Jesus is holding you in the midst of your Anxiety, Depression and Loneliness
“For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” -Jeremiah 29:11-12
God cares more about your life than you do. What if I told you His will for your life not only includes the big events going on in your life, but He even cares about every detail of your life like your grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. Also, many like to quote this verse but have you ever read the second part of it where he says in order to complete this promise to come to call on Him in prayer? Call on Him and pray. He will listen.
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens above- what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below- what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.” -Job 11:7-9
What can you do? “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are?” – Job 38:35 This scripture humbles us and gives us peace.
“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!” -Proverbs 30:4
When you feel anxious, remember how in control God is.
“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.” -Psalm 50:1 We will never understand what he is doing, but our peace in the mist of anxiety and depression does not come from understanding, but trusting in the one who created us, loves us and is complete control of our lives.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because he cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7 How do you cast your anxiety on Him? Through prayer. “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” -Psalm 55:22 God would not command us to do this if it were not possible with His help. I have learned to train myself over the years, but I still catch myself getting caught up in the “what ifs.” It is so easy to create an entire situation, an entire life inside your head incorporating all your fears, jealousies and anxieties. When I notice my mind is wandering, and Satan seems to be in control, I stop and tell God exactly what I am feeling and why. I then continue to ask him to take away and calm my fear, anxieties and jealousies.
“…the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria.” -Ezra 6:22 God has the power to change attitudes, including ours when we think there is no hope! “Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.” -Psalm 30:2 We can also underestimate how powerful showing someone else joy can change their attitude or give them joy. I would always wave at people I walked by in high school. There was one guy, who years later it said it made him feel like he was noticed and had a purpose.
Depression is very complex and can have multiple causes. One cause can be that it is followed by a trauma even though we can be unaware of the trauma through suppression or regression of our own anger or the trauma in our life that is not mourned or dealt with in a healthy manner. Depression can be caused because sin looks good at first, but we are always disappointed because it does not bring us fulfillment. When we get in a dark place, this is a sign we are in a situation or somewhere God does not intend us to be.
“I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me- if I have found favor in your eyes-and do not let me favor face my own ruin,” -Numbers 11:14-15
Moses was exhausted from caring for the rebellious Israelites. Guess who else feels exhausted during the week? All of us. We are so stimulated all the time it is crazy. We must respond to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, texts, emails, calls, Snap Chat, the job, family, friends or simply the people we interact with day to day. I truly do not think we were designed to be stimulated every second of every day. You need rest, and you need to give God control of your schedule, it is one way aide in prevention of anxiety and depression. Even God, the One who created you rested!
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” -Genesis 2:2-3
Moses was able to use Joshua in order to relieve some of his responsibility which helped to cure his depression.
Job was another. Job said “…Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant what I hope for, that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut off my life!” -Job 6:8-9 He was experiencing every pain and grief in life you could imagine, and none was His fault. It was when he stopped seeing a purpose and questioning God’s character and goodness, he wanted his life cut off. Elijah was another. “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life…” -1 Kings 19:3
“…prayed that he might die. “I have had enough Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God”. Elijah was anxious and fearful. “And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:4-9.
God asked Elijah not to inform himself since he knows all, but to comfort. We should do that with others who are depressed too. Being there is more than words. Take it from someone who has experienced it, has worked with patients who have had it and have loved ones who have had it. Most of the time, your presence is needed more than your words.
Jonah 1:1-4 says the Lord told Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against its wickedness. Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish on a ship when a violent storm arose threatening to destroy the ship. Jonah 1:15-17 says they threw Jonah overboard and the storm grew calm and then the men on the ship feared the Lord. A huge fish swallowed Jonah and he was in the belly for three days and nights.
“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains, I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” -Jonah 2:1-10 and Joshua 24:14
“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Ninevah and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.” -Jonah 3:1-3 “The Ninevites believed God.” – Jonah 3:5 “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened” -Jonah 3:10 and Matthew 12:41 “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” -Jonah 4:2-4 and Jonah 4:5-9
But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.” -Jonah 4:10
Jonah was literally running from God’s plan for him to preach to Nineveh out of stubbornness and anger. Jonah was upset God was so gracious to Nineveh when he felt they deserved condemnation. Sometimes depression can come from suppressed anger that is not dealt with appropriately, stemming from his lack of grace. He also knew how wicked the city was and did not want to go even though God would take care of Him. The cause of His depression was intentionally running from God’s will for His life. The beauty of this story is even though Jonah was rebellious to God’s plan, God would not let him get away that easy. Jonah was swallowed by a large fish until Jonah prayed, turning from his ways and praising God. Once Jonah saw the purpose God had for where he was sending him, he complied and was no longer depressed (even though he was still unhappy with God’s grace).
“Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So, they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So, Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.” -Matthew 27:1-5
“Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.” – Matthew 27:9-10
Judas was repenting to men and not Christ, causing his depression out of guilt and lack of forgiveness from these men. Guilt can eat us alive if we do not give it to God and live in his free grace and forgiveness. “When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he hung himself.” 2 -Samuel 17:23 Ahithophel was relying on approval of others to fulfill him instead of God. If we rely on men for our forgiveness, we may never get it leading us into depression. When we rely on Christ for our forgiveness, His blood washes us every time.
“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you.” -Isaiah 41:9 If you ever think for a second God does not see you or will not use you, he sees from the farthest corners of the earth.
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” -Psalm 139:1-16
“The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you.” -2 Chronicles 6:18 God knew every single detail about you before you were born, before the beginning of time and before we even understood what time is. Everything from how you look, your personality and when in time you were to be placed, who you are to meet, who your parents are, who is to be in your life, all of it because He loves you. You are a babe! As Kathy Burros puts it a “B” for beautiful, “A” for accepted, “B” for blessed and “E” for eternally significant. Ask anyone who has had a miscarriage, life is a true miracle, and this is not a cliché. The fact that you were a successful birth shoulder be enough proof God hand-picked you to be in this world in his perfect timing.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” -James 1:2-4
“So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold- and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So, if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” -1 Peter 1:6-9
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” -Hebrews 11:1 Your faith means more to God than gold. Your faith is the purpose of your life. For so long I have held so tightly to thinking “as long as I have faith, my struggles and troubles will be minimal”. I have been so angry at the pain of the trials, at some points refusing to mature in my faith and not wanting the refining. What I have learned, is I can truly rejoice in my struggle that life will always be until we get to heaven, knowing that God has a purpose for everything we face. Even though I cannot see Him, and not always see how He is working, I am genuinely filled with the inexpressible joy the truth talks about, coming from my love for Him, which cannot change no matter what happens in this life.
