Sometimes we can tend to believe that our physical health is more important than our mental health. Whether you are suffering from minor depression or a severe mental illness, we want you to know God desires to walk with you through it. At the Patch, we are here for you. YOU MATTER !!
This Patch feature has been added upon request from one of our Patch Members. We will be adding to this page, giving you encouragement and resources to help you. If you need prayer or just want to chat, please make your confidential submission below. If you have a personal testimony, we'd love to hear about that too ! We care and we are here for you
When we're going through stressful, weird times—or even just everyday life—it's a good idea to do a quick Mental Health Check to ask, "Are you OK?" Today, we’re going to talk about how to do a mental health check on yourself.
To do your own mental health check, here are 5 questions you can ask yourself.
How are you REALLY feeling today? Are you stressed? Are you in any physical pain? Really pay attention to what your mind and body are telling you.
What's been taking up a lot of headspace for you? What keeps coming up in your thoughts? Is there an idea or worry that's running circles around your head?
When's the last time you ate a good, healthy meal? This is really important because eating well is vital for both physical and mental health. Plus, eating releases dopamine—the brain's feel-good neurotransmitter. So, if you're feeling off, ask yourself, "When was the last time I ate or drank water?"
Are you tired? Sometimes we get grouchy or short-tempered simply because we haven't been getting enough sleep.
What can you do today that will bring you joy? Consciously choosing joy on a daily basis is a big part of good mental health.
We want to acknowledge that many of our 412teens friends suffer from mental health issues. Your feelings and frustrations are valid and they matter to us and to God. We encourage you to seek help if you’re suffering from depression, major anxiety, PTSD, or any other mental health issue. It’s always OK to ask for help.
To do your own mental health check, here are 5 questions you can ask yourself.
How are you REALLY feeling today? Are you stressed? Are you in any physical pain? Really pay attention to what your mind and body are telling you.
What's been taking up a lot of headspace for you? What keeps coming up in your thoughts? Is there an idea or worry that's running circles around your head?
When's the last time you ate a good, healthy meal? This is really important because eating well is vital for both physical and mental health. Plus, eating releases dopamine—the brain's feel-good neurotransmitter. So, if you're feeling off, ask yourself, "When was the last time I ate or drank water?"
Are you tired? Sometimes we get grouchy or short-tempered simply because we haven't been getting enough sleep.
What can you do today that will bring you joy? Consciously choosing joy on a daily basis is a big part of good mental health.
We want to acknowledge that many of our 412teens friends suffer from mental health issues. Your feelings and frustrations are valid and they matter to us and to God. We encourage you to seek help if you’re suffering from depression, major anxiety, PTSD, or any other mental health issue. It’s always OK to ask for help.
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:11
This morning I talked to a woman who was thinking of ending her life.
“I’ve been at this so long, pastor,” she told me through tears. “I feel like God has abandoned me. I don’t have the energy to even get out of bed. I’ve lost all hope that things will ever get better, and taking my life seems the only way to stop the pain!”
Unfortunately, this woman isn’t alone. As a pastor, I talk to many people daily who struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, it has become a growing epidemic in our world today.
Have you ever felt the downpour of depression and emptiness in your life will never end? Do you think God and the whole world have turned their back on you? Is there a part of you that feels like giving up on everything, maybe even life?
In Psalm 42, the psalmist is in the deep well of depression. His heart is breaking over everything he’s lost. A torrent of pain and anguish fills the hole in his heart. He feels forgotten by God, abandoned by everyone, and utterly alone.
How can you find your way out of the cave of gloom that you’re fastened to today?
First, pour out your heart to God.
“Why am I so discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”
Tell God everything that you’re thinking and feeling. Don’t sugar-coat it, and don’t hold anything back. Lay it all at the foot of the cross each day, hour by hour, moment by moment (1 Peter 5:7). God wants to hear from you and be there for you. David writes in Psalm 27:8, “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.'”
Second, put your hope in God.
“I will put my hope in God!”
Depression can say some ugly things to us. Don’t believe everything your hopeless feelings tell you. Come back to the Word of God so it can speak hope and truth to our depression. Find Scriptures that remind you of the hope you have in Christ. Get alone with Jesus each day; let His Word revive your soul.
Third, pursue help from God and others.
“I will praise Him again—my, Savior and my God!”
The psalmist knew he had to stand up to his depression through worship. So what can it look like for us to stand up to our depression today?
Maybe that’s through counseling, working with your doctor, or getting involved in a local church. Journaling, joining a support group, or slowing down and cutting back on some things so you have more margin in your life.
One of the big things to remember about pursuing help from God is that God often works through other people. So when we’re discouraged and feel like giving up, we need to reach out to safe people for help: family, friends, pastors, etc., who can support us on our journey to healing. When depression creeps in, it can be hard to reach out, but we must call people we trust for help who can help pull us out of the darkness.
Depression is a complicated and multi-faceted issue. There are no quick fixes. But, as we pour out our hearts to God, put our hope in God, and pursue help from God, we’ll build a bridge that will allow us to experience more of God’s joy, peace, and hope in our lives.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you need to speak to a K-LOVE pastor call 800-525-5683.
Pause and Reflect
1. What’s causing you to feel discouraged and hopeless today? Set aside time today to pour out your heart to God.
2. Make a list of verses reminding you of your hope in Jesus. To encourage you, read those verses at the beginning and end of each day.
3. Make a list of people and places you can reach out to when you need help. Then, keep that list handy and remind yourself it’s okay to ask for help when needed.
Additional 10 Verses
1. The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:17-18
2. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
3. Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4
6. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you. – Deuteronomy 31:8
7. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31
8. But You, O LORD, are a shield around me; You are my glory, the One who holds my head high. – Psalm 3:3
9. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. – Psalm 40:1-3
10. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
Panic attacks are overwhelming and distressing, but you can always turn your attention to the Living God for guidance and comfort. God’s strength is with you when you are weak. He will carry you through any trial. His presence gives you peace and security when life becomes uncertain. Cast your internal panic and anxiety onto the Lord and allow His Word, peace, joy, and love to meet you in your pain and fear. Here are eight prayers to help you through these unexpected moments of intense fear and worry.
1. “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” – Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT
Heavenly Father, help me overcome this sudden fear and anxiety. Please help me remember that You are with me and prepared to go before me. I submit my fear to You and ask You to meet me now. Please help me to calm my thoughts and my body. Help me to rely on Your unfailing love. I know You are for me and present to help me through this right now. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. – Psalm 146:5 NLT
Dear Lord, let Your joy and Your strength fill my heart. Thank You for being my helper and my hope. You are God over everything, even this circumstance causing me fear and pain. I will rely on Your help. I will worship You through this moment and trust Your help to provide for me. Lord, give me the peace and comfort I need. Thank You for being with me and always being so faithful. In Your name, amen.
3. For I hold you by your right hand—I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. – Isaiah 41:13 NLT
Heavenly Father, I put my hand in Yours to guide me through these scary feelings. Lord, uphold me, be the stable source of calm and peace in my life. Lead me to calm and healing thoughts. Please help me continue rehearsing Your faithfulness and mercy toward me now. I settle myself into Your hand. I relax my muscles and my mind and choose to trust You. Thank You for being with me and helping me. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
4. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
Heavenly Father, I stand in the authority of Christ, who lives in me against fear and timidity. Father, I know this has come upon me suddenly, but I receive Your power, Your love, and Your Spirit to produce the self-control I need now. Father, thank You for Your love and faithfulness in providing me peace, healing, and freedom through Christ. Thank You that I am safe in You. Thank You for Your Word as it washes me of this fear and provides peace. In Your Son’s name, amen.
5. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7 NLT
I come to You, Heavenly Father, with all these worries and heavy burdens weighing on me right now. I ask You to take care of the situations and the circumstances that have caused me pain and fear. Thank You for allowing this moment to help me trust in You. Thank You for reminding me that You truly care about me and really love me. I give this to You and allow Your will to be done in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
6. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. 25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, 26 for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. – Proverbs 3:24-26 NLT
Dear Lord, help me to rest in You. Keep me reminded of Your Word and help me accept it as true. Help me resist the lies of the enemy that are bombarding my mind. Thank You for the breath of Your Spirit, helping me to breathe. Thank You for helping me regulate my thoughts and my breathing right now. Because of Your love and Your peace, I am safe. Protect me from disaster and destruction. Help me confront what I fear and to trust in the security of Your presence and Your Word. I will continue to rely on You. In Jesus’ powerful name, amen.
7. God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. – Psalm 46:1 NLT
Heavenly Father, I know that You are a safe and powerful protector. Protect me from the fear and anxiety I am feeling right now. Send the calming presence of the Holy Spirit to help me overcome these strong emotions. I ask You today to help me run to You each time this feeling comes and to remember that You are here to help me. I know You are strong in my weakness. You are with me, and I lean on You and rely on You to provide healing and freedom for me in this moment. In the name of Jesus, amen.
8. For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. – Psalm 32:7 NLT
Dear Lord, thank You for surrounding me with a song of victory. Father, I ask You to remove this heaviness and fear from my heart and mind. Place a guard of Your peace around me. Thank You for the redemption I have in Christ. Your love and forgiveness are more powerful and present with me than this temporary fear. Father, You are my protector and my hiding place. Thank You that because of Christ, I am never separated from Your love and Your provision of peace. Please continue to remind me of my victory in Christ. I pray all these things in Jesus’ name, amen.
Do you ever feel like unwanted thoughts are swirling around like a tornado in your head? Whether you struggle with worry, mental illness, or negative thought patterns, there is hope for intrusive thoughts. While we typically feel pretty in control of our actions, often, our thought life feels so far out of our control. Thankfully, our wonderful God can bring healing to our physical bodies and to our minds as well. Along with this encouragement, God’s Word gives some practical helps to us too. Philippians 4:8 says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Sounds easier said than done, right? But we can do our part in this through getting in God’s Word, honestly coming before Him in prayer and worship, and surrounding ourselves with other believers who encourage us. To help you fix your mind on Christ, we have provided these Scriptures and prayers for you to meditate on.
1. How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? – Psalm 13:2 NLT
Father, I am tired of this fight against my thoughts. It leaves me so exhausted and discouraged that I often feel I don’t have the strength to keep fighting. I need the peace only You can provide. Help me to find relief in Your presence right now. As I draw near You, please clear my mind, blessing me with the peace I desperately need.
2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12:2 NLT
Lord, please transform me from the inside out. Remove any thoughts that are not of You, allowing Your loving voice to reign in my mind. Protect me from filling my mind with worldly things to find temporary comfort. Instead, I’m choosing to focus on You so I can hear Your gentle voice reminding me of Your good plans for my life.
3. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. – Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
God, You know us so well. So, gracious Father, help me to come honestly before You now. I’m coming before You with everything weighing heavy on my heart and mind. Thank You for providing for my needs and blessing me with comfort in the waiting. Please replace this burden with Your perfect peace. May it guard my heart and mind today as I continually bring these things to You.
4. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:2-3 NLT
Father, amidst all the distractions around me, it’s hard to keep my eyes upon You. Show me how I can minimize the distractions around me, focusing on things that point me towards Christ. Then, when my mind wanders, or those evil thoughts come back in, help me to go to You continually in prayer. As I learn to fix my eyes on You, Lord, I pray that You will heal my mind, blessing me with the peace only You can bring.
5. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. – 2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT
Lord, protect my mind from all schemes of satan. I’m thankful for our authority in Jesus; satan has no lasting power over my mind! Please break any strongholds in the name of Jesus, bringing healing to my thought life. Please replace satan’s condemning voice with Your own and help me to be able to recognize his lies for what they are. Help me to grow in my knowledge of Your Word, so I can speak Your truth against his falsehoods.
6. I cried out, “I am slipping!” but Your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. 19 When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. – Psalm 94:18-19 NLT
God, I am so thankful I can bring my doubts, questions, and struggles before You! Give me the strength to come honestly before You now instead of trying to push these things aside. You already know my thoughts, so help me to stop hiding them from You. They already feel less heavy by voicing these burdens, as You allow me to carry them. Please bless me with comfort, hope, and understanding as I cry out to You.
7. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27 NLT
Lord, please bless me with the heavenly peace that I desperately need. My mind feels cluttered, and I’m overwhelmed with this constant battle against fear. I’ve tried to control this alone, but it only leaves me feeling frustrated and, at times, beyond hope. I need the help and healing that only You can bring. Please, Father, allow Your peace to wash over me at this moment, especially as I remember our eternal hope in Christ. You will hold me fast!
8. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. – Romans 8:6 NLT
God, please bless me with the mind of Christ. Help me to walk in Your righteousness, starting with my thought life, allowing Your Holy Spirit to control my mind. Forgive me for thoughts I have harbored that are not honoring You. Help me fix my thoughts on You and bring healing into the aspects of my mind that feel outside my control. Bless me with peace and joy as I walk in Your grace today.
