However, this is where we develop our grit as men. We work towards a solution and find a way. Quitting is not an option. We fight! Think of the image a soldier who has gone through battle. His face is marred with blood, sweat, and dirt. Without the test there is no testimony, and its through our own testimony, as painful as it may be to remember what we had to endure, that will help others when they are going through trials of their own. No man left behind. We help those who come after us.

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle- victorious.”– Vince Lombardi, NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach

2. Understand your situation

Putting things into perspective early during tough times is key to keeping things peaceful during a storm in your life. We have all gone through difficult seasons and hopefully we learned from them. I believe that God allows us to go through these storms and trials to strengthen us for the next challenge that we will find ourselves in. We learn from the past and do our best to not repeat our mistakes. This is how we grow as men and the more we can persevere through, the more God can use us for his glory in the future. So, find a quiet space and spend time there daily. Spend time with God and pray for perspective. Be like an elite athlete and slow the game down which helps you stay under control.

“Sometimes God has to take you into a valley in order to give you a vision”- Pastor Travis Hearn, Impact Church

3. Surrender to God

Now you might be thinking, WHOA Billy, back up the truck. We just talked about soldiers not giving up on battlefields and now you’re saying to surrender?! Yes, I am, but surrender to God, not your situation. When we surrender to our situation, we will have good days and bad days like everyone else, but this ties into our emotions. When we make emotional decisions under duress, they are usually poor decisions. When we surrender our lives to God, we will still have good and bad days, but we are trusting that His plan for our life is better than ours. This gives us purpose and with faith this purpose never dies. One of the most powerful positions a man can put himself in is on his knees with his hands raised in surrender to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

4. Help someone else

I find when I am going through a trial that I get so focused on my situation that I lose sight of others who are in need. This is the best time to search for someone you can help or a cause you can serve. An example is when I was going through a very difficult time back in 2005. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I got my life right with God and began to serve others more. I started a small group for young athletes at my church in Michigan and did a service project for a camp that helped youth in need. During my pain I reached out to bless others, and the blessing came back to me a hundred-fold. 

I believe the church small group helped spark the idea for Cactus Athletics, an organization I founded in 2006 that has seen well over 10,000 young athletes and coaches attend our camps and clinics. The service project opened my heart to serve others which led to the “Hit a Homer for Hunger” Clinics where the attendees would bring clothes and non-perishable food items that we donated to the less fortunate. When you reach out to help others, you are actually helping yourself in a selfless way.

“Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.”- 1 Peter 4:10, CEV

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