“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” -Romans 5:3-6
You may have a diagnosis of depression or anxiety that you cannot shake out of. You are just as much an incredible follower of Christ if you have a personal relationship with Him, then someone who does not have these diagnoses. Instead of being glorified without suffering, Jesus says we are to glory in our sufferings, and many of us know the suffering that can come from being diagnosed with anxiety and depression. We live in a broken, tough world and unfortunately, just like experiencing diabetes, cancer or a fracture as a believer, having Christ does not make us immune to the psychological diagnoses as well, but He is right there next to us as our Savior through it, whether it is help from the church, others who love us in our lives, counseling or medication to help with chemical imbalances of the brain. He can use this to still glorify Him if we let Him.
Would you believe God wants us to rejoice when we have difficulties? Not for the difficulties as that are caused by sin, but within the difficulty. Sounds crazy, I know. It is so easy to feel anxious when we are challenged, but God is telling us our challenges are going to help us grow. When my great grandpa Joe found out he has cancer, he said “isn’t it a joy?” “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure; they will have no fear.” -Psalms 7-8 and Zechariah 10:12 There is security in Christ. We cannot let fear stop us. Our mission here is too important. When I get bad news, I usually cry, or get angry. It’s good to be honest with yourself and God, to just let it out. Then I realize, the clock is ticking. Life is short. Yes, it is ok to be upset but we have too much to accomplish, you have too much of a purpose here to stay down. When I am down, the best way to distract myself is help others.
I have made it a habit to go to the Lord in prayer immediately whenever I receive bad news. No news is ever a surprise to God. He knows, and even better He cares! He hurts with you and is there to help. The good news is this…
“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” -Romans 8:27-28
Even though our thoughts of good may not be aligned with His in the moment, we will be glad in the end He had His way. My Dad was an incredible commodities trader on the Board of Trade growing up and was blessed tremendously by his work and labor. About 30 years in, God had other plans bringing him back to my parents’ hometown with a change career. Like anyone, he and us as a family were devastated. Shortly after, we found out my grandma had cancer, and shortly after my great grandpa passed, and then my grandpa. As hard as this was for us, God’s fingerprints and perfect timing was over the entire situation concerning how my Dad could help them out with the career change and spend time with my grandpa before he passed. A tragic event, that still brought our family a lot of pain, was the closure needed due to God’s direction.
God is doing more right now than you realize, than I realize. I would rather be in the will of God, than have no troubles. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus and love Him, He will work this out for your good. When we are steadfast in God, we stand firm in Him regardless of our circumstances.
“Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.” -Psalm 112:6-8
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” -1 Peter 5:10 Your suffering will not last. This is a promise.
“for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” -Philippians 2:13 God works in you in order to prepare and equip you to complete his purpose for your life, a part of His story.
“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him. these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” -1 Corinthians 2:9-10
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” -Revelation 3:7.
I am a firm believer God has a sovereign will, even though we have free will. The only way every single one of His prophesies and promises can come to life through the Bible is the fact that God is in control, even though He does not desire us to sin, and we still do. We have free will, but it is limited. God has the best for you.
“When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” -Acts 4:24-31
What will never cease to amaze me is the fact that God decided before hand, before creating the world, is His will and plan. He knew exactly how Jesus was going to die, even though Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Pharisees, Chief Priests and entire Sanhedrin thought killing Christ was their act, nothing was out of God’s control. God used the evil in their hearts that He foreknew and used it for His glory and good. We can use this information to scare us, or to encourage us to be bold knowing God already has our back. He already knows your next move, mistake, success, and effort before we do. He can, and will work it out for His glory, which when you see the truth will desire as well.
“Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things.” -Proverbs 13:21 and Proverbs 14:14 We do not always know what God is up to, but we can know it is something good. This is a promise from our God saying He can turn any situation for good, even when we cannot see a way. I am fully convinced that God has designed life in a way that even though He desires us not to sin and turn from us, out of His love for us before He created life, He knew every single mistake or wrong turn we were going to take and is so powerful that He can make our worst mistakes and decisions for good, easily. It is not difficult for God, as it is for us when we attempt to be anxious and worry about every angle, direction or circumstance in our lives. God has already accounted for every wrong turn we could make. When we love God, we are a part of His family, and let me tell you, our God takes care of His children. “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” -Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, Mark 1:11, Mark 9:7, Luke 3:22, Luke 9:35, 2 Peter 1:16-18 Your choices are also not stronger than God’s purposes, and He will use every choice you make for the ultimate good when you love Him. God sees your heart about all else and rewards those who work diligently. “I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” -Isaiah 60:22
When we worry, we are telling God we do not believe all of His promises in the Bible. We are telling God we don’t trust Him. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” -James 1:12 “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” -Hebrews 10:36 How relieving is it to trust in a God who turns our mistakes into a perfect plan because He himself makes no mistakes. “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.” -1 Kings 8:56 In 1948, Israel was formed again and yet, we are still here! This had to happen before His return. However, the Jews were still scattered as predicted and Jerusalem is the number one issue for the world today. Other religions do not have prophesies, but the Bible does.
“Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel.” -Daniel 1:9
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.” -Ezra 1:1-3
“So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel…” -Haggai 1:14 Take comfort in this. God uses the hearts of those who do not believe in Him, for His ultimate purpose and if you are a child of God, this includes you! Here we see examples of kings and others who God caused or moved their heart and actions in order to help his people. This is how powerful our God is. He uses those who do not even believe in Him!
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” -Psalm 4:8, Proverbs 18:10 and Psalm 27:5. “…he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants.” -Psalm 85:8 God wants you to sleep well. You know why? Peace comes from knowing you are not in control, and that it is a good thing! He has everything under control. No matter what, we all always have uncertainty to some degree in our lives. Whether it is in our own lives, or uncertainties for someone we love. However, if you know the end, you know God has your best interest in mind. This right here is what helps me sleep at night. It is ok to be upset and cope, but I want you to always remember the end of your story. For it is the best ending.
“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Ready to let out a big sigh of relief? Every trouble you are facing right now, no matter how big or small, is momentary. Momentary. Do you understand what momentary means? For a moment! In the scheme of life, this is short, eternity is long. It does not make the pain we feel any less but makes the hope and joy we can feel in the pain that much more! What is seen, what you feel today is temporary. What is unseen is eternal.
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” -1 John 2:15-17
This life, the world and our bodies are temporary, and we were made for more. “…death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.” – Ecclesiastes 7:2 This is why God commands us to fix on our eyes on eternity. Eternity includes other people as well, which is why we are to love them as Christ loves them, but not conform to the sinful ways of the world.
“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” -Hebrews 2:1
“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” -Colossians 3:1-4
“Pay attention.” “Set your heart.” Following God is active participation. God’s power is what allows us to actively participate, but out of His love for you, He still choses to not force you to do these things.