This morning I talked to a woman who was thinking of ending her life.
“I’ve been at this so long, pastor,” she told me through tears. “I feel like God has abandoned me. I don’t have the energy to even get out of bed. I’ve lost all hope that things will ever get better, and taking my life seems the only way to stop the pain!”
Unfortunately, this woman isn’t alone. As a pastor, I talk to many people daily who struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, it has become a growing epidemic in our world today.
Have you ever felt the downpour of depression and emptiness in your life will never end? Do you think God and the whole world have turned their back on you? Is there a part of you that feels like giving up on everything, maybe even life?
In Psalm 42, the psalmist is in the deep well of depression. His heart is breaking over everything he’s lost. A torrent of pain and anguish fills the hole in his heart. He feels forgotten by God, abandoned by everyone, and utterly alone.
How can you find your way out of the cave of gloom that you’re fastened to today?
First, pour out your heart to God.
“Why am I so discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”
Tell God everything that you’re thinking and feeling. Don’t sugar-coat it, and don’t hold anything back. Lay it all at the foot of the cross each day, hour by hour, moment by moment (1 Peter 5:7). God wants to hear from you and be there for you. David writes in Psalm 27:8, “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.'”
Second, put your hope in God.
“I will put my hope in God!”
Depression can say some ugly things to us. Don’t believe everything your hopeless feelings tell you. Come back to the Word of God so it can speak hope and truth to our depression. Find Scriptures that remind you of the hope you have in Christ. Get alone with Jesus each day; let His Word revive your soul.
Third, pursue help from God and others.
“I will praise Him again—my, Savior and my God!”
The psalmist knew he had to stand up to his depression through worship. So what can it look like for us to stand up to our depression today?
Maybe that’s through counseling, working with your doctor, or getting involved in a local church. Journaling, joining a support group, or slowing down and cutting back on some things so you have more margin in your life.
One of the big things to remember about pursuing help from God is that God often works through other people. So when we’re discouraged and feel like giving up, we need to reach out to safe people for help: family, friends, pastors, etc., who can support us on our journey to healing. When depression creeps in, it can be hard to reach out, but we must call people we trust for help who can help pull us out of the darkness.
Depression is a complicated and multi-faceted issue. There are no quick fixes. But, as we pour out our hearts to God, put our hope in God, and pursue help from God, we’ll build a bridge that will allow us to experience more of God’s joy, peace, and hope in our lives.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you need to speak to a K-LOVE pastor call 800-525-5683.
Pause and Reflect
1. What’s causing you to feel discouraged and hopeless today? Set aside time today to pour out your heart to God.
2. Make a list of verses reminding you of your hope in Jesus. To encourage you, read those verses at the beginning and end of each day.
3. Make a list of people and places you can reach out to when you need help. Then, keep that list handy and remind yourself it’s okay to ask for help when needed.
Additional 10 Verses
1. The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:17-18
2. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
3. Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4
6. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you. – Deuteronomy 31:8
7. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31
8. But You, O LORD, are a shield around me; You are my glory, the One who holds my head high. – Psalm 3:3
9. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. – Psalm 40:1-3
10. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
Panic attacks are overwhelming and distressing, but you can always turn your attention to the Living God for guidance and comfort. God’s strength is with you when you are weak. He will carry you through any trial. His presence gives you peace and security when life becomes uncertain. Cast your internal panic and anxiety onto the Lord and allow His Word, peace, joy, and love to meet you in your pain and fear. Here are eight prayers to help you through these unexpected moments of intense fear and worry.
1. “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” – Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT
Heavenly Father, help me overcome this sudden fear and anxiety. Please help me remember that You are with me and prepared to go before me. I submit my fear to You and ask You to meet me now. Please help me to calm my thoughts and my body. Help me to rely on Your unfailing love. I know You are for me and present to help me through this right now. In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God. – Psalm 146:5 NLT
Dear Lord, let Your joy and Your strength fill my heart. Thank You for being my helper and my hope. You are God over everything, even this circumstance causing me fear and pain. I will rely on Your help. I will worship You through this moment and trust Your help to provide for me. Lord, give me the peace and comfort I need. Thank You for being with me and always being so faithful. In Your name, amen.
3. For I hold you by your right hand—I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. – Isaiah 41:13 NLT
Heavenly Father, I put my hand in Yours to guide me through these scary feelings. Lord, uphold me, be the stable source of calm and peace in my life. Lead me to calm and healing thoughts. Please help me continue rehearsing Your faithfulness and mercy toward me now. I settle myself into Your hand. I relax my muscles and my mind and choose to trust You. Thank You for being with me and helping me. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
4. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
Heavenly Father, I stand in the authority of Christ, who lives in me against fear and timidity. Father, I know this has come upon me suddenly, but I receive Your power, Your love, and Your Spirit to produce the self-control I need now. Father, thank You for Your love and faithfulness in providing me peace, healing, and freedom through Christ. Thank You that I am safe in You. Thank You for Your Word as it washes me of this fear and provides peace. In Your Son’s name, amen.
5. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7 NLT
I come to You, Heavenly Father, with all these worries and heavy burdens weighing on me right now. I ask You to take care of the situations and the circumstances that have caused me pain and fear. Thank You for allowing this moment to help me trust in You. Thank You for reminding me that You truly care about me and really love me. I give this to You and allow Your will to be done in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
6. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. 25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, 26 for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap. – Proverbs 3:24-26 NLT
Dear Lord, help me to rest in You. Keep me reminded of Your Word and help me accept it as true. Help me resist the lies of the enemy that are bombarding my mind. Thank You for the breath of Your Spirit, helping me to breathe. Thank You for helping me regulate my thoughts and my breathing right now. Because of Your love and Your peace, I am safe. Protect me from disaster and destruction. Help me confront what I fear and to trust in the security of Your presence and Your Word. I will continue to rely on You. In Jesus’ powerful name, amen.
7. God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. – Psalm 46:1 NLT
Heavenly Father, I know that You are a safe and powerful protector. Protect me from the fear and anxiety I am feeling right now. Send the calming presence of the Holy Spirit to help me overcome these strong emotions. I ask You today to help me run to You each time this feeling comes and to remember that You are here to help me. I know You are strong in my weakness. You are with me, and I lean on You and rely on You to provide healing and freedom for me in this moment. In the name of Jesus, amen.
8. For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. – Psalm 32:7 NLT
Dear Lord, thank You for surrounding me with a song of victory. Father, I ask You to remove this heaviness and fear from my heart and mind. Place a guard of Your peace around me. Thank You for the redemption I have in Christ. Your love and forgiveness are more powerful and present with me than this temporary fear. Father, You are my protector and my hiding place. Thank You that because of Christ, I am never separated from Your love and Your provision of peace. Please continue to remind me of my victory in Christ. I pray all these things in Jesus’ name, amen.
Do you ever feel like unwanted thoughts are swirling around like a tornado in your head? Whether you struggle with worry, mental illness, or negative thought patterns, there is hope for intrusive thoughts. While we typically feel pretty in control of our actions, often, our thought life feels so far out of our control. Thankfully, our wonderful God can bring healing to our physical bodies and to our minds as well. Along with this encouragement, God’s Word gives some practical helps to us too. Philippians 4:8 says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Sounds easier said than done, right? But we can do our part in this through getting in God’s Word, honestly coming before Him in prayer and worship, and surrounding ourselves with other believers who encourage us. To help you fix your mind on Christ, we have provided these Scriptures and prayers for you to meditate on.
1. How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? – Psalm 13:2 NLT
Father, I am tired of this fight against my thoughts. It leaves me so exhausted and discouraged that I often feel I don’t have the strength to keep fighting. I need the peace only You can provide. Help me to find relief in Your presence right now. As I draw near You, please clear my mind, blessing me with the peace I desperately need.
2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12:2 NLT
Lord, please transform me from the inside out. Remove any thoughts that are not of You, allowing Your loving voice to reign in my mind. Protect me from filling my mind with worldly things to find temporary comfort. Instead, I’m choosing to focus on You so I can hear Your gentle voice reminding me of Your good plans for my life.
3. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. – Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
God, You know us so well. So, gracious Father, help me to come honestly before You now. I’m coming before You with everything weighing heavy on my heart and mind. Thank You for providing for my needs and blessing me with comfort in the waiting. Please replace this burden with Your perfect peace. May it guard my heart and mind today as I continually bring these things to You.
4. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. – Colossians 3:2-3 NLT
Father, amidst all the distractions around me, it’s hard to keep my eyes upon You. Show me how I can minimize the distractions around me, focusing on things that point me towards Christ. Then, when my mind wanders, or those evil thoughts come back in, help me to go to You continually in prayer. As I learn to fix my eyes on You, Lord, I pray that You will heal my mind, blessing me with the peace only You can bring.
5. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. – 2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT
Lord, protect my mind from all schemes of satan. I’m thankful for our authority in Jesus; satan has no lasting power over my mind! Please break any strongholds in the name of Jesus, bringing healing to my thought life. Please replace satan’s condemning voice with Your own and help me to be able to recognize his lies for what they are. Help me to grow in my knowledge of Your Word, so I can speak Your truth against his falsehoods.
6. I cried out, “I am slipping!” but Your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. 19 When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. – Psalm 94:18-19 NLT
God, I am so thankful I can bring my doubts, questions, and struggles before You! Give me the strength to come honestly before You now instead of trying to push these things aside. You already know my thoughts, so help me to stop hiding them from You. They already feel less heavy by voicing these burdens, as You allow me to carry them. Please bless me with comfort, hope, and understanding as I cry out to You.
7. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27 NLT
Lord, please bless me with the heavenly peace that I desperately need. My mind feels cluttered, and I’m overwhelmed with this constant battle against fear. I’ve tried to control this alone, but it only leaves me feeling frustrated and, at times, beyond hope. I need the help and healing that only You can bring. Please, Father, allow Your peace to wash over me at this moment, especially as I remember our eternal hope in Christ. You will hold me fast!
8. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. – Romans 8:6 NLT
God, please bless me with the mind of Christ. Help me to walk in Your righteousness, starting with my thought life, allowing Your Holy Spirit to control my mind. Forgive me for thoughts I have harbored that are not honoring You. Help me fix my thoughts on You and bring healing into the aspects of my mind that feel outside my control. Bless me with peace and joy as I walk in Your grace today.
Stressed out
Another year of school has begun and I’m freaking out. I don't understand,
how I'm supposed to let God take control.
Like I'm stressed out about a lot of things.
Happiness is a choice.
You can choose to be happy.
There is going to be stress in your life,
but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not.
There's a terrible price to pay for stress in your life - it really takes a hit on your heart.
We can compare it to our life. When we are born, we cannot walk immediately as a newborn baby, but we in most cases have parents that protect us and in the big picture are there for us. Then after time, we start crawling first, then we progress in doing small baby steps and keep progressing throughout our existence.
In our relationship with Jesus, it is the same with God; He does not expect us to start running immediately when you first come to Him and as the question above to give Him 100% control. You are a work in progressive. In actuality, we all are a work in progressive till we get to the end of our road on earth.
Stressed Out? Jesus is always, always, always there as you start to crawl, stand or walk in His guidance.
In my devotional time this morning reading His Word (the Bible) I was learning something new that applied to my life after many years walking with God. To be honest, the day God stops working and taking me step by step, I will be worried. This is part of the process that you are going through. You want to do your best for God, but I promise you God knows everything about you and is well pleased that you are hungry for Him.
In the spiritual realm if you accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are starting with baby steps. As a parent with their child to guide and protect an innocent baby, so Jesus is there even though he is invisible by the Holy Spirit to guide and protect you as you start your unique steps with Him on life’s journey. The parent is always there as the baby is learning to crawl, stand or walk and in your relationship with Jesus He is always, always there as you start to crawl, stand or walk in His guidance.
Stressed in LifePart of this Christian walk development is your brothers and sisters at the Church you attend.
They are there to be a guide and encourager, like a parent is to a newborn baby. We encourage folks to join small groups or life groups at your local Church. That is excellent and a safe place to ask questions about your relationship with God and your daily life. We would encourage you to keep attending and ask questions and ask for prayer in areas that you are struggling in.
We take these baby steps in the area of stress including times at work and home. First take your stresses to God each day in prayer (having a conversation with God). If possible, pick a quiet place and a daily consistent time. It is easy to feel that nothing is happening and that our prayers are not getting past the ceiling. But please have that childlike faith to trust that God is working and try to continue to read God's Word daily to be instructed in God's Way.
8 WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS
Get help when stressed.1. Admit you're stressed.
