Be honest. Sometimes life gets hard. Or maybe it doesn’t. If it hasn’t yet, it will. Jesus Himself promised us that in John 16:33. And those tribulations can take a toll.
Mental health is a big issue and I could write a book on it. (In fact, I did!) But I want to share something that the Lord laid on my heart for this month in particular and I hope that it speaks to you today.
Don’t ignore your mental health.
Don’t claim to be fine when you are hurting.
Don’t just think of how someone else probably has it worse so you should get over it.
Don’t wallow in your hurt, pain, defeat, or guilt. Or any other emotion that seems to have you down by the neck and unable to breathe.
Ignoring your mental health is something that can hurt you far more than you know. And sadly, mental health has largely been ignored in the Church. This has been changing in recent years but there is still a lot of work to be done and ample ground to be covered. Leaving your mental health unaddressed causes old wounds to fester instead of heal and, in some cases, it causes a separation from God because we begin to focus on our issues more than we focus on the Father.
That’s why I just wanted to write this short post to bring to light some ways mental health can impact our lives, how we can go about checking in on our mental health and that of our loved ones and give some scriptures to offer encouragement.
How can your mental health influence you?
It can make you doubt yourself, and then you begin to doubt the Lord and what He has spoken over you. Have you ever been going through something and it made you doubt if God loved you? If this was really a part of His plan? If you were really really saved?
Your eating habits may begin to change. This can present itself in unhealthy binging, unhealthy dieting and even unhealthy exercise. You may try so hard to feel better that you overindulge in the things you enjoy, which leads to more harm than good.
Sadly, a very common symptom of stress and anxiety is insomnia. Lack of sleep brings with it a whole slue of problems such as crankiness and lack of alertness, but that’s something many know about already.
This obviously is not an exhaustive list, but it’s something to think about. Maybe if you’ve experienced some of these things, you should consider doing a mental health check. And afterward, taking some time to do self-care activities.
More often than not, mental health issues often begin to change not only the way you view yourself but also the way you live your life as a whole. From what you do to how you communicate and live with others.
How can your mental health change the way you interact with others?
By making you close in on yourself, for starters. You may turn inward and fold in on yourself to the point that you stop socializing. Or you may stop having real conversations with those around you.
Another way your relationships can change is that your mental health may turn into bitterness and anger, both of which the Bible warns us against (Hebrews 12:15, Ephesians 4:26). Bitterness and anger defiles the body according to the word of God. And one way to overcome these conditions is to forgive. Forgive others and forgive yourself. Yes, you are worthy of forgiveness.
Let’s not forget that bitterness and anger causes broken relationships and harsh words and no matter how we try, what we say cannot be taken back.
There’s also the fact that those closest to you may worry so greatly about you that they start fretting, losing sleep and being anxious. The Bible tells us again and again not be be anxious and I am sure that you wouldn’t want that for someone you love either. You want those you care about to have joy.
I could write so much more, but I wanted to just broach the subject of mental health because perhaps you haven’t really considered it. Perhaps you are so used to pushing it down that you don’t even realize that you’re about to explode or implode.
The Lord wants you to have joy and we can’t have joy if we are in inner turmoil.
Here are some scriptures to take with you:
Joshua 1:9 — Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
2 Timothy 1:7 — For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Philippians 4:13 — I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Psalm 37:4 — Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 28:7 — The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
John 16:33 — I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
Mark 11:24 — Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Psalm 34:4 — I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Romans 15:13 — May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 — Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Self Care Activities To Try:
A hot bath or shower.
Reading a good book or watching a comfort movie.
Go for a walk.
Listen to some music. Please, make sure it is godly as you don’t want to invite ungodly spirits into your mind while it is already compromised.
Cook (or order) your favorite meal.
Journal how you’re feeling, why and the silver lining of the situation.
Treat yourself to something nice. (But don’t overspend.)
So, this is a reminder that you matter to God. You are significant and you are loved by Him. Carry this truth in your heart. And share it with someone else who may need it today.
Please consider supporting me on Ko-Fi so that I can continue making posts like this.