Do you feel like your best years are behind you? Do you have regrets about certain times or your life and how you have spent it? Maybe regrets about your entire life? Heaven and eternity will be the best, so you can take a big breath and have peace knowing no matter how great life gets, you will have our best moments yet to come! “Say to him, “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart.” – Isaiah 7:4. Do not lose heart! Or in other words, do not lose passion! Life will continue to knock us down while we are here. “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” -2 Corinthians 4:1
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” -2 Timothy 4:6-8
“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” -Psalm 1:6 We can have peace knowing God watches over us.
“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet- when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land.” -Psalm 76:8-9
Not only does He watch over us, but He blesses the righteous surrounding them with His favor.
“Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.” -Proverbs 3:23-26
We never have to be anxious or afraid because regardless of what we go through, God keeps His promise of protection.
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds in the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they.” -Matthew 6:25-26 and Luke 12:22-24
If God takes care of His birds, He says people are of more value than animals. He promises He will take care of you.
“…you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” -Matthew 6:30-33, Matthew 6:28-29 and Luke 12:27-31
With God’s provision, general comes God’s instruction. He says to not be like the pagans, or those who do not have a personal relationship with God and fret your life over running after these things. He says to seek first His kingdom, then, all these things will be provided for you regardless of your circumstance.
“How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant answered. But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For the Lord says: “They will eat and have some left over. “Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.” -2 Kings 4:43-44
God knows what you need before you ask Him. If He is taking care of nature, how much more will be taken care of for you, created in His own image who He loves and adores? God not only provides, but He has a trend of doing abundantly more than we can think or ask for.
If Jesus himself tells us not to worry, then we know we have the power not to do so! It is extremely (let me emphasize extremely) difficult not to do, but God would not give us a command if we did not have the power to do so with Him. This comes with controlling our minds. This takes practice. Just like we exercise our bodies, our minds need the same practice. We need to choose whether to keep our thoughts on Jesus, or our worries. I have verbally said to myself “stop” when worries or irrational thoughts creep into my mind and prayed. “Lord, capture my thoughts.” “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” -Isaiah 26:3 As an athlete I know my reaction time has improved since I have been little due to practices over the years. It is the same with the word of God with obeying and controlling our minds, and how we respond when God calls us to do something we do not want. The more we practice and obey, the quicker our reaction time.
As an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist, I have been taught when we have traumatic flash backs, we get anxiety and avoid the situation. Research shows it is best to approach head on. Jesus wants to replace your worries and anxiousness with confidence and faith in Him. He wants to take away your depression with hope. When I worry the most, it is usually when I am most focused on myself. What am I going to do? Am I going to get everything done I need to? Am I good enough? Athletic enough? Pretty enough? You know where this is going and you will not like it, but it is best for you. You will have the most peace when your focus is on God and others. Change your thought process to, “what is God doing in my life?” Telling yourself, “I am good enough because God says I am.” Instead of asking God how this will work out, tell Him how excited you are to see how He makes this all work out! Confidence is key. When we are confident in God, it leads us to humility, not pride. God lifts those who are bowed down to Him.
“The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” – Psalm 146:7-9
After all these years of Satan thinking he has a rule over the earth, still there is a man fasting in the wilderness and to think at this point, there is never one human being who has not sinned. Jesus gave us the perfect example.
“The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” -Matthew 4:3-11 and Luke 4:2- 13
Combat Satan’s sinister lies with the truth of scripture just as Jesus did, and he will flee! Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” -Hebrews 2:18 Jesus left this throne and experienced the same temptations we do, so we can never say He doesn’t understand.
“Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7 Paul wrote this as he was waiting to know if he was going to get executed in prison. The world does not have this peace because it doesn’t know it. You can’t find it from someone else’s advice or the world. If you don’t pray, the problem lingers. You can have perfect peace when your mind is fixed on him. I know this, I am not perfect at it, but have experienced this peace in difficult circumstances. You have a choice every time you face hard ship to complain or pray. We all experience more pain and anxiousness than needed when we do not carry everything to God in prayer. It does not matter your age; we fall into Satan’s trap of worry. My parents have told me since I was little that the only way they can calm their worries about us is praying for us to stay in the hands of God, for we are His not theirs. Worry is trying to take God’s duty and control away, when it was never ours to begin with. God is directly linking anxiousness and prayer. The more you pray, the less anxious you will be. He is promising prayer is the answer. Be careful or your heart will be carried down with drunkenness and anxiousness coming on your like a trap. To avoid this, He says to be on watch and pray to escape and stand before Him. -Luke 21:34-36. Anxiety is a trap. It says to be and watch and pray. It seems God continues to tell us the antidote to worry is prayer.
The second a worry creeps into my mind, I pray and tell God about it. I tell Him first; I am not strong enough to handle what is happening on my own. I then tell him I do not want to worry. I begin to feel His peace, even when the problems are still happening, as this does not mean they go away. I know it is possible because I have experienced it. I also know it is possible because God tells us not to worry, and God would never force anything on us he has said we have the ability to give to Him. It is a choice, just like prayer which I need to get better at the rest of my life! Just like practicing for a sport in order to get better, I constantly am practicing my prayer life and guarding my mind. This does not mean pray and do not do anything. It means giving the situation to God and pray on how to proceed forward and this is taking action. Sometimes God will lead you to act, and other times He will lead you to be still. Both are still an action. Also, if we wait until you feel like praying, you will never pray.
Use the community God gives you. For me, that is my family, friends, and loved ones who have been there and continue to be there for me through my worries and struggles. God gave your support system of people to you to help you, because He knows we cannot do it alone. Isolation causes depression. Build your community. You may be thinking, “Lexi, I have tried everything. Nothing is working.” I want to remind you that worrying and self doubt are habits. I am terrible at too, but habits take a while to break. Grant yourself grace? Jesus shows it to us every second of every day! Busy, stress, worry and even joy is all a choice we choose every day no matter what we are going through. Being busy and not having time for God will create anxiousness, in my experience. We tend to try to squeeze God in, but this should remind you of when they gave blemished sacrifices in the Old Testament. Did God accept the blemished sacrifices? No. He wants your best, and best does not mean perfection, but your full attention no matter your scars. He wants your attention because he loves you!
We need to choose to love the way we look. Read that again. It is a choice. There is not one of us that is not happy with some part of how we look, and I believe this is because the enemy wants to criticize God’s awesome, wonderful, and beautiful creations. I have the most beautiful family, friends, therapists, trainers, coaches, patients and even strangers who sometimes criticize the way they look. It breaks my heart when I see someone for how they really look, and they see a lie. I realize in my mind sometimes I think just how beautiful or handsome they are, or how perfect their weight is. I wish they could see the same. I realize then that I am doing the same thing they are doing to myself! It does not matter about your weight or how you look, you will never be happy with how you look until you chose to be. I have met the healthiest people who think they are overweight or bloated. I am all for health, exercise, sports, and nutrition in order to take care of yourself but be happy today. If not today, even when you are healthier you can always do better. Continue to strive but be content in the present. Do not give up!