Is your life so packed with things to do that you can't seem to get anything done? Do you have a gnawing pain in your stomach that won't go away? Do you often forget things you're supposed to do? Are you tired, short-tempered, discouraged? If you answered yes to most of these questions, you're stressed. So, admit it, then.
2. Make a list.
Write down everything you're involved in. Estimate how much time each week you spend in these activities, as well as how many hours you pour into your daily life, helping others, building friendships, and anything else that requires a significant chunk of your time.
3. Take your list to someone you trust.
This person could be your Bible study leader, youth pastor, school counselor, senior pastor, adult mentor, a mature Christian friend, or one of your parents. Have this person go over the list with you. Talk about why each item is important to you. Discuss your priorities—those things that are (or should be) most important to you.
4. Prioritize your list.
Order your list from most important to least important. Determine what you need to cut out of your life, then cross those things off the list. Circle the things you want to keep no matter what. Evaluate the "in-between" items and resolve not to feel guilty if you don't do all of them.
5. Important practice saying no.
You simply can't say yes to everything. You've got to learn to say no, too. If you want to cut down on stress, you need to keep yourself from being over-committed.
6. Think about your use of time.
You could be stressed because you simply don't know how to manage your time well. If you tend to procrastinate or are poorly organized, you need help using your time wisely. Ask an organized friend for tips on how to use your time better.
7. There are also many calendars and day-timers that can help you.
Drop by your local bookstore and check out the planners and organizers specifically for all age groups. But remember: A time-management tool is only as good as your commitment to use it. So, if you purchase some kind of organizer, use it.
8. Keep God first.
Isaiah 40:29-31 says, "[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but 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."
Place your trust and hope in God and make your relationship with him your top priority. As you do, you'll discover you really do have time for what's most important in life.
Stress is different in each individual. The above is only suggestions. As every individual is unique.
There are a lot of parts to Stress.
1. Admit there is a problem.
2. Do not self-medicate in unhealthy ways.
3. Taking care of yourself physically.
4. Be intentional about what goes into your mind.
5. Don't neglect the Spiritual - prayer, Scriptures, fellowship with believers, etc.
6. Consider seeing a doctor.
Just a Note
There is so much more on the subject of stress, and this just scratches the surface. It’s so important that you connect with a person you can trust to stand with you through what you are feeling. Talk to a Pastor in your local Church or go for Patch counseling (totally free and confidential). YOU MATTER AND WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
Please if you need medical advice, we encourage to see your family doctor or go to a medical walk-in clinic or the hospital near you or call 911 if it is an emergency.
Another year of school has begun and I’m freaking out. I don't understand,
how I'm supposed to let God take control.
Like I'm stressed out about a lot of things.
Happiness is a choice.
You can choose to be happy.
There is going to be stress in your life,
but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not.
There's a terrible price to pay for stress in your life - it really takes a hit on your heart.
We can compare it to our life. When we are born, we cannot walk immediately as a newborn baby, but we in most cases have parents that protect us and in the big picture are there for us. Then after time, we start crawling first, then we progress in doing small baby steps and keep progressing throughout our existence.
In our relationship with Jesus, it is the same with God; He does not expect us to start running immediately when you first come to Him and as the question above to give Him 100% control. You are a work in progressive. In actuality, we all are a work in progressive till we get to the end of our road on earth.
Stressed Out? Jesus is always, always, always there as you start to crawl, stand or walk in His guidance.
In my devotional time this morning reading His Word (the Bible) I was learning something new that applied to my life after many years walking with God. To be honest, the day God stops working and taking me step by step, I will be worried. This is part of the process that you are going through. You want to do your best for God, but I promise you God knows everything about you and is well pleased that you are hungry for Him.
In the spiritual realm if you accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are starting with baby steps. As a parent with their child to guide and protect an innocent baby, so Jesus is there even though he is invisible by the Holy Spirit to guide and protect you as you start your unique steps with Him on life’s journey. The parent is always there as the baby is learning to crawl, stand or walk and in your relationship with Jesus He is always, always there as you start to crawl, stand or walk in His guidance.
Stressed in LifePart of this Christian walk development is your brothers and sisters at the Church you attend.
They are there to be a guide and encourager, like a parent is to a newborn baby. We encourage folks to join small groups or life groups at your local Church. That is excellent and a safe place to ask questions about your relationship with God and your daily life. We would encourage you to keep attending and ask questions and ask for prayer in areas that you are struggling in.
We take these baby steps in the area of stress including times at work and home. First take your stresses to God each day in prayer (having a conversation with God). If possible, pick a quiet place and a daily consistent time. It is easy to feel that nothing is happening and that our prayers are not getting past the ceiling. But please have that childlike faith to trust that God is working and try to continue to read God's Word daily to be instructed in God's Way.
8 WAYS TO OVERCOME STRESS
Get help when stressed.1. Admit you're stressed.
Is your life so packed with things to do that you can't seem to get anything done? Do you have a gnawing pain in your stomach that won't go away? Do you often forget things you're supposed to do? Are you tired, short-tempered, discouraged? If you answered yes to most of these questions, you're stressed. So, admit it, then.
2. Make a list.
Write down everything you're involved in. Estimate how much time each week you spend in these activities, as well as how many hours you pour into your daily life, helping others, building friendships, and anything else that requires a significant chunk of your time.
3. Take your list to someone you trust.
This person could be your Bible study leader, youth pastor, school counselor, senior pastor, adult mentor, a mature Christian friend, or one of your parents. Have this person go over the list with you. Talk about why each item is important to you. Discuss your priorities—those things that are (or should be) most important to you.
4. Prioritize your list.
Order your list from most important to least important. Determine what you need to cut out of your life, then cross those things off the list. Circle the things you want to keep no matter what. Evaluate the "in-between" items and resolve not to feel guilty if you don't do all of them.
5. Important practice saying no.
You simply can't say yes to everything. You've got to learn to say no, too. If you want to cut down on stress, you need to keep yourself from being over-committed.
6. Think about your use of time.
You could be stressed because you simply don't know how to manage your time well. If you tend to procrastinate or are poorly organized, you need help using your time wisely. Ask an organized friend for tips on how to use your time better.
7. There are also many calendars and day-timers that can help you.
Drop by your local bookstore and check out the planners and organizers specifically for all age groups. But remember: A time-management tool is only as good as your commitment to use it. So, if you purchase some kind of organizer, use it.
8. Keep God first.
Isaiah 40:29-31 says, "[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but 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."
Place your trust and hope in God and make your relationship with him your top priority. As you do, you'll discover you really do have time for what's most important in life.
Stress is different in each individual. The above is only suggestions. As every individual is unique.
There are a lot of parts to Stress.
1. Admit there is a problem.
2. Do not self-medicate in unhealthy ways.
3. Taking care of yourself physically.
4. Be intentional about what goes into your mind.
5. Don't neglect the Spiritual - prayer, Scriptures, fellowship with believers, etc.
6. Consider seeing a doctor.
Just a Note
There is so much more on the subject of stress, and this just scratches the surface. It’s so important that you connect with a person you can trust to stand with you through what you are feeling. Talk to a Pastor in your local Church or go for Patch counseling (totally free and confidential). YOU MATTER AND WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
Please if you need medical advice, we encourage to see your family doctor or go to a medical walk-in clinic or the hospital near you or call 911 if it is an emergency.
When you feel like you just can’t go on
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!
Psalm 42:11
Recently, I talked to a fourteen-year-old teen who was thinking of ending her life.
“I’ve been at this so long, pastor,” she told me through tears. “I feel like God has abandoned me. I don’t have the energy to even get out of bed. I’ve lost all hope that things will ever get better, and taking my life seems the only way to stop the pain!”
Unfortunately, this young lady isn’t alone. As a pastor, I talk to many people daily who struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, it has become a growing epidemic in our world today.
Have you ever felt the downpour of depression and emptiness in your life will never end? Do you think God and the whole world have turned their back on you? Is there a part of you that feels like giving up on everything, maybe even life?
In Psalm 42, the psalmist is in the deep well of depression. His heart is breaking over everything he’s lost. A torrent of pain and anguish fills the hole in his heart. He feels forgotten by God, abandoned by everyone, and utterly alone.
How can you find your way out of the cave of gloom that you’re fastened to today?
First, pour out your heart to God.
“Why am I so discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”
Tell God everything that you’re thinking and feeling. Don’t sugar-coat it, and don’t hold anything back. Lay it all at the foot of the cross each day, hour by hour, moment by moment (1 Peter 5:7). God wants to hear from you and be there for you. David writes in Psalm 27:8, “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.'”
Second, put your hope in God.
“I will put my hope in God!”
Depression can say some ugly things to us. Don’t believe everything your hopeless feelings tell you. Come back to the Word of God so it can speak hope and truth to our depression. Find Scriptures that remind you of the hope you have in Christ. Get alone with Jesus each day; let His Word revive your soul.
Third, pursue help from God and others.
“I will praise Him again—my, Savior and my God!”
The psalmist knew he had to stand up to his depression through worship. So, what can it look like for us to stand up to our depression today?
Maybe that’s through counseling, working with your doctor, or getting involved in a local church. Journaling, joining a support group, or slowing down and cutting back on some things so you have more margin in your life.
One of the big things to remember about pursuing help from God is that God often works through other people. So, when we’re discouraged and feel like giving up, we need to reach out to safe people for help: family, friends, pastors, etc., who can support us on our journey to healing. When depression creeps in, it can be hard to reach out, but we must call people we trust for help who can help pull us out of the darkness.
Depression is a complicated and multi-faceted issue. There are no quick fixes. But, as we pour out our hearts to God, put our hope in God, and pursue help from God, we’ll build a bridge that will allow us to experience more of God’s joy, peace, and hope in our lives.
Pause and Reflect
1. What’s causing you to feel discouraged and hopeless today? Set aside time today to pour out your heart to God.
2. Make a list of verses reminding you of your hope in Jesus. To encourage you, read those verses at the beginning and end of each day.
3. Make a list of people and places you can reach out to when you need help. Then, keep that list handy and remind yourself it’s okay to ask for help when needed.
Additional 10 Verses
1. The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:17-18
2. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
3. Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4
6. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you. – Deuteronomy 31:8
7. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31
8. But You, O LORD, are a shield around me; You are my glory, the One who holds my head high. – Psalm 3:3
9. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. – Psalm 40:1-3
10. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!
Psalm 42:11
Recently, I talked to a fourteen-year-old teen who was thinking of ending her life.
“I’ve been at this so long, pastor,” she told me through tears. “I feel like God has abandoned me. I don’t have the energy to even get out of bed. I’ve lost all hope that things will ever get better, and taking my life seems the only way to stop the pain!”
Unfortunately, this young lady isn’t alone. As a pastor, I talk to many people daily who struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, it has become a growing epidemic in our world today.
Have you ever felt the downpour of depression and emptiness in your life will never end? Do you think God and the whole world have turned their back on you? Is there a part of you that feels like giving up on everything, maybe even life?
In Psalm 42, the psalmist is in the deep well of depression. His heart is breaking over everything he’s lost. A torrent of pain and anguish fills the hole in his heart. He feels forgotten by God, abandoned by everyone, and utterly alone.
How can you find your way out of the cave of gloom that you’re fastened to today?
First, pour out your heart to God.
“Why am I so discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”
Tell God everything that you’re thinking and feeling. Don’t sugar-coat it, and don’t hold anything back. Lay it all at the foot of the cross each day, hour by hour, moment by moment (1 Peter 5:7). God wants to hear from you and be there for you. David writes in Psalm 27:8, “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘LORD, I am coming.'”
Second, put your hope in God.
“I will put my hope in God!”
Depression can say some ugly things to us. Don’t believe everything your hopeless feelings tell you. Come back to the Word of God so it can speak hope and truth to our depression. Find Scriptures that remind you of the hope you have in Christ. Get alone with Jesus each day; let His Word revive your soul.
Third, pursue help from God and others.
“I will praise Him again—my, Savior and my God!”
The psalmist knew he had to stand up to his depression through worship. So, what can it look like for us to stand up to our depression today?
Maybe that’s through counseling, working with your doctor, or getting involved in a local church. Journaling, joining a support group, or slowing down and cutting back on some things so you have more margin in your life.
One of the big things to remember about pursuing help from God is that God often works through other people. So, when we’re discouraged and feel like giving up, we need to reach out to safe people for help: family, friends, pastors, etc., who can support us on our journey to healing. When depression creeps in, it can be hard to reach out, but we must call people we trust for help who can help pull us out of the darkness.
Depression is a complicated and multi-faceted issue. There are no quick fixes. But, as we pour out our hearts to God, put our hope in God, and pursue help from God, we’ll build a bridge that will allow us to experience more of God’s joy, peace, and hope in our lives.
Pause and Reflect
1. What’s causing you to feel discouraged and hopeless today? Set aside time today to pour out your heart to God.
2. Make a list of verses reminding you of your hope in Jesus. To encourage you, read those verses at the beginning and end of each day.
3. Make a list of people and places you can reach out to when you need help. Then, keep that list handy and remind yourself it’s okay to ask for help when needed.
Additional 10 Verses
1. The LORD hears His people when they call to Him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:17-18
2. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
3. Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
4. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. – Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4
6. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you. – Deuteronomy 31:8
7. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31
8. But You, O LORD, are a shield around me; You are my glory, the One who holds my head high. – Psalm 3:3
9. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. – Psalm 40:1-3
10. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
Finding God in times of pain
(From a teen and what she has learned about God during her struggle with anxiety.)
As a kid, I remember the first time pain was explained to me.
An article by Kids Health puts it pretty similarly and explains the reason for pain like this: “When your body is injured in some way or something else is wrong, your nerves send millions of messages to your brain about what's going on. Your brain then makes you feel pain. So, if you put your hand on a hot stove, your nerves call your brain, and your brain quickly sends the message that your hand hurts. You get this message and pull your hand away from the hot stove, which saves your hand from further injury.”
I have always been fascinated by this concept- that pain is not simply the end result of injury. Rather it is a signal from your brain to the rest of your body that prevents the infliction of further injury and essentially prevents further pain.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is numbness. This too is a feeling I am not unfamiliar with. If I were to describe the valleys of my walk with the Lord over the past year and a half, it could best be described as switching back and forth between intense pain and extreme numbness. Now, I myself realize how “dark and twisty” this sounds. So let me explain.
My freshman year, I entered Biola University almost begrudgingly. I had wanted to attend a school further from home, and in all honesty was not sure I wanted to be in school at all. The transition from a lifetime of public school education to suddenly being fully immersed in a private Christian institution shook me in ways I could never have prepared for.
While some of these new experiences were negative, my life was really rocked in a positive way, namely due to the church I began attending at the beginning of the second semester. The body of this church welcomed me with open arms, sought after me, and spoke truth over my life to tear down lies I didn’t know had a hold on me. They taught me through example and discipleship how to truly know God, and perhaps most importantly, to love Him.
Gone was the dry, “hyper-fixated on your performance and sainthood” Christianity I had previously known. Where the sole focus of my faith had previously been my ultimate salvation, I was experiencing a relationship with God that “saved” and transformed my life daily. This was living.
The pain arrives
Fast forward about a year and a half, and I was still in that community. Still loving Jesus and doing pretty much all the same things. But it was also around this time I began to experience intense anxiety. The source of my anxiety varied some, mainly centering around school, work, and creative performance. It got so bad that I would often find myself staring at my laptop, knowing full well that the assignment before me was supposed to be simple. And yet I was frozen, unable to start.
My assignments became rushed, turned in seconds before deadlines if at all. I felt stupid and incapable of any good work and began receiving failing marks in several of my courses. Some days I physically could not bring myself to get out of bed to go to class, but remained otherwise high-functioning. The best way to describe this sensation for me, is an intense numbness to life, to joy, to all that I had once been so confident in. It slowly crept in, and before I could begin to recognize the symptoms, I was already paralyzed.
And yet, in all of this, I was still in the Church and pursuing a relationship with God. Why was it then that I felt like I was slowly drowning, and He was nowhere to be found?
It is said that there are seasons within our walk with God. There are ebbs and flows, as is the nature of any relationship. I too knew this, but was unprepared when the valley season actually came. Part of the reason for this, I think, is that I was gripping so tightly to the hilltop feeling that I did not allow myself to realize the earth beneath my feet was actually flattening. Rather than allowing myself to fully experience and process what was happening in the “inner room” of my life, I pulled a brave face and told the nerves in my body they were not experiencing pain. The struggle didn’t exist. I was fine. That is, until it became impossible to ignore.
An invitation to intimacy
This is my theory (which is admittedly, still in development): The pain we experience in life and the absence we feel of God’s presence is an invitation for deeper intimacy with Him.
While this may seem counterintuitive, it has been in the forced acknowledgment of my pain, of just how much I feel an absence of God’s peace, that I have begun to desire Him more. There have been days when the anxiety is so bad that I am literally on my knees, flat on the floor before the Lord. There are days when it feels like I am hanging onto my faith by my fingernails. In these moments, the only thing I have been able to cling to is what I know He has said of me.
Danielle, I call you beloved. You have worth apart from your performance, you are capable. You can rest.
When the work that I produce with my hands says otherwise, when my relationship with God is rocky ground, I cling to the belief that He is who He says He is, until all I can see is His love and mercy over me. I have found that in these moments, the Lord takes my mustard seed of faith and begins to cultivate it into something stronger.
Damaged, yes. A little rough around the edges. But stronger, and able to look back and notice the work He was doing in me. My struggle has not overcome His plan for me.
This is my prayer over myself, and for you, friend- that we would know that there is space in our stories for both the hills and the valleys. Let the pain and absence of God you feel drive you closer into His arms. Know that He is working in the quiet moments, that your awareness of the struggle is a sign that you are alive, and that He is not done with you yet.
(From a teen and what she has learned about God during her struggle with anxiety.)
As a kid, I remember the first time pain was explained to me.
An article by Kids Health puts it pretty similarly and explains the reason for pain like this: “When your body is injured in some way or something else is wrong, your nerves send millions of messages to your brain about what's going on. Your brain then makes you feel pain. So, if you put your hand on a hot stove, your nerves call your brain, and your brain quickly sends the message that your hand hurts. You get this message and pull your hand away from the hot stove, which saves your hand from further injury.”
I have always been fascinated by this concept- that pain is not simply the end result of injury. Rather it is a signal from your brain to the rest of your body that prevents the infliction of further injury and essentially prevents further pain.
On the opposite side of the spectrum is numbness. This too is a feeling I am not unfamiliar with. If I were to describe the valleys of my walk with the Lord over the past year and a half, it could best be described as switching back and forth between intense pain and extreme numbness. Now, I myself realize how “dark and twisty” this sounds. So let me explain.
My freshman year, I entered Biola University almost begrudgingly. I had wanted to attend a school further from home, and in all honesty was not sure I wanted to be in school at all. The transition from a lifetime of public school education to suddenly being fully immersed in a private Christian institution shook me in ways I could never have prepared for.
While some of these new experiences were negative, my life was really rocked in a positive way, namely due to the church I began attending at the beginning of the second semester. The body of this church welcomed me with open arms, sought after me, and spoke truth over my life to tear down lies I didn’t know had a hold on me. They taught me through example and discipleship how to truly know God, and perhaps most importantly, to love Him.
Gone was the dry, “hyper-fixated on your performance and sainthood” Christianity I had previously known. Where the sole focus of my faith had previously been my ultimate salvation, I was experiencing a relationship with God that “saved” and transformed my life daily. This was living.
The pain arrives
Fast forward about a year and a half, and I was still in that community. Still loving Jesus and doing pretty much all the same things. But it was also around this time I began to experience intense anxiety. The source of my anxiety varied some, mainly centering around school, work, and creative performance. It got so bad that I would often find myself staring at my laptop, knowing full well that the assignment before me was supposed to be simple. And yet I was frozen, unable to start.
My assignments became rushed, turned in seconds before deadlines if at all. I felt stupid and incapable of any good work and began receiving failing marks in several of my courses. Some days I physically could not bring myself to get out of bed to go to class, but remained otherwise high-functioning. The best way to describe this sensation for me, is an intense numbness to life, to joy, to all that I had once been so confident in. It slowly crept in, and before I could begin to recognize the symptoms, I was already paralyzed.
And yet, in all of this, I was still in the Church and pursuing a relationship with God. Why was it then that I felt like I was slowly drowning, and He was nowhere to be found?
It is said that there are seasons within our walk with God. There are ebbs and flows, as is the nature of any relationship. I too knew this, but was unprepared when the valley season actually came. Part of the reason for this, I think, is that I was gripping so tightly to the hilltop feeling that I did not allow myself to realize the earth beneath my feet was actually flattening. Rather than allowing myself to fully experience and process what was happening in the “inner room” of my life, I pulled a brave face and told the nerves in my body they were not experiencing pain. The struggle didn’t exist. I was fine. That is, until it became impossible to ignore.
An invitation to intimacy
This is my theory (which is admittedly, still in development): The pain we experience in life and the absence we feel of God’s presence is an invitation for deeper intimacy with Him.
While this may seem counterintuitive, it has been in the forced acknowledgment of my pain, of just how much I feel an absence of God’s peace, that I have begun to desire Him more. There have been days when the anxiety is so bad that I am literally on my knees, flat on the floor before the Lord. There are days when it feels like I am hanging onto my faith by my fingernails. In these moments, the only thing I have been able to cling to is what I know He has said of me.
Danielle, I call you beloved. You have worth apart from your performance, you are capable. You can rest.
When the work that I produce with my hands says otherwise, when my relationship with God is rocky ground, I cling to the belief that He is who He says He is, until all I can see is His love and mercy over me. I have found that in these moments, the Lord takes my mustard seed of faith and begins to cultivate it into something stronger.
Damaged, yes. A little rough around the edges. But stronger, and able to look back and notice the work He was doing in me. My struggle has not overcome His plan for me.
This is my prayer over myself, and for you, friend- that we would know that there is space in our stories for both the hills and the valleys. Let the pain and absence of God you feel drive you closer into His arms. Know that He is working in the quiet moments, that your awareness of the struggle is a sign that you are alive, and that He is not done with you yet.
So guys I know that mental health type stuff can be hard to deal with, and I know it can be hard to find good ways to cope, but the best thing we can do is go to God and take refuge in him, and put our faith in him and leave our problems in his hands.
We will find rest in God and Jesus when we go to them. Mathew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Psalm 9:9-10 “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” We can give all our worries and our problems to God, because he cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” We can also try and have the mindset that God wants us to have when dealing with things in life, wether we are just dealing with some internal emotions and struggles, or there are other external things going on in our life. James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
We should try our best to view our situations the way God wants us to, and to react in ways that are pleasing to him, instead of reacting in ways that are unhealthy and/or sinful and that are harmful in some way, like by acting out in anger, which is a sin according to scripture, or like in Mathew 5, it is implied that it is not good thing to do things like self harm, and that type of stuff. And another thing we can do is to try and focus on any thing that has some sort of goodness. Scripture even tells us to do this. Philippians 4:8 “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.” I’d like to share some coping skills that are more healthy than the kinds of things listed above, and that can work for those struggling with this thing or that thing, it is not for just one or two types of struggles.
1. Write down your feelings, in general or maybe even as prayers to God
2. Write down a list of positive things in your life, or a list of goals, or write down some things about yourself that are positive.
3. Do some form of exercise, as it can be a distraction and make us feel accomplished.
4. Set a new goal
5. Work on some things that you have been wanting to accomplish or get done
6. Try and discover new interests
7. Do research about some things that interest you
8. Look up scripture in a Bible or online that talks about God’s love for us
9. Get out and go for a walk, or go somewhere you enjoy going, or maybe do some work around your yard
10. Find something to fidget with, like a stress ball or some sort of exercise equipment for working the muscles in your hands
11. Look for something to do that would be pleasing to God, maybe even ask him what he may want you to do that is pleasing to him
12. Look for ways to serve others, like doing something nice for someone, or saying something kind to them, or even spending time with an animal, and showing it kindness, maybe doing something for it that could make it’s day.
13. Look for some kind of positive way to distract yourself from negative thoughts, or from the current situation by doing one of the things listed above, or by doing whatever is fitting for the moment
14. Allow yourself to feel some feelings, but not to the point where you dwell on negative things. Maybe even text a friend or be around them when you allow yourself to focus on something that is negative or feel negative feelings.
15. Talk to a friend about problems, or even just have a normal conversation with them.
16. Reach out to a counselor, or some person that you trust when you are struggling, and tell them about your thoughts or feelings, or the situation/s that are stressful to you.
17. Do some type of safe physical activity that requires a lot of movement or strength
18. If feeling panicked, find some type of positive distraction, maybe reach out to someone, or try and find reasons why things are going to be ok, or reasons you are safe. If needed, look for things that remind you of where you are, and of what is around you in the present moment. What around you might make you feel secure? Most importantly, have faith in God.
19. If you’re worried about what others think of you, remind yourself that, as said in scripture, the only opinion that counts is God’s opinion. Also Psalm 139:14 is a good verse to read.
20. Pray to God and tell him about your problems, and give them to him, and trust in him to take care of everything, as said to do in scripture. Remember
God loves you and you are important to him, and you are worth something to him, that’s what really matters.