Nothing is harder than facing depression and anxiety. Guys, I have been through it to the point of serious panic attacks where I ended up in the ER telling them something was wrong with me when they said everything looked normal. For me, it was situational. I’m telling you all of this because I have been there with you, and I am not someone talking about this without experience. I am not saying this to undermine it, but more to emphasize the power of Jesus to give you hope! This could be with the help of medications, counseling and seeing a therapist. I was on medication for a temporary period. If you are trusting Jesus through the entire process, He will not leave you.
“to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us., to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” -Ephesians 3:18-2
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” -Jude 1:24. This verse is proof no matter what you are struggling with anxiety, depression, PTDS, bipolar, God can do more than you can imagine.
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” -1 John 4:4 No matter what your struggle is physically, psychologically, socially, financially, emotionally or spiritually, it is overcome through God. Greater is the one who is in you than he who is in the world. Not that having him in you changes all your circumstances and removes you from the hardships, but I can say with confidence no matter what you face in this world He is enough, and you have already overcome, because He lives in you.
“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gal. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:19-23
When you are dwelling on the past, your hardships and the pain, your soul will be downcast. I can promise you. Yet, Jeremiah says he calls to mind hope. Understand this mentality did not just come. He had to call it to mind. He remembered the Lord’s great love, compassions and faithfulness. Jeremiah went through extreme persecution, not facing anything you could excuse for him not feeling downcast within his soul. He was alone.
“I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” -Malachi 3:17-18
There is an obvious distinction between those who suffer with anxiety, depression, and mental health who have the Lord and those who do not. Following the Lord does not mean we will not suffer through these; however, we will suffer with hope, which means we can suffer well. What does it mean to suffer well?
There are times I have been angry with God, thinking He was putting me through hurtful or tough circumstances just to test me. I always would come back to the realization God is on our side and hurts with you because you are His child.
Jeremiah is saying to focus on God’s faithfulness to cure your downcast soul which is so easy to come on us in such a broken world. “For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.” -Lamentations 3:33 I need this verse. God does not willingly bring grief, but he is so powerful he uses our grief and afflictions. “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” -Jeremiah 32:27
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30
The yoke was a wooden piece that was placed on the back of animals to carry or pull whatever was needed. Jesus says to come to Him when we are weary and burdened from our sin and the tiredness of life. He says to learn from Him, following His heart of humility, ultimately finding rest for our souls. People in darkness have seen a great light, increasing their joy. He shattered the burden of their yoke, the bar across their shoulders, the oppressor (Isaiah 9:2-5). Jesus wants to share your burdens and take away your stress.
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.” -Psalm 68:19-20 and in Psalm 81:6-7 Daily bears our burdens. Our God saves us from death, He saves us daily from our burdens. How does He bear them? He shares them with us, He brings others into our lives to bear them, and He has the power to either change our situation or use our situation. Whatever he chooses, is best. When struggling with anxiousness, lay it on him first thing in the morning and last thing at the end of the day. We try to bear our burdens when we were never meant to.
“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” -Isaiah 40:31 God renews our strength when it feels like it is gone or running low. God renews our strength when we can’t go on emotionally or physically just exhausted, too beat down by others, this life or when the enemy attacks. We will soar. We will run and not grow weary and walk without feeling faint. We are human and will get tired, but when you have the Holy Spirit inside of you as your motivation and passion, it springs in you a new energy to soar you would never gain from someone else, a certain situation or from a self-help book without scripture.
“Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” -Isaiah 49:23 God will never let you down. He will never disappoint you. Unfortunately, no matter how close you are with someone, at some point and at some time you will be disappointed. When you have Jesus, it is nice to know you are relying on a foundation that can’t disappoint.
“My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.” -Jeremiah 50:6 We try to find rest in every other area of our life. People try to find rest in meditation, yoga, self-care, relationships, family and there is nothing wrong with these, however they are not our resting place. Jesus is. We are lead astray in life as others love to promise we will have rest in the ways of this world, and they always leave us more exhausted.
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” -Mark 6:31 Jesus is waiting for us to rest in him. We go to Facebook, Instagram, our phones, others for contentment and will not find the rest our souls need. These areas of our life are not “evil”, but they need to come second to Christ who is the peace provider in our lives. There is something powerful about going somewhere quiet to be with God, whether that is a room, outside or out on a dock.
“Be still and know that I am God.” in NIV but I also love the New American Standard Bible says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10 In other words let go and let God. Part of being still is trusting in God’s will and plan. He has our best outcome in mind. He will make a purpose for every circumstance in our lives. Anxiety wastes time. We all can give a huge list of why we should be anxious, but do you trust your heavenly Father? “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalm 46:10 He wants us to be still so we can acknowledge he is in control. He wants us to be still, because only then can we come to Him with everything going on and confront our sin and the hardships we face to find healing. If we simply live our busy lives, you may think time “heals,” but God heals. We all have had hurts so deep, even if you just ignore it and time passes, it is still there. We need to give it to God, and in order to do that we need to give Him time and modify our busy schedules for that personal time with Him.
“The Lord works out everything to its proper end- even the wicked for a day of disaster.” -Proverbs 16:4 If we worry, we are telling God we do not trust Him. We are telling him he does not want to take care of us or cannot take care of us. We know this is not true! Many people do not understand how to find God’s will. Sometimes we just must trust and obey. You went to work today, maybe worked out, ate healthy, and did things that you were not contemplating if it is God’s will. I am not saying these things are not God’s will, however sometimes we do not want to do something, and we use the excuse that we do not hear God’s verbal voice telling us to go.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will set your path straight.” -Proverbs 3:5-6 The Bible says not to lean on your own understanding because there is so much we cannot understand from our perspective. God sees the start of creation to the end; He sees things about yourself you can’t even see and He sees the bigger purpose. This doesn’t mean we go through life without guidance but taking His hand to guide us when we can’t see the next step.
“He who has compassion on them will guide them.” -Isaiah 49:10 You can trust God’s hand in guiding you while you can’t see because He has compassion on you and will only guide you where He wants you. If you are blind, of course you would only follow someone you trust. This means building a relationship with Jesus, knowing His character and His heart for you to trust as He guides. I used to feel so strongly that I didn’t trust God, because I pictured Him more as a Father constantly taking me to the next trial and heart ache to test my faith, instead of trusting He is good and wants what is good for me, and for those affected by my decisions. I love to be challenged. Love it. Probably comes with me being an athlete, but I always wanted to know how I could be better. It was the same with my job as an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist. I want to know what I can do to get better to better help my patients. God has the perfect way of guiding us to challenge us to reach our potential, not to hurt us. Also, within this guidance, He takes us on roads to grow in relationship with Him.