- Makenzie
We will find rest in God and Jesus when we go to them. Mathew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Psalm 9:9-10 “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” We can give all our worries and our problems to God, because he cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” We can also try and have the mindset that God wants us to have when dealing with things in life, wether we are just dealing with some internal emotions and struggles, or there are other external things going on in our life. James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
We should try our best to view our situations the way God wants us to, and to react in ways that are pleasing to him, instead of reacting in ways that are unhealthy and/or sinful and that are harmful in some way, like by acting out in anger, which is a sin according to scripture, or like in Mathew 5, it is implied that it is not good thing to do things like self harm, and that type of stuff. And another thing we can do is to try and focus on any thing that has some sort of goodness. Scripture even tells us to do this. Philippians 4:8 “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.” I’d like to share some coping skills that are more healthy than the kinds of things listed above, and that can work for those struggling with this thing or that thing, it is not for just one or two types of struggles.
1. Write down your feelings, in general or maybe even as prayers to God
2. Write down a list of positive things in your life, or a list of goals, or write down some things about yourself that are positive.
3. Do some form of exercise, as it can be a distraction and make us feel accomplished.
4. Set a new goal
5. Work on some things that you have been wanting to accomplish or get done
6. Try and discover new interests
7. Do research about some things that interest you
8. Look up scripture in a Bible or online that talks about God’s love for us
9. Get out and go for a walk, or go somewhere you enjoy going, or maybe do some work around your yard
10. Find something to fidget with, like a stress ball or some sort of exercise equipment for working the muscles in your hands
11. Look for something to do that would be pleasing to God, maybe even ask him what he may want you to do that is pleasing to him
12. Look for ways to serve others, like doing something nice for someone, or saying something kind to them, or even spending time with an animal, and showing it kindness, maybe doing something for it that could make it’s day.
13. Look for some kind of positive way to distract yourself from negative thoughts, or from the current situation by doing one of the things listed above, or by doing whatever is fitting for the moment
14. Allow yourself to feel some feelings, but not to the point where you dwell on negative things. Maybe even text a friend or be around them when you allow yourself to focus on something that is negative or feel negative feelings.
15. Talk to a friend about problems, or even just have a normal conversation with them.
16. Reach out to a counselor, or some person that you trust when you are struggling, and tell them about your thoughts or feelings, or the situation/s that are stressful to you.
17. Do some type of safe physical activity that requires a lot of movement or strength
18. If feeling panicked, find some type of positive distraction, maybe reach out to someone, or try and find reasons why things are going to be ok, or reasons you are safe. If needed, look for things that remind you of where you are, and of what is around you in the present moment. What around you might make you feel secure? Most importantly, have faith in God.
19. If you’re worried about what others think of you, remind yourself that, as said in scripture, the only opinion that counts is God’s opinion. Also Psalm 139:14 is a good verse to read.
20. Pray to God and tell him about your problems, and give them to him, and trust in him to take care of everything, as said to do in scripture. Remember
God loves you and you are important to him, and you are worth something to him, that’s what really matters.
- Makenzie
3 Ways to Deal with Toxic Thoughts
“I’ll never be good enough.”
“I wonder what they think of me.”
“Nobody understands what I go through.”
“Nothing ever goes right for me.”
If you ever lie awake at night with thoughts like these, you’re not alone. As the daughter of an alcoholic Vietnam veteran, I have struggled with toxic thoughts since the day he left us when I was twelve.
Even after becoming a Christ follower at the age of twenty, I continued to worry constantly over what other people thought of me. I was easily offended and doubted anyone could truly love me. After many years now of a growing relationship with Jesus, I am learning how to deal with negative thoughts.
1. Renew your mind in God’s Word.
The Bible tells us that we must be transformed by the “renewing of our mind” (Romans 12:2). The enemy uses our past hurts and mistakes to keep us dwelling on wrong thoughts. In order to be transformed in our thinking, we have to allow God’s truth to change, not just our hearts, but our minds as well. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above.
Daily Bible reading will allow that truth to penetrate our souls. Eventually our negative thoughts will begin to align with God’s Word. Find a Bible reading plan and spend time every day soaking in His transforming truth. Even fifteen minutes a day will make a difference.
2. Take those negative thoughts captive.
Another key to dealing with toxic thoughts is being able to identify them. This requires being mindful of our thought life. We have to intentionally think about what we’re thinking about. When we realize our thoughts don’t align with truth, we are able to take control and change the narrative.
Second Corinthians 10:5 says we can “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” In other words, we acknowledge a particular thought is not of God, and we make a decision to not dwell on it. Instead, we give it over to Jesus and ask Him to change our thinking to align with His.
3. Replace your negative thoughts with truth.
I have found that there is one more step to experiencing victory in this area. We have to replace the negative thoughts with godly ones. Philippians 4:8 literally tells us what to think about:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (NIV).”
This step may take a little more effort, but it is so worth it! Identify what thoughts you struggle with most. For instance, my biggest struggle has always been with rejection. Find biblical truth to counter those thoughts and write them out on notecards. Read them aloud daily until your heart and mind commit them to memory.
Then when the toxic thoughts come, you can choose to “think about these things” instead. I won’t lie and pretend that all these years later, I no longer struggle at all with toxic thoughts. I still do, but at least now I don’t have to give in to them. When we put God’s Word to work in our lives, the Holy Spirit will use that truth to transform both our minds and our hearts. Eventually, the negative thoughts do lessen as we are renewed day by day.
“I’ll never be good enough.”
“I wonder what they think of me.”
“Nobody understands what I go through.”
“Nothing ever goes right for me.”
If you ever lie awake at night with thoughts like these, you’re not alone. As the daughter of an alcoholic Vietnam veteran, I have struggled with toxic thoughts since the day he left us when I was twelve.
Even after becoming a Christ follower at the age of twenty, I continued to worry constantly over what other people thought of me. I was easily offended and doubted anyone could truly love me. After many years now of a growing relationship with Jesus, I am learning how to deal with negative thoughts.
1. Renew your mind in God’s Word.
The Bible tells us that we must be transformed by the “renewing of our mind” (Romans 12:2). The enemy uses our past hurts and mistakes to keep us dwelling on wrong thoughts. In order to be transformed in our thinking, we have to allow God’s truth to change, not just our hearts, but our minds as well. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above.
Daily Bible reading will allow that truth to penetrate our souls. Eventually our negative thoughts will begin to align with God’s Word. Find a Bible reading plan and spend time every day soaking in His transforming truth. Even fifteen minutes a day will make a difference.
2. Take those negative thoughts captive.
Another key to dealing with toxic thoughts is being able to identify them. This requires being mindful of our thought life. We have to intentionally think about what we’re thinking about. When we realize our thoughts don’t align with truth, we are able to take control and change the narrative.
Second Corinthians 10:5 says we can “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” In other words, we acknowledge a particular thought is not of God, and we make a decision to not dwell on it. Instead, we give it over to Jesus and ask Him to change our thinking to align with His.
3. Replace your negative thoughts with truth.
I have found that there is one more step to experiencing victory in this area. We have to replace the negative thoughts with godly ones. Philippians 4:8 literally tells us what to think about:
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (NIV).”
This step may take a little more effort, but it is so worth it! Identify what thoughts you struggle with most. For instance, my biggest struggle has always been with rejection. Find biblical truth to counter those thoughts and write them out on notecards. Read them aloud daily until your heart and mind commit them to memory.
Then when the toxic thoughts come, you can choose to “think about these things” instead. I won’t lie and pretend that all these years later, I no longer struggle at all with toxic thoughts. I still do, but at least now I don’t have to give in to them. When we put God’s Word to work in our lives, the Holy Spirit will use that truth to transform both our minds and our hearts. Eventually, the negative thoughts do lessen as we are renewed day by day.
Hope in depression
Depression is a huge problem these days.
Most of us will battle some level of depression, anxiety, or feelings of hopelessness at one time or another.
So, it should be reassuring to see that Elijah, one of the greatest prophets in the whole Bible, fought his own battle with fear and depression.
The full story is fascinating and worth reading in 1 Kings:17-19. The short version is that Elijah humiliated the beloved false prophets of Israel’s wicked Queen Jezebel. In her fury, she called down a curse from her god upon herself if Elijah was not killed within 24 hours. Elijah knew she meant business and was overcome with fear. Here was a man, who had always shown amazing courage in his life, now running for his life. He became so depressed that he cried out for God to just get it over with and strike him dead. Think about that…Elijah was so consumed by fear and depression that he was ready to give up and die.
Eventually, Elijah fell into a deep sleep. Look how God responded. Twice, the angel of the Lord awakened him and gave him food and water for nourishment. God knew that depression often causes physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion, so He allowed Elijah to simply eat and sleep.
So, what can we take away from this part of Elijah’s story?
Spiritual LOWS often Follow Spiritual HIGHS. Sometimes the emotional or spiritual blues that set in after a spiritual mountaintop or an experience of great joy and victory in life are just the normal result of life’s ups and downs. The exhaustion of life’s emotional rollercoaster can cause us to be more susceptible to anxiety. We shouldn’t be surprised by that – sadly, that’s just life. What goes up will come back down.
Nothing is Impossible with God. After witnessing such a miraculous victory at the hands of God, Elijah was consumed by fear as soon as he took his focus off God and placed it on Jezebel. When we refocus on the power of God, we can see those same problems and fears from a new perspective. Often those seemingly insurmountable problems and fears begin to look a whole lot smaller when viewed in comparison to God’s might and power.
When we lose HOPE, we begin to HOPE for death. Hopelessness can easily engulf us. I know – twice when I was younger, I faced a time of prolonged depression that lasted over a year.
If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or hopelessness, let me offer you some advice on how to respond:
Talk about it to God. I promise that God can handle it. He knows what you’re thinking anyway and wants to hear from you!
Ask God’s forgiveness when you’ve gotten your focus out of whack and you’ve taken your eyes off of Him.
Ask for help to let go of all the anger and self-pity. You can’t get rid of it in your own strength.
Take it day by day. God doesn’t promise to give us strength for tomorrow, today. He gives us strength for today, today.
Rest and eat right. It was important to God that Elijah rested and had proper nourishment. In the same way, this is important for us, too.
Don’t quit. No matter how afraid you are, no matter how anxious you are about tomorrow, no matter how depressed and hopeless you feel, don’t quit! I promise that God will never, ever give up on you. There is always HOPE.
Don’t battle it alone. Keeping it to yourself can intensify the pain. Talk to a trusted friend or pastor.
If it persists or you become unable to function, consider seeking professional help. True clinical depression is a neurologic disorder that can be addressed medically.
Regardless, keep your eyes and your thoughts turned upward to God.
Remember, just as with Elijah, God will never, ever leave you.
Depression is a huge problem these days.
Most of us will battle some level of depression, anxiety, or feelings of hopelessness at one time or another.
So, it should be reassuring to see that Elijah, one of the greatest prophets in the whole Bible, fought his own battle with fear and depression.
The full story is fascinating and worth reading in 1 Kings:17-19. The short version is that Elijah humiliated the beloved false prophets of Israel’s wicked Queen Jezebel. In her fury, she called down a curse from her god upon herself if Elijah was not killed within 24 hours. Elijah knew she meant business and was overcome with fear. Here was a man, who had always shown amazing courage in his life, now running for his life. He became so depressed that he cried out for God to just get it over with and strike him dead. Think about that…Elijah was so consumed by fear and depression that he was ready to give up and die.
Eventually, Elijah fell into a deep sleep. Look how God responded. Twice, the angel of the Lord awakened him and gave him food and water for nourishment. God knew that depression often causes physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion, so He allowed Elijah to simply eat and sleep.
So, what can we take away from this part of Elijah’s story?
Spiritual LOWS often Follow Spiritual HIGHS. Sometimes the emotional or spiritual blues that set in after a spiritual mountaintop or an experience of great joy and victory in life are just the normal result of life’s ups and downs. The exhaustion of life’s emotional rollercoaster can cause us to be more susceptible to anxiety. We shouldn’t be surprised by that – sadly, that’s just life. What goes up will come back down.
Nothing is Impossible with God. After witnessing such a miraculous victory at the hands of God, Elijah was consumed by fear as soon as he took his focus off God and placed it on Jezebel. When we refocus on the power of God, we can see those same problems and fears from a new perspective. Often those seemingly insurmountable problems and fears begin to look a whole lot smaller when viewed in comparison to God’s might and power.
When we lose HOPE, we begin to HOPE for death. Hopelessness can easily engulf us. I know – twice when I was younger, I faced a time of prolonged depression that lasted over a year.
If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or hopelessness, let me offer you some advice on how to respond:
Talk about it to God. I promise that God can handle it. He knows what you’re thinking anyway and wants to hear from you!
Ask God’s forgiveness when you’ve gotten your focus out of whack and you’ve taken your eyes off of Him.
Ask for help to let go of all the anger and self-pity. You can’t get rid of it in your own strength.
Take it day by day. God doesn’t promise to give us strength for tomorrow, today. He gives us strength for today, today.
Rest and eat right. It was important to God that Elijah rested and had proper nourishment. In the same way, this is important for us, too.
Don’t quit. No matter how afraid you are, no matter how anxious you are about tomorrow, no matter how depressed and hopeless you feel, don’t quit! I promise that God will never, ever give up on you. There is always HOPE.
Don’t battle it alone. Keeping it to yourself can intensify the pain. Talk to a trusted friend or pastor.
If it persists or you become unable to function, consider seeking professional help. True clinical depression is a neurologic disorder that can be addressed medically.
Regardless, keep your eyes and your thoughts turned upward to God.
Remember, just as with Elijah, God will never, ever leave you.
So, today’s topic self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
If anyone in here is currently struggling with that stuff, please do share that with a counselor, or an adult that you trust, or if you’re not sure who to go to, you can even tell the police.
It is more than ok to reach out. It doesn’t make you dumb or weak, it makes you human. God’s word even encourages us to be there for each other actually. It’s also good to find healthy coping skills and alternatives as well.
It’s not actually an uncommon thing for people to struggle with this type of stuff, because there is so much negative in this world. Circumstances, people’s actions, al lot of that stuff is bad, that’s why a lot of what we see on the news is bad.
All of this bad stuff that goes on in this world can easily become overwhelming, and hard to cope with. Satan wants to make us miserable; he wants to confuse us and blind us and to cause us to react in the wrong ways, or to seek help from the wrong things, he wants to lead us astray, he wants to make us miserable, and to love things we shouldn’t, and seek hope and joy and purpose and peace and satisfaction from the wrong things.
One way he does this is that he makes us so miserable that we look for what we are lacking in any way that we think of, while blinding us from the truth of where we can actually find the satisfaction we are lacking. He is out to destroy us, because he hates anything to do with God and God’s will. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
I know that it is hard to not turn to worldly things to try and get some relief from pain or to try and cope.
We may look for something that will make us feel numb, or give us a thrill, or just whatever, whether it is something that we ingest, or through some other thing.
While with some things we may find temporary pleasure, or find something we are seeking for temporarily, those things are not a permanent fix. We will just need more, and more, and more of them, and those things are worldly, and therefore are not healthy ways of coping, especially because most of those things are harmful physically or in some other way, and with worldly things we have to keep seeking them over and over again, in hopes that we can get what we are looking for.
But when we seek God, if we truly allow him to be in our heart and work in our life, we will be able to find more of what we are looking for in him, and will not have to hope to gain what we wish to gain from those things we use to cope, because God is always there. We can always, always go to him, and take refuge in him. Psalm 46:1 “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
Through God and his son Jesus we can have joy, peace, hope, a safe place to vent, along with anything else we are lacking. That’s why Philippians 4:4 says to rejoice in the Lord always, because we can have joy through God for the good things that he can do for us and for the love that he gives us. And that’s why in Mathew 11:28 it says to go Jesus, also we can go to God. Rest, refuge, joy, peace, all that we can find through them.
We may feel like hurting ourselves, or just completely ending it because we feel so worthless, or because we want these feelings and problems to end, or we may feel that ingesting something can make us not feel the pain or stress or just whatever as much, or give us a distraction or a way out, or maybe we do something reckless because we are seeking a thrill. Although God gives us a much better way to cope than doing something that physically harms us of that is harmful in some other way. He will provide for us when we seek him.
While God doesn’t excuse our sins, he does love us, he loves his creation, and if we go and do things that destroy ourselves in some way, we are destroying his creation. Psalm 139:14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.”
If God loves his creation, I am sure he doesn’t want us to destroy it. He has a plan and a purpose for us. When we truly seek God, we can find him. And when we seek God, we can also find his plan for us as well. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” If we truly seek God, then in his timing he will reveal the plans that he has for us.
Regardless of what we are going through, God wants us to be patient and continue to pray to him, even in tough times. Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Even though we will go through things in this world, Jesus has overcome the world. 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.”
When we allow Jesus to be in our heart, we can look forward to someday being in heaven with him, and enduring no more suffering, so for now we are to endure and take refuge in him and God. Ultimately, if we have God and Jesus, though people may act in bad ways toward us, they can really do nothing, that doesn’t mean they can’t cause us pain, but that does mean that we don’t have to let them have power over us. Psalm 118:6 “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
We may reach out to people for help as well, it’s not wrong to do at all, and it doesn’t make us a burden, God’s word actually tells us to be there for each other, though if people fail to be there for us and to help us, we still have Jesus and God.
Of course, we know that we always have something positive, so even if our struggles have been great our they have been an ongoing thing, we can still be joyful for every day that God gives us, because it is our privilege to be alive to see another day, whether it feels like it or not. Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” We can choose to look for the positive and rely on God, every single day. How can you try and rely on God, and find joy in peace in him, and allow him to be your satisfaction?
Whether it’s physical, emotional, or a combination, we’re all dealing with some degree of discomfort, aren’t we? None of us are truly pain-free in this broken world, from minor frustration to a major crisis.
So, on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your physical/emotional pain right now?
Even if we can answer with a low number today, tomorrow’s response could change in an instant, for pain often invades our lives without warning.
But perhaps the worst part of all is that pain can cause us to question our very beliefs about God.
Where is He?
Does He really care?
Why isn’t He making it better?
Questions like these don’t necessarily have nice, tidy answers. But the resounding message of the Bible is that God is with us in our pain. He understands. He knows what it’s like to hurt.
If you have any doubts about these statements, look no further than Isaiah 53.
Jesus Christ, also known as “the man of sorrows,” faced pain head-on. He didn’t merely know pain from afar, as if He’d only read about it in the library of heaven. Instead, He became a man and lived among us. He subjected Himself to horrible pain and agony, gaining an experiential knowledge of the worst the world has to offer.
As the suffering servant of God, Jesus was “despised and rejected,” “pierced,” and “disfigured beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 53:3, 53:5, & 52:14).
Someone put it this way; All of the sufferings of body and soul were known to Him…Affliction emptied its quiver upon Him, making His heart the target for all conceivable woes.
Stop and think about how remarkable this is.
Because if you were God, wouldn’t you have accomplished your mission in a way that didn’t require you to be “familiar with suffering?” In a way where you wouldn’t be known as “the man of sorrows?”
Wouldn’t you have taken a more kingly, regal name for yourself, such as “the man of awesomeness?”
But God’s “ways are not our ways” (Isaiah 55:8). His way was “to crush Jesus and cause Him to suffer” (Isaiah 53:10).
This is precisely what led hymn writer, Philip Bliss, to pen these powerful lyrics,
“Man of sorrows, what a name
For the Son of God who came”
Jesus was willing to take on this name to demonstrate His great love for us. Taking our sin and suffering upon Himself, He endured the gruesome brutality of Roman crucifixion and emerged victorious on the other side.
So, I don’t know your pain level today. Maybe your head hurts. Maybe your heart’s been broken. Maybe your choices or the choices of another have brought pain to your doorstep.
Though I can’t possibly know what you’re dealing with, here’s what I do know- wherever you find yourself on the Pain Measurement Scale, Jesus completely understands.
And because He conquered death, there is hope, even in our pain.
You see, because of His resurrection, the clock is ticking towards a day when pain will be no more. We will finally be 100% pain-free. No Pain Measurement Scale necessary.
Thank you, Jesus, man of sorrows, for securing that glorious day for us.
So, on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your physical/emotional pain right now?
Even if we can answer with a low number today, tomorrow’s response could change in an instant, for pain often invades our lives without warning.
But perhaps the worst part of all is that pain can cause us to question our very beliefs about God.
Where is He?
Does He really care?
Why isn’t He making it better?
Questions like these don’t necessarily have nice, tidy answers. But the resounding message of the Bible is that God is with us in our pain. He understands. He knows what it’s like to hurt.
If you have any doubts about these statements, look no further than Isaiah 53.
Jesus Christ, also known as “the man of sorrows,” faced pain head-on. He didn’t merely know pain from afar, as if He’d only read about it in the library of heaven. Instead, He became a man and lived among us. He subjected Himself to horrible pain and agony, gaining an experiential knowledge of the worst the world has to offer.
As the suffering servant of God, Jesus was “despised and rejected,” “pierced,” and “disfigured beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 53:3, 53:5, & 52:14).
Someone put it this way; All of the sufferings of body and soul were known to Him…Affliction emptied its quiver upon Him, making His heart the target for all conceivable woes.
Stop and think about how remarkable this is.
Because if you were God, wouldn’t you have accomplished your mission in a way that didn’t require you to be “familiar with suffering?” In a way where you wouldn’t be known as “the man of sorrows?”
Wouldn’t you have taken a more kingly, regal name for yourself, such as “the man of awesomeness?”
But God’s “ways are not our ways” (Isaiah 55:8). His way was “to crush Jesus and cause Him to suffer” (Isaiah 53:10).
This is precisely what led hymn writer, Philip Bliss, to pen these powerful lyrics,
“Man of sorrows, what a name
For the Son of God who came”
Jesus was willing to take on this name to demonstrate His great love for us. Taking our sin and suffering upon Himself, He endured the gruesome brutality of Roman crucifixion and emerged victorious on the other side.
So, I don’t know your pain level today. Maybe your head hurts. Maybe your heart’s been broken. Maybe your choices or the choices of another have brought pain to your doorstep.
Though I can’t possibly know what you’re dealing with, here’s what I do know- wherever you find yourself on the Pain Measurement Scale, Jesus completely understands.
And because He conquered death, there is hope, even in our pain.
You see, because of His resurrection, the clock is ticking towards a day when pain will be no more. We will finally be 100% pain-free. No Pain Measurement Scale necessary.
Thank you, Jesus, man of sorrows, for securing that glorious day for us.
You are not alone. Let's talk about it
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https://christianmentalhealthresource.org/
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https://www.helpguide.org/find-help.htm
https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA/about
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Mental illness is one of the major concerns of young people these days. Walk into a youth group, a school classroom, or a sporting event and you will likely see normal, everyday healthy teens. You can easily count 10 teens who seem reasonably healthy on the outside. But according to a new study, 7 of those teens could struggle with mental health. That means, you are not alone.
There are so many people that look like they have it all together when in reality they're begging for someone to help them navigate through their emotions.” Youth see the state that our world is in, but often times feel so discouraged, confused, hurt, and alone. Unable to really find the words to describe what's going on, how they feel about it, and what they feel like they can control and what they can’t.
A lot of people feel pressure to keep feelings to themselves, and say an uncertain future makes them feel anxious or depressed.
Mental illness, like physical illness. is a condition ee can’t just ‘snap out of it’. Unlike just having a bad day or a worrying experience, depression and anxiety can linger for a long time, even when there doesn’t seem to be a good reason to feel that way. Some scientists now believe that mental illness is the result of a chemical imbalance in our brains.
Christians haven’t always been very good at talking about mental health. So, we’re going to try and take a better look at the relationship between God and mental health – turning to the pages of the Bible, and then looking at what we can do practically if we or our friends experience mental health issues.
What does the Bible say about mental health?
Our world is broken
Throughout the Bible, we are reminded that due to our sin, the world is broken, and none of us are immune from this. All of us are going to experience pain and suffering while we live in this broken world, and mental illness is a part of that.
The Bible acknowledges mental illness
While the Bible doesn’t explicitly name depression or anxiety or bipolar disorder or anything like that, there is definitely evidence in the Bible of people struggling with their mental health.
The Psalms, for example, are chock full of verses expressing severely negative emotions, as people like David cry out to God in their pain and grief. Psalm 38 is a good example of this, with verses like these:
All my longings lie open before you, Lord;
my sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart pounds, my strength fails me;
even the light has gone from my eyes.
My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;
my neighbors stay far away.
God invites his people to express their pain and suffering to him, and he listens. David concludes his Psalm in recognition of this:
Lord, do not forsake me;
do not be far from me, my God.
Come quickly to help me,
my Lord and my Savior.
We ought to care for our bodies (and brains)
While God wants us to ask for his help when we are in pain, we are also encouraged in Scripture to take care of our bodies – and by extension, our brains – when we need to. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan is praised for taking care of the physical needs of the injured man – he doesn’t just pray and walk by. We should be encouraged that when we face mental illness, seeking support from professionals is a good thing.
Let’s get practical
Now that we’ve seen what the Bible says about mental health, let’s consider some practical ways we can manage mental health.
What should I do if I am experiencing mental health issues?