Through my heartache, the hardest thing I would have to face is imagining the person I love with someone else. I would immediately get so mad at God, questioning why He would lead me to an area or decision that would cause me such pain. Then I would think God did not want me to feel that pain as much as I didn’t, and immediately feel at peace with Him in a way I can’t describe.
“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” -Isaiah 42:16
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” -Psalm 32:8, Psalm 73:24 and Psalm 143:8-10 God promises to instruct us the way we should go, and counsel us with His loving eye on us. How comforting! How does He instruct? Many cannot confidently say they have audibly heard God’s voice tell them which direction to take. I have been as desperate as to put a blank note pad next to my bed with a pen, asking God to write an answer for me to wake up to in the morning. I have learned the Holy Spirit guides us, as the Holy Spirit is how Jesus lives in us and counsels us. But maybe still you are wondering, how? “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently that too God will make clear to you.” -Philippians 3:15
“But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. The deep says, “It is not in me”; the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighted out in silver.” -Job 28:12-15 and Job 28:20
What is the definition of wisdom? The very nature in person of Jesus. “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” -1 Corinthians 1:30. “I am the Lord, your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river.” -Isaiah 48:17-18 First, if you are stuck in sin and not listening to His commands, it will be hard to hear His guidance I have come to find. There are not many times people are in the middle of committing a sin and in that moment thinking they really feel a good direction from God. First, I would say we need to make sure our own desires are not clouding our thoughts. Then, if it contradicts His word, we know it is not His will. We should rejoice in His law as one rejoices in riches, meditate on them and delight in them. They are our counselor. Our soul longs for his law. -Psalm 119:14-16, Psalm 119:20, Psalm 119:54, Psalm 119:24 and Psalm 119:35-37. Last, if you pray and are seeking His way, He will either send people in your life who you trust as believers to guide you or give you a feeling of peace when you are seeking His ways. “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.” -Psalm 16:7 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” -1 Corinthians 14:33 God is not a God of confusion but of peace. Satan will usually try to rush you to decide, where God will have you consult Him and pray on it.
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us.” -Psalm 40:3-5
God will tell you where to go, if you look to Him and not a “false god” in your life. Where we run into the most trouble is when we seek counsel from others not seeking it from God. God is your creator; He knows you best. Always go to Him first. If I am a volleyball player, I would not go to a football player for direction on how to perform a top spin jump serve. If I am a softball player, I would not go to a soccer player on how to hit a rise ball. If God knows the human heart and soul better than anyone, He needs to be addressed first. Then it is possible He can speak through others in your life as well to guide you.
God advises us to seek counsel. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” -Proverbs 15:22 It is wise to have those in your life to provide you with counsel. “I run in the path of your commands for you have broadened my understanding.” -Psalm 119:32, Psalm 119:74-77, Psalm 119:52, Psalm 119:137-138 and Psalm 119:86 and 119:14 When I first started working for my surgeons, I wasn’t always able to read their handwriting, then the ore time I spent with them and reading their orders, I could see. Or with my patients who have a cognitive handicap or stroke, it was hard to understand them at first, but the more time I spent with them, I understood them just as if I was talking ot anyone else. “… and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” -2 Timothy 3:15 Your counselors should lead you to the word. When we get in the word, your situations become clearer, and even though the pain of this life stays you begin to understand why the world is the way it is, and what the redemption plan is moving forward.
“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” -Psalm 119:97-105, Psalm 119:120, Psalm 119:167-168 and Luke 24:32
It will not seem like a chore if you fall in love with God’s law, and the more you meditate on His law the more you fall in love with Jesus. When you love someone, you love what they have to say! When you trust someone, you follow them, knowing they genuinely love and care about you. Until you fall in love with Jesus, you will not see His laws as “good.” Only burdensome, and frankly annoying. They won’t make sense until you realize these laws are for you, as God created you and knows what is best for you. Then the more you obey the laws, the more you begin to understand. Sweeter than honey! The word of God is our light to keep us from stumbling.
“The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes” Psalms 19:8. God’s commands brings light in your energy and life. “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” -Psalm 119:130 It is one thing to have wisdom and know the Bible, but it is one thing to gain understanding of what it is saying. It is the same as sports. It is one thing to know about the game of volleyball, but it is another to understand the routes ran between a setter and hitter. You can know basketball, but it is another to know who is setting the screen and who is scoring. You can know football, but it is another to know how the offense words in order to play defense. You can know softball, but it is another to know how to hit a rise ball. Many are intimidated by the Bible simply because they think it is confusing, and yes it can be. However, the more time you spend in it, the more it makes sense, and there is a lot in it that is straight forward. God will not leave you abandoned. If your heart is desiring to know His Word better, He will provide those in your life to grow you. Also, looking at different translations can help too.
“Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” -Psalm 119:165 You want peace? You want to be kept from stumbling? Get in the Word. Every day. Love the law and Word of the Lord. They will guide you; He will guide you. It is the ultimate “how to” instruction book for your life. The best treatment for depression, feeling worthless and anxiousness is to meditate on God’s word every day. Every day?! Yes. Why? Take it from someone who has been attempting to get into the word since I have been little. It is scary how quickly I either forget what it says or forget to keep it to heart in this fallen world. “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” -Psalm 119:160 and Psalm 119:89-93 Every single word is true and lasts for eternity. The only things that will last for eternity is the souls of people, God and the celestial beings and his word. Choose wisely.
Did you know your words can bring someone life? You have the power to take away someone else’s anxiety? God says so! With suicide on the rise, it shows this world desperately needs purpose. Suicide happens when the guilt and sin of this world is more than we can take. This world needs Jesus. In my profession as an Occupational Therapist, I have learned suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for adults, and the fifth leading cause for kids. I also see in our clinic stress affects our scapular, GI system, etc. but must get to the root of the problem. Medication will help, but not cure. We all have stress; it’s how you cope. I see in therapy all the time. You need to understand the Old Testament to know the why behind the new. In my job as an Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist, must know the why in order to treat.
I know I have always taken what others say to heart and taken them as truth when they were not. God protects us from words of others that may not speak truth or be unloving. “You will be protected from the lash of the tongue and need not fear when destruction comes.” -Job 5:21 Listen, heaven will be the best, but God has you here on earth, right now for a purpose. Anything making you think otherwise or wanting to end this journey sooner is from the enemy, do not listen to him. He is using your suffering and depression. He wants to destroy you.