If you’re experiencing mental health issues like depression and anxiety, firstly know that you are not alone. So many Christians have experienced what you are going through. Your mental health struggles are not a reflection of the quality of your faith or of your status before God.
Secondly, make sure that you seek professional help as soon as you can.
If you’re not in an immediate crisis, make an appointment to see your doctor or the counsellor at your school as soon as you can. Ask your doctor to prepare a mental health care plan with you if you’d like to go down this route.
Your doctor may want to put you on medication. Make sure you are aware of the potential side effects, but know that going on medication is not a sign of failure or weakness – it can be just what you need to help your brain get healthy again.
Next, you should tell some trusted Christian friends or family members about what you’re going through. Ask them to pray for you, that God would heal your mind and help you get back to a place where you feel mentally healthy. Ask them to check in on you.
Though you might find it hard to reach out to God at this time, remember that he wants to hear from you. You could spend some time reading through the Psalms or praying with a friend to help you remember that God cares for you and listens to you.
What should I do if a friend is experiencing mental health issues?
If a friend confides in you that they are struggling with their mental health, you should take this seriously. Your friend obviously trusts you a lot, so respect and honor that trust and don’t gossip or share their confidential disclosures with others.
However, if your friend is in immediate danger, or at risk of suicide, please tell someone who can help immediately, whether that’s a parent, teacher or leader at church.
Next, use the information above to encourage your friend to seek professional help. You could offer to go to the doctor or counsellor with them, if you think that would help them to feel more comfortable.
If your friend is a Christian, offer to pray for them. If they aren’t a Christian, you can still offer to pray, of course, but just make sure you aren’t perceived as pushing your faith on them at a time when they are vulnerable. Make sure you pray for your friend, whether you’ve told them you will or not!
If your friend is a Christian, make sure you’re careful with your language. Saying things like “worry is the opposite of prayer” are not helpful for people experiencing mental health issues. Acknowledge their struggle and help them to remember that their illness is just that – an illness.
Finally, try and make it as easy as you can for your friend to continue coming to church or youth group. Don’t make them feel guilty if they’re not up to it – you wouldn’t judge someone for being sick with the flu and not coming to youth group! But gently encourage them and remind them that they will be in a community that loves them, cares them and support them.
Breaking down the stigma
There is still a significant stigma around mental health in Christian communities, mostly due to an incorrect belief by some that Christians shouldn’t experience mental health issues if they trust God enough.
That’s why it’s so important that we continue trying to break down that stigma. If you’ve experienced mental health issues, talk about that at your church and with your Christian friends. Encourage your friends and leaders to do research around mental health. And try and eliminate language that alienates people with mental health issues, like teasing someone who is really neat for being ‘OCD’.
Churches should be places where everyone feels welcome and comfortable and loved, no matter how the brokenness of this world is affecting them.
Questions to consider
Have you ever experienced a mental health issue? How did it affect you?
Read Psalm 38. What sort of emotions does David express?
What should Christians who are struggling with mental health issues do?
How can you help a friend with mental health issues?
Have you ever heard people say things that demonstrate a stigma around mental health? How can you help fight against this?
When anxiety strikes
Worried about the future? Find comfort by looking at the past.
I struggle with anxiety. I worry about lots of things. Maybe you're like me, and regularly worry about these sort of questions:
What could happen?
What will happen?
When will it happen?
Is it going to happen?
And it goes on into a continuous spiral…
A verse that has been a beautiful help to me is Philippians 4:6-7:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Usually when we read this verse we skip over the bit about thanksgiving, yet it is vital. When I am anxious and worrying, it helps to start thanking God for everything he has done and given me already.
I thank him for lots of things:
Jesus
his love
his control of my life up until this point
my family
my friends
the people God has used to shape me
my house, my car, my food etc.
I usually start and then get on a massive roll and by the end I am less anxious and worried, and more thankful and joyful. I am also aware of how God has been in control and good to me in the past, and that gives me strength to trust him with the future.
Remember to give thanks while you present your requests to God. Are you anxious? What can you start thanking God for right now?
“I JUST CAN’T COPE ANYMORE”
We all use various types of coping skills to deal with various trials and tribulations in our lives. We’ve all been there. Life throws a lot at us. Sometimes it just feels like an overwhelming waterfall pouring on you. Have you been there? Are you in that place right now?
I want you to know that you are not alone
What Happens When we are stressed and Overwhelmed?
A lot of different things can happen to you when you feel stressed out and overwhelmed with so many things going in your life. It also varies from person to person; these feelings can manifest themselves physically in different ways for different people.
Some of the reactions to stress among teens who are having a hard time coping include:
Feeling anxious: Anxiety and stress are often closely related, and can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Anxiety is also often tied to various signs of depression in teens.
Becoming withdrawn: It’s not uncommon for teenagers to become a bit withdrawn, this introspection can be a part of self-discovery, but when it’s lead-on by immense stress, then it’s good to try to utilize teenage coping skills to resolve it.
Being aggressive: Sometimes, with a lack of coping skills in teens, stress is handled by being aggressive, either physically aggressive or speaking and acting in an aggressive way.
Feeling physically unwell: A lack of ability to cope can lead a teen to feeling unwell physically including an increase in their rate and breathing. Hands can be sweaty or clammy, along with an increase in blood flow.
Fight, flight, or freeze: Stress can trigger someone’s fight or flight reaction, or it can just cause them to freeze up in a form of parallels.
Substance issues: When someone lacks the ability to cope with things, they may turn to alcohol or other substances. This is not a way to actually deal with the issue, and often leads to even greater problems. Learning skills to cope for teens is much more productive, so let’s go over some of those right now.
Here are some healthy coping skills, arranged into different categories, to help you deal with various struggles that many of us will encounter during our lives, especially during our teenager years. Learning coping techniques to deal with these things now is beneficial because you’ll carry these positive coping skills with you for the rest of your life.
Coping with depression:
Create something: If you feel like you’re having a hard time coping with anything when you’re depressed, and the idea of doing homework or even tidying up feels insurmountable, see if you can bring yourself to simply create something.
Whether it’s a quick doodle, coloring in a book, thinking of a melody or a song, writing a story, or whatever else, this can be a really useful first step to open up the door. Whether you make art, or build something, or whatever – it feels good to see the end result.
Keep a journal: I recommend keeping a journal next to your bed, but don’t set the expectation that you’re going to write in it every single day.
It can become more of a chore if you try to write it in everyday, you could get burnt out, and so on. Unless there’s something specific that you want to journal and keep track of each day, just write in your journal when you feel like it. If it’s been a while, push yourself a bit to open it, grab a pen, and see what happens. This is another great way to start to pull yourself back up.
Coping with anxiety:
More than one quarter of people will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime.
Exposure therapy can be an incredibly effective way to overcome certain types of anxiety, by training your mind to realize that whatever you’re anxious about will not come to fruition most of the time.
By experiencing what you’re anxious about, you’ll learn that it’s not too bad, and your anxiety is much worse than the thing you were feeling anxious about.
Listening to music to cope with anxiety: I think we all know that music can make us feel things, right?
Some songs can make you feel sad, some songs can make you feel hyped up, some songs can just connect to you and relate to your life on a deep level. Whatever the case may be, it can be a good idea to create playlists that you can get lost in when you’re feeling anxious.
Coping with anger:
Take a few moments: When you’re in the middle of an angry moment, it’s almost impossible to take yourself out of the moment and calm yourself down. But if you’re able to seize the brief moment right before it’s too late, by learning to recognize when you’re getting angry and taking yourself out of the situation, this is a brilliant way to cope with these feelings. You’ll stop your anger from getting worse, and give yourself an opportunity to calm down before anything worse happens. Anger management for teenagers isn’t easy, but learning these coping skills will help you immensely.
Identify solutions: Before just getting angry at something, or even during or after you’ve started to feel angry, start thinking about a solution to whatever is making you angry. The sooner you find a solution, the sooner you’ll be past it and the sooner you’re past it, the sooner there won’t be anything to feel angry about. This depends on what’s bothering you, of course, but it’s a good idea to be a solution-oriented instead of stewing on something that’s already happened or is inevitable. Fix it, so that you can get on with things and not feel angry.
Use humor: Sometimes, finding humor in a situation can be a great way to diffuse things, depending on your sense of humor and who you’re dealing with. In some conflicts, it can just set both people off and make things a lot worse, but among good friends, sometimes a good joke is enough to settle the rising-tensions of anger between multiple parties. Humor can be a good coping mechanism for teens dealing with anger issues, but it can also be taken the wrong way, so be mindful and play this card carefully.
More Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Any coping mechanism that makes you feel better without having to resort to bad or harmful coping mechanisms could be considered a healthy coping mechanism but here are some that are directly related to better health.
Going for a peaceful walk: Throw on some headphones or just enjoy the sounds of your surroundings, either way, taking a walk is a very healthy coping mechanism because it gives you a chance to disconnect from things, take some time to yourself, and it’s good for your mind and your body.
Spending time at the park: Is there a park near you, or even an area with a few trees and a table or bench? Sometime in nature, whether you’re on a woodsy trail, sitting near a body of water, or anywhere else that feels calming,
Intense exercise: A walk or a stroll in the park is always nice, but many people feel great after an intense workout. Exercise can be a good way to get your mind off things, especially when you’re in the middle of an intense workout where all you can really think about is finding the willpower to keep going. You can forget about life’s problems, forget about the things that are stressing you, forget about whatever makes you feel angry or anxious, and just dedicate yourself to the exercise.
Once you learn to use coping strategies for teens, you’ll soon learn that these are strategies and techniques that you’ll end up using for the rest of your life. Hopefully, you’ve found some helpful ideas on this coping skills list, and we also plan on expanding this list of coping skills for teens so please feel free to contact us at the Patch and make any suggestions of anything that’s worked for you!
Here’s another link you may find helpful:
https://seattlechristiancounseling.com/counselors-directory
We all use various types of coping skills to deal with various trials and tribulations in our lives. We’ve all been there. Life throws a lot at us. Sometimes it just feels like an overwhelming waterfall pouring on you. Have you been there? Are you in that place right now?
I want you to know that you are not alone
What Happens When we are stressed and Overwhelmed?
A lot of different things can happen to you when you feel stressed out and overwhelmed with so many things going in your life. It also varies from person to person; these feelings can manifest themselves physically in different ways for different people.
Some of the reactions to stress among teens who are having a hard time coping include:
Feeling anxious: Anxiety and stress are often closely related, and can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Anxiety is also often tied to various signs of depression in teens.
Becoming withdrawn: It’s not uncommon for teenagers to become a bit withdrawn, this introspection can be a part of self-discovery, but when it’s lead-on by immense stress, then it’s good to try to utilize teenage coping skills to resolve it.
Being aggressive: Sometimes, with a lack of coping skills in teens, stress is handled by being aggressive, either physically aggressive or speaking and acting in an aggressive way.
Feeling physically unwell: A lack of ability to cope can lead a teen to feeling unwell physically including an increase in their rate and breathing. Hands can be sweaty or clammy, along with an increase in blood flow.
Fight, flight, or freeze: Stress can trigger someone’s fight or flight reaction, or it can just cause them to freeze up in a form of parallels.
Substance issues: When someone lacks the ability to cope with things, they may turn to alcohol or other substances. This is not a way to actually deal with the issue, and often leads to even greater problems. Learning skills to cope for teens is much more productive, so let’s go over some of those right now.
Here are some healthy coping skills, arranged into different categories, to help you deal with various struggles that many of us will encounter during our lives, especially during our teenager years. Learning coping techniques to deal with these things now is beneficial because you’ll carry these positive coping skills with you for the rest of your life.
Coping with depression:
Create something: If you feel like you’re having a hard time coping with anything when you’re depressed, and the idea of doing homework or even tidying up feels insurmountable, see if you can bring yourself to simply create something.
Whether it’s a quick doodle, coloring in a book, thinking of a melody or a song, writing a story, or whatever else, this can be a really useful first step to open up the door. Whether you make art, or build something, or whatever – it feels good to see the end result.
Keep a journal: I recommend keeping a journal next to your bed, but don’t set the expectation that you’re going to write in it every single day.
It can become more of a chore if you try to write it in everyday, you could get burnt out, and so on. Unless there’s something specific that you want to journal and keep track of each day, just write in your journal when you feel like it. If it’s been a while, push yourself a bit to open it, grab a pen, and see what happens. This is another great way to start to pull yourself back up.
Coping with anxiety:
More than one quarter of people will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime.
Exposure therapy can be an incredibly effective way to overcome certain types of anxiety, by training your mind to realize that whatever you’re anxious about will not come to fruition most of the time.
By experiencing what you’re anxious about, you’ll learn that it’s not too bad, and your anxiety is much worse than the thing you were feeling anxious about.