The enemy has people convinced their lives are not worth living. He loves to tell people they are not good enough. Nothing could be further from the truth because what God says is truth. We need to use words of encouragement; it could save a life! Satan loves when we procrastinate, feels discouraged and wants us to think our attitude, motivation and deeds mean nothing. God promises we will reap a harvest if we have endurance, energy and do not give up!
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” -Galatians 6:9-10 and 1 Peter 4:19
Occupational therapy started because people who had different injuries and disease were idle, and they wanted to put them in psych wards and institutions. Once they began occupations, they were able to have purpose. Satan wants you idle. Even if you do not benefit immediately, move forward at the proper time. It could be spiritually or physically, but don’t stay idle.
“The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.” -1 Timothy 5:24-25
We can become idle when we make anything the focus of our life rather than God. This can be family, friends, sports, our pets, hobbies, and our job. Is there anything wrong with these? Absolutely not. Only if they become our idol. If we are not constantly renewing our minds and working toward getting closer to Jesus, naturally this broken world is going to pull us back away from Him. Many people do not mean to slip away from their faith, but if we are not consistently putting in the effort it is easy for our minds to drift. This is not a “works” mentality, in the sense that you can lose your salvation. We are saved by grace alone, through faith for what Jesus did for us at the cross. I fully believe if you abide in Christ, you are fully in him, however God does command the renewal of our minds consistently.
“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” -2 Timothy 1:9-10
He calls us to do our best to lead a holy life out of love, but the pressure is off because even when, not if we mess up, his grace already covers us.
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” -James 2:14-17
Your works do not save you, but James is making a point that when your faith is genuine, your works will come to be out of the love you have for Christ. “You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” -James 2:20-24
This is proof it has always been by faith that we are saved and made righteous. This clears up the question people have about how people in the Old Testament got to heaven. Still by faith in God and his Son to come. “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” -James 2:26 Our faith and actions work together; the works do not accomplish the faith, but the works are produced from our faith.
“Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these? For it is not wise to ask such questions.” -Ecclesiastes 7:10 If God is at your side, each stage of your life will be better than you ever imagined. “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” -Isaiah 46:4 God will not change, even though you will as you age. I am not going to pretend I know what it is like to age being in my 20’s. I see patients much older than I every single day telling me not to get old. I see the pain they are in and loss they have experienced, and it breaks my heart. However, I know I will be able to find comfort knowing God will sustain us.
“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” -Proverbs 17:6 Age. Does just the word make you worried like it does to me? Every day is a gift from God. “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” -Psalm 118:24 This means every day from when you are born, until the day you die. God has a purpose for it, and surrounding that purpose means the exact age you are that day. “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.” -Proverbs 16:31
“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” -Psalm 92:12-15
You will produce fruit your entire life if God is your rock through it all. If you are young, submit to your elders and clothe yourself with humility because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. He will then lift you up with his mighty hand, in his time. -1 Peter 5:5-6 We are to submit and respect our elders, as God has designed an order and desires us to gain from their wisdom. As an elder, you can rejoice in the fact that God has put you in responsibility to guide the next generations. You can either see getting older as a pain, be fearful of it or dread it, or you can ask and see why God designed the order of life He did, and his current purpose for you now no matter your age. You feel you realized this too late? It is never too late with God. He will use your age and wisdom today.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:3 I struggled with this verse for a long time wondering what exactly God meant. I have always been so hard on myself thinking I am not spending enough time with God, in His Word, serving His people, using my talents and not taking care of myself with nutrition and exercise like I should. This is when I realized what this verse means. God is saying blessed are those who realize they will never be enough! Crazy backward thinking, but I find peace knowing I will never truly be or do enough, but those who realize that are exactly who God is looking for. God is saying He will bless you when you humble yourself to realize this.
“Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.” -Psalm 32:10 You trust God? His unfailing love surrounds you. You have days you do not feel as trusting but have Jesus as your Lord and Savior? His unfailing love continues to surround you, because even though our love fails His does not.
“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it- the Lord is his name: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” -Jeremiah 33:2-3.
Pray. God will give you answers. Prayer is the catch. God specifically is saying to call on Him, and then he will answer you and tell you unsearchable things you do not know. We are not meant to know what to do in this life. Feel like life is a constant change and you do not know what to do? Join the club! Everyone will not admit it, but every single individual has this struggle. The good news is, we were designed for relationship with God and when we do, we are free to call on Him anytime for His guidance that will never disappoint!
“How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” -Psalm 13:2 Does this sound familiar? Every day is a spiritual battlefield, and the decisions we make and what we do with our lives start in the heart and mind. “Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?” -Jeremiah 20:18 You think everyone in the Bible had it so well and did not have the same struggles we do? Think again.
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” -Psalm 13:5-6 The cure to the fight. The cure to our heart ache is simply to look at Him. When you look to yourself for control of your mind, control of your sin or control of your peace, you will end up empty, anxious and depressed. When you simply just look to Him and become consumed with Him: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothes me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” -Psalm 30:11-12 “When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” -Psalm 94:18-19 Consolation means his comfort brings us joy to remove our anxiousness.
“In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” -Psalm 95:4-6
When I get to my lowest and do not understand what the point of life is, what the point of the pain is, I come back to realizing to whom I belong. Who am I to question the One who made the earth, everything belongs to Him? “Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the Lord our God.” -Psalm 105:5-7 The only way to fight feeling depressed or when you are just at your absolute lowest, is to remember His wonders, miracles, justice and the promises He has fulfilled for those who love Him since Abraham thousands of years ago. “The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. Return to rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.” -Psalm 116:6-7 Remembering what the Lord has done in our past on how He has been good to you will bring rest to your soul.
We try to hide our plans from the Lord, but we can’t. We try to hide our short comings, but admitting our short comings to God, who already knows what we did, will create more intimacy with Him. Who are we, the pots, to say to the potter “You did not make me? You know nothing? (Isaiah 29:15-16).
“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands?’ Woe to the one who says to a father, ‘What have you begotten?’ or to a mother, ‘What have you brought to birth?’ ‘This is that the Lord says- the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands? It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.” -Isaiah 45:9-12
Who are we to say to our Maker why did you make me this way? I am frustrated some days I am not a professional athlete. I love my job as a therapist, but always have wants to be an athlete. I like to think if only I was taller, stockier, just an overall better athlete. Then I am fully humbled in His truth, thinking who am I to question how I was made? The one who made the heavens? If this brings you discomfort or anxiousness, you do not have intimacy with God which can easily be changed if you draw near to Him. The thought of my creator being in control of what He has made brings me such peace, but it only will if you have a relationship with Him and trust Him.
“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” -Isaiah 64:8
“One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?” -Romans 9:19-20
We talk back because we think we know better, but who we are is all we know. When we realize we are mere human beings, and He is the ultimate creator, it humbles us even when we will never fully understand until we are in heaven. The beauty is once you accept you will never understand, but the One who does holds you in the palm of His hand, you can let go and find peace within the not knowing, just from knowing His love for you.
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” -Romans 11:33-36 We underestimate God. I have questioned God so many times in my life, and who am I to question the authority of the universe? Grandpa Joe in the hospital saying this. Read these verses. He is Lord overall, including our life. This should bring us peace during the turmoil.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” -Isaiah 43:18-19 Do not dwell on the past. If you are tempted to do so, it is the enemy tempting you to. Notice is it saying dwell. You can look back to better yourself, but do not stay there. God says to look to Him! He is doing something new! Only he can make a way in your wilderness. I hope are realizing my book is not here to justify our short comings or purposeful sin against our creator, but it is to show you His power, grace and love triumphs over them bringing redemption in our lives in areas they seem impossible.
When we live according to our own desires, that is where our mind is set leading to death but when we live according to God’s desires, that is where our mind is set leading to life and peace. The mind in control of our own desires is hostile to God and his law making it impossible to please him since then we do not belong to him. When we having the same spirit living inside that raised Jesus from the dead! Even though our body is will subject to death because of sin, his Spirit will give us life and righteousness to our mortal bodies (Romans 8:5-11 and Romans 8:13). I want to point out God is not hostile toward us, but we are hostile toward Him when we are focused on the flesh, meaning our sinful desires apart from Him. When we focus on what God desires it leads to life and peace.
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” -Hebrews 4:15-16.
There have been times I have shouted to God that He does not understand what I am going through. I was wrong. Jesus came to be fully human and fully God, to empathize with us. He knows what you need, and He cares. Come to him with confidence! How amazing is it that we can come completely confident before a holy and righteous God because of what Jesus has done for us!
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” -Hebrews 10:19-22
If we can have complete confidence before God, the Creator of every single individual we will ever come across, we can have confidence in front of anyone, for anything, our entire lives.
Many people feel they cannot control a sin because it runs in their family. This is common for alcoholism, anxiety, etc. I am not saying this is not true, but we need to realize sin runs in every family because we are all human beings. We all struggle with different sins, and some may be more physically apparent than others. The beauty in all of this is Jesus has given us a way to overcome sin, even if sometimes that means fleeing any type of situation with which that particular sin may be involved. The old is gone and the new is here when we have Him. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is gone, the new is here.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” -Galatians 5:24-25
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” -Titus 2:11-14
Even though we will always sin while we are in this broken world, when we have Christ in our lives, we should reflect less of it! His grace and forgiveness are so good it’s hard for us to fathom.
“Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” -2 Timothy 2:19 My grandpa is a good testimony as one who struggled with alcoholism. He used alcohol to cope. Jesus changed His life. Only He can supply the power needed to overcome tragedies such as alcoholism, addictions, anxiety, you name it! To overcome his addiction, he sadly could not have one sip of alcohol, or he knew he would fall right back where he was, however this was worth it for his stability. To relieve your anxiety, you need to surrender to God. If you can’t, it’s a trust issue but really who better to trust with your life than the One who made you?
“The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” -Psalm 145:13-17 and Psalm 111:7-8
“We are to put to death our natural, sinful human desires such as sexual immorality, lust, greed, anger, rage, slander, filthy language, lying and all evil which is idolatry which God’s wrath is coming for. We all have walked in these ways the life you once lived, but now you are renewed in the truth and knowledge of Jesus our Creator where there is no longer Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.” -Colossians 3:5-11 and 1 Corinthians 10:14
Do you notice He considers all of this idolatry? Many say either tolerance or bigot. Jesus was intolerant of sin to the point of death on the cross. I am a Packer fan. If I go to a Packer game and cheer for both the Packers and Bears, anyone could argue I am not a true fan. There are some things in life you need to be quote “closed minded” about because they are absolute truths. 2+2=4, and Jesus is the only way, truth, and life.
My very wise Pastor Sid Litke once said, “If someone is falling asleep while driving, you would be very intolerant and wake them up to keep you BOTH safe. If I ask for directions, I prefer someone ‘closed minded’ to tell me where to go, as I think if someone said, ‘take anyway it’ll get you to the store!’ I would get lost. Or even if the answer was ‘Just be sincere about where you are going, and you will get there.’ You would still get lost. There still is a direction and right answer.” Also “I sincerely think that ball was a strike.” Then you get a different view of perspective and it’s at the person’s eyes or below the knees. You can be sincere, and still be completely wrong. There are absolute truths. If one person thinks it is a ball, and another a strike, they cannot both be right. God is who He says He is, and what I “think” about Him or what you “think” about Him does not change the absolute truth of who He tells us He is in His word.
Mental illness and addictions are real. Take it from someone who has experienced it and has studied treatment for it while in graduate school. Occupational Therapists help people with addictions return to their occupations which is not necessarily their jobs, but anything in their life they need to return to. Many begin the addictions as a means of coping with something deeper in order to feel purpose. I remind them the feelings they get from the addictions is not where their sense of purpose lies. One of our professors also conducted research showing sports help prevent addictions as well giving an outlet. The psych portion which is addressed is the sense of belonging, as to the team, purpose, and dependability. If an individual knows a team is depending on them, they will be less likely to fall into addiction. Even better, if they know God sees what they are doing, this is the ultimate prevention.
Physical and mental illnesses may be inevitable, but just like preventing physical diagnoses with eating healthy and exercise, we need to do the same for our minds. Brain chemistry has an absolute role, but who also has a role is Satan, and we have been trained form the word how to defend ourselves against him. I have been through it, but we cannot let it leave us hopeless is what I am emphasizing. We need to approach it like any other medical condition. Every single individual in this world has experienced anxiety and depression to come extent, but there is a difference when it is the actual diagnosis. As Christians, I want us to show these individuals grace as even though everyone may experience these emotions differently, as a Christian we know we are susceptible to all diagnoses anyone else could get and are susceptible to illness just as much as anyone else. The beauty as a believer is we can still glorify God through the suffering, through the counseling, medication if necessary and still realizing Jesus is the Giver and Provider of all treatment and help. No one is less of a believer though they struggle.
Also, we learned in graduate school that sociopaths have an underdeveloped temporal lobe of their brain, but is it underdeveloped because they have chosen not to use self-control when harming others, which overtime caused the underdevelopment? Therefore, even though guilt and shame are not meant to be dwelt in since Jesus covers over them with His death on the cross, I feel they are temporarily needed to be felt in order to appropriately empathize for others, ourselves and the very essence of what is needed to understand our sin and how much we need a Savior. How we view God and His love will reflect in how we see and treat others. If you never feel guilt or shame, you will think you have done nothing wrong, then in your mind you would not see the truth that we all do need a Savior. We see as Occupational Therapists how pain is affected by anxiety and depression. It is said that we will be able to tell an outcome by self-confidence and effort put in. I know because I have experienced also treating mental health conditions in my profession. It is not easy, but with God all things are possible.
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.” -Psalm 37:4-5
Medications are great in helping to manage symptoms, but they will not heal you if you do not have Jesus. I have taken the medications; I know how much they help. God has provided those medications, but we need to realize he is the healer. A pill cannot heal sin, only Jesus. I once had a patient who was making significant progress on his shoulder. He went through a tragedy, and we started from square one. It all begins in the mind. “The Lord sustains them on their sick bed and restores them from their bed of illness.” -Psalm 41:3 “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.” -Daniel 4:34
Once you are saved, you have the holy spirit living inside of you, who is also Jesus, and also God! “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23 and Philippians 4:5 All of this fruit is the evidence of the holy spirit living inside of you.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” -Luke 6:43-45, Matthew 7:17-18, 3 John 1:11 and Hosea 10:12-13.
I have always struggled with this verse, because there are many moments in my life if you were to ask people I have wronged or hurt, they would tell you I do not produce good fruit, and probably that I produce bad fruit depending on who you are talking to. I have come to realize though, since I have Christ, He has allowed me to produce good fruit, and has kept my tree from dying through my short comings.
“Whoever seeks good finds favor, but evil comes to one who searches for it.” -Proverbs 11:27 Find the good in others. Ask God to help you find the good in others, as every single person has been made in His image. “The mind is governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” -Romans 8:6. Jehu the 10th king of Israel said it’s impossible to have peace with idolatry and witchcraft around (2 Kings 9:22). Peace is the presence of Christ calming us during our difficult times. We need to let our mind be governed by the spirit. We cannot escape the evil of the world, but we can control what we listen to, eat, talk about and who we spend time with. Jesus even prayed for us ahead of time for God to not take us out of the world, but to protect us from the evil of the world from the enemy. The only way to be in the world but not of it is getting into the word of God. As Jesus was sent, He is now sending us, giving us the purpose of our lives and with this mission, He has promised God is faithful to strengthen and protect us from the enemy.
“ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified” John 17:15-19.
“God is faithful and will strengthen and protect us from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:2-4
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” – Proverbs 4:23 Guard your mind and heart. We feel and live depending on our thoughts. Your thoughts determine what you do today, to determine your future. Your thoughts not only affect you, but those around you. Think of every tragedy that had ever happened from someone harming others out of hate. It starts with a thought, affecting not only themselves but those around them. Now let’s define guarding. I personally knowing God’s character do not feel this means to “hate” or “cut” others out of our lives. I feel people use this verse to do so saying they are “guarding” their heart. I think “guarding” means to protect in a way of how we react and respond to others. I need to guard from hating, bitterness and cutting others out of my life. Guarding our heat means guarding our mind. What are we to fix our minds on in order to guard?
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” -Philippians 4:8 You will have peace when you are focused on Jesus.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.” -Matthew 6:22-23 and Luke 11:34-36.
Our mind is more powerful than we think and needs more protection than we realize. Stay away from porn, horror movies, any images that do not reflect this verse. Sin starts in the mind. Anything you act, say or do reflects your heart. Fear also starts in the mind, which is why if you are consumed with a scary movie, you will be scared every corner. We must read the scriptures to keep our minds focused on such things.
“For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” -Romans 7:22-23. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”-Romans7:15 We are in a battle for our soul, and in spiritual warfare whether you recognize it or not. Just because you close your eyes during a war, does not mean you are not in it.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” -Romans 7:15-18 and Romans 7:20
If we fill our minds with God’s truth, we are more equipped to fight the lies from Satan. Your focus changes your mind, which leads to your actions. Even though we cannot always control our minds, we can control the way we think and react. What we stay fixated on in our thoughts we pursue, and then become. “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” – Proverbs 21:21 “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” -Hebrews 3:1
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” -2 Corinthians 10:4-5
It is one of the hardest areas of our body to control, and it takes practice. This is called mindfulness. Mindfulness is training your brain to stay in the here and now. Your amygdala is what produces a response in the body called fight or flight. When we are anxious, the amygdala releases this response with adrenaline when there really is nothing to fight or flight from. It is just listening to your thoughts. The best thing that helps with my anxious thoughts is to think that if you cannot stop thinking about it, you can have peace God cares more about it than you do. If it is on your mind, it is already on His heart.
As an athlete, I compare it to practicing like I would for a sport. As an Occupational Therapist who went to Graduate school, it takes practice just like studying for an exam. When we have wrong thoughts, God tells us to combat it with truth. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33 “A person is praised according to their prudence, and one with a warped mind is despised.” -Proverbs 12:8
It is not a sin to be praised if the purpose of being praised is that you wanted to please someone else out of service. Where is becomes dangerous and becomes pride is when we start thinking highly of ourselves from the praise. As C.S Lewis puts it we begin to delight in ourselves more than the praise.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:2
Our mind is affected by the world from our own sin and the sin of others daily, and it daily needs to be renewed. If you feel like your emotions are out of control as I have many times, you need to renew your mind. The way you think, affects your emotions. This takes practice, but you will see a change in your emotions when you practice keeping your mind focused on Christ and the control God has in your life.
Jesus gave us the perfect example. After all these years of Satan thinking he has a rule over the earth, there is a man fasting in the wilderness weak from not eating and just think, at this point, there is never one human being who has not sinned. Satan tempts him saying
“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” -Matthew 4:3-11 and Luke 4:2- 13
Combat Satan’s sinister lies with the truth of scripture just as Jesus did, and he will flee! Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” -Hebrews 2:18
Something none of us can deny is in this world, nothing lasts forever. As much as it hurts me to say because I love my family, friends and others, our bodies are only temporary whether you are a believer or not. Obviously, we all know we will die at some point, but can you take a second to really process this. You are going to die at some point. I struggle to wrap my mind around this, as it is something we have never yet experienced. This is a fact. This concept also has been hard for me as I have gotten older as an athlete. I felt I could play volleyball, softball, and basketball forever. As an Occupational Therapist I see it. Our bodies are not made to last forever, and they do age. I know many ways to help slow this process such as exercise, nutrition, activity modification but the truth it is a process none of us can stop completely. Our jobs are also temporary. Compliments are temporary. When you put your identity in what you do whether a job or sports, or in your family, or in relationships, one day it will all come to an end. Am I saying this to be negative? No. Am I saying this saying you should not put your heart into these things? Absolutely not. I am saying this to make sure you are enjoying these things, however that Jesus is your solid foundation and ultimately your means to satisfaction. I am saying you cannot let your happiness and joy only rely on something you can lose. God is our strength, our fortress on home we can rely. He will go before me (Psalm 59:9-10, Isaiah 52:12).