Listening to music to cope with anxiety: I think we all know that music can make us feel things, right?
Some songs can make you feel sad, some songs can make you feel hyped up, some songs can just connect to you and relate to your life on a deep level. Whatever the case may be, it can be a good idea to create playlists that you can get lost in when you’re feeling anxious.
Coping with anger:
Take a few moments: When you’re in the middle of an angry moment, it’s almost impossible to take yourself out of the moment and calm yourself down. But if you’re able to seize the brief moment right before it’s too late, by learning to recognize when you’re getting angry and taking yourself out of the situation, this is a brilliant way to cope with these feelings. You’ll stop your anger from getting worse, and give yourself an opportunity to calm down before anything worse happens. Anger management for teenagers isn’t easy, but learning these coping skills will help you immensely.
Identify solutions: Before just getting angry at something, or even during or after you’ve started to feel angry, start thinking about a solution to whatever is making you angry. The sooner you find a solution, the sooner you’ll be past it and the sooner you’re past it, the sooner there won’t be anything to feel angry about. This depends on what’s bothering you, of course, but it’s a good idea to be a solution-oriented instead of stewing on something that’s already happened or is inevitable. Fix it, so that you can get on with things and not feel angry.
Use humor: Sometimes, finding humor in a situation can be a great way to diffuse things, depending on your sense of humor and who you’re dealing with. In some conflicts, it can just set both people off and make things a lot worse, but among good friends, sometimes a good joke is enough to settle the rising-tensions of anger between multiple parties. Humor can be a good coping mechanism for teens dealing with anger issues, but it can also be taken the wrong way, so be mindful and play this card carefully.
More Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Any coping mechanism that makes you feel better without having to resort to bad or harmful coping mechanisms could be considered a healthy coping mechanism but here are some that are directly related to better health.
Going for a peaceful walk: Throw on some headphones or just enjoy the sounds of your surroundings, either way, taking a walk is a very healthy coping mechanism because it gives you a chance to disconnect from things, take some time to yourself, and it’s good for your mind and your body.
Spending time at the park: Is there a park near you, or even an area with a few trees and a table or bench? Sometime in nature, whether you’re on a woodsy trail, sitting near a body of water, or anywhere else that feels calming,
Intense exercise: A walk or a stroll in the park is always nice, but many people feel great after an intense workout. Exercise can be a good way to get your mind off things, especially when you’re in the middle of an intense workout where all you can really think about is finding the willpower to keep going. You can forget about life’s problems, forget about the things that are stressing you, forget about whatever makes you feel angry or anxious, and just dedicate yourself to the exercise.
Once you learn to use coping strategies for teens, you’ll soon learn that these are strategies and techniques that you’ll end up using for the rest of your life. Hopefully, you’ve found some helpful ideas on this coping skills list, and we also plan on expanding this list of coping skills for teens so please feel free to contact us at the Patch and make any suggestions of anything that’s worked for you!
Here’s another link you may find helpful:
https://seattlechristiancounseling.com/counselors-directory
Cutting. A common reality.
Once again, can I remind you that you are not alone. But you may be asking, why am I cutting?
Let's look at this:
Self-harm is an attempt to find relief from emotional distress. Here is what the Bible offers to those who are cutting.
Mia grew angry when she found herself rejected by her stepdad and forced to live with her dad and his girlfriend’s son, a young man who had bullied her at school. After some months of counseling, Mia was able to verbalize, “I cut myself so I can show my mom how much I hate my stepfather and how much he’s hurt me. It makes me feel better when I cut, because it’s like the pain he’s left inside of me leaves my body when I bleed.”
While it seems counterintuitive, self-harm is an attempt to find relief from emotional distress. This explains why it’s labeled as a no suicidal self-injury (NSSI.) Types of injury can include skin cutting, head banging or hitting, burning, drinking harmful substances or putting harmful items into body openings.
Even though you are engaged in self-injury and not attempting suicide, self-injury can be addictive, cause serious damage and become life threatening. If you are facing this issue or you’re caring for someone struggling, the first step would be to seek help from a licensed mental health professional. Once that journey is started, here are ideas to help teens face difficult feelings that may come up.
Feeling: Things are never going to get better.
Truth: God promises you a future and a hope. He will help them through their current circumstances. You may not see it right now and don’t understand how He is working in your life. Right now, things may seem hopeless, you can’t see any way to stop the hurt but here’s the thing: You are wrapped up in the right here and right now. It’s time to trust God still, and wait on Him (Psalm 46:1, Psalm 27:14, Hebrews 12:1-3; Proverbs 23:18).
Think about past changes in your life such as getting older. Things change and change takes time. It is OK to move as quickly or as slowly as YOU are comfortable.
Activity suggestions: write down negative statements you tell yourself on a regular basis that include the words never or always, such as, “Things are never going to get better” or “I always do the wrong thing.” Rewrite those statements in flexible terms such as, “Things could get better with hard work” or “Sometimes I make good decisions.” The idea is to recognize we rarely live life in the absolutes of “never” or “always,” and a good outcome is as likely as a bad outcome. say the positive, flexible statements out loud whenever thinking the negative thoughts.
A good phrase: “This too shall pass.”
Why do I cut?
Feeling: I need to be punished.
Truth:
When Jesus allowed himself to be beaten, mocked and nailed to a cross to die, He paid the price for any wrongs. He bled (so we don’t have to) and gave grace, love and forgiveness. His perfect love casts out fear (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 4:18).
Self-injury causes harm. Think of three things to do when you want to self-harm, such as journaling, talking to a friend or taking a vigorous walk or run. Start with just one new way of coping and practice it for a week. Add other new strategies down the road.
A good phrase: “I am not a bad person who deserves punishment. I am a hurting person who deserves to be understood.”
What to tell someone else: “You are valuable to me, and it scares me when you hurt yourself.”
Feeling: God has abandoned me.
Truth:
Because God loves us, He promises to never leave or forsake us. God’s love is everlasting; it will never stop, disappear or grow cold. Nothing can separate us from His love — not even the teen. God will provide mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16; 13:5; Ephesians 2:4-5; Romans 8:35-39).
Keep in mind, we tend to attach human characteristics to God; yet God’s character does not resemble ours. Feeling abandoned by people in life does not mean God will do the same. Grab your Bible and research the character of God. Do you see examples of His faithfulness, even when others are not faithful? How does this relate to you?
Listen to the song “You Are More” by Tenth Avenue North or read the lyrics. What can be taken away from the song regarding God’s forgiveness and love?
A good phrase: “People may abandon me, but God never will.”
What to tell someone else: “I’ve learned even if I can’t feel God’s presence, it doesn’t mean He isn’t there.”
Feeling: I’ll never be able to change.
Truth:
When we came to Christ, He made us new. Remind your teens it takes time to renew our mind, body and spirit, but He has promised to change us no matter how we feel. He is reliable and faithful (John 15:15; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:23).
Change is hard but possible if your teens are willing. Help them consider all of the things that will improve in life if they stop self-harming.
Consider what may get harder if they stop self-harming. Make plans for healthy ways to cope.
A good phrase: “I have made good changes in the past. I can do it again.”
What to tell someone else: Point out and celebrate small, positive changes as they are made.
Feeling: I’m unlovable.
Truth:
When Jesus died on the Cross, He demonstrated the ultimate act of love. God showed us the high value He puts on our lives when He paid the cost by giving the life of His one and only Son (Romans 5:6-11; John 3:16).
write down three personal strengths and put the list somewhere you can see it. Whenever you see the list, you should read it out loud. Try to do this three times or more a day.
Good phrase: “God loves me; therefore, I am lovable.”
What to tell someone else: “This is what I see in you that is lovable.”
Feeling: I feel like God won’t forgive me.
Truth:
Despite how you see yourself, God sees us as blameless and holy because of what Christ did on the Cross. It’s hard to imagine, but God has completely forgiven us. When we confess sin, He is more than willing to forgive and cleanse us, no matter how many mistakes we make (Colossians 1:22; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 John 1:9).
We often find it easy to forgive other people but so hard to forgive ourselves. How have you been able to forgive others in your life? Can they apply those principles to forgiving yourself?
Write a letter to God asking for forgiveness. Based on what you know about God’s character, write a letter from God in response. Then share these letters with a trusted Christian mentor or counselor.
Good phrase: “God can help me forgive.”
What to tell someone else: Share an honest story of a sin you committed, your confession and how God forgave and healed you.
Remember, change takes time. However, remember what God says. Trust God for His good plan for your life.
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.
Proverbs 12:25
The Bible does not state what causes anxiety. Perhaps that’s because anxiety cannot be over simplified or reduced to one common cause. But when it surfaces and no matter how it enters in—through some trial, crisis, suffering, perceived lack, emotional, spiritual condition or other, it can be a peril to the body and soul, destabilizing every part of life and well-being. Just as Solomon was writing anxiety is not just felt in the emotions or brain and mind, it is felt in the body, and burdens the heart; weighing it down until it is unbearable. If you open the Bible to find something on anxiety that will help you, you might have to look under several words or topics such as “heaviness, distress, trouble and cares. That’s because the word anxiety is like an umbrella with many prongs.
Some things we know about anxiety are:
About 40 million adults between the ages of 18 and 54 suffer from anxiety disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that anxiety has become the number one mental health issue in North America. That alone tells us anxiety is not uncommon and Christians should never think they are alone when they experience anxiety. We might understand the physiology and psychological aspect of anxiety, but God also wants us to understand it as a spiritual issue which is why he talks about it so much in the Bible. God talks about it, not to shame us or berate us for experiencing it as people of faith or to make us feel our faith is inadequate, but so we will know it’s not uncommon, there is nothing to be ashamed of, and he has provided answers for the anxiety we experience in our life at times. Since anxiety can come upon both believers and nonbelievers; and believers are not immune from having mental or emotional disorders or be plagued by things such as anxiety, fear, or worry it’s good to know the only thing that sets us apart is because of the relationship we have in the Lord. Our relationship with God gives us additional strength and support; help to overcome even something as weighty as anxiety.
Because God loves and cares for us and does not want us to suffer under the weight of anxiety or any emotional, psychological, or spiritual pain, he tackles the hard stuff in this life and is not afraid to talk about the things the devil shames us over. When Jesus died on the cross for all our sins and suffering, he set us free, so we are free to speak up about it and seek help for it, using God’s Word as a spiritual resource and those professionally trained to experience wholeness and regain mental, emotional and spiritual health.
Praying Proverbs 12:25
God, it’s been said we should let you do the worrying which will keep anxiety away. When we are feeling anxious help us to seek and accept help, both in your Word and those who are trained to help us in this area. When the devil shames us help us to push back by calling him what we know him to be, “a liar and the father of lies” because we know Jesus took the shame on himself and made it possible that we might be victorious even over anxiety. Amen
Once again, can I remind you that you are not alone. But you may be asking, why am I cutting?
Let's look at this:
Self-harm is an attempt to find relief from emotional distress. Here is what the Bible offers to those who are cutting.
Mia grew angry when she found herself rejected by her stepdad and forced to live with her dad and his girlfriend’s son, a young man who had bullied her at school. After some months of counseling, Mia was able to verbalize, “I cut myself so I can show my mom how much I hate my stepfather and how much he’s hurt me. It makes me feel better when I cut, because it’s like the pain he’s left inside of me leaves my body when I bleed.”
While it seems counterintuitive, self-harm is an attempt to find relief from emotional distress. This explains why it’s labeled as a no suicidal self-injury (NSSI.) Types of injury can include skin cutting, head banging or hitting, burning, drinking harmful substances or putting harmful items into body openings.
Even though you are engaged in self-injury and not attempting suicide, self-injury can be addictive, cause serious damage and become life threatening. If you are facing this issue or you’re caring for someone struggling, the first step would be to seek help from a licensed mental health professional. Once that journey is started, here are ideas to help teens face difficult feelings that may come up.
Feeling: Things are never going to get better.
Truth: God promises you a future and a hope. He will help them through their current circumstances. You may not see it right now and don’t understand how He is working in your life. Right now, things may seem hopeless, you can’t see any way to stop the hurt but here’s the thing: You are wrapped up in the right here and right now. It’s time to trust God still, and wait on Him (Psalm 46:1, Psalm 27:14, Hebrews 12:1-3; Proverbs 23:18).
Think about past changes in your life such as getting older. Things change and change takes time. It is OK to move as quickly or as slowly as YOU are comfortable.
Activity suggestions: write down negative statements you tell yourself on a regular basis that include the words never or always, such as, “Things are never going to get better” or “I always do the wrong thing.” Rewrite those statements in flexible terms such as, “Things could get better with hard work” or “Sometimes I make good decisions.” The idea is to recognize we rarely live life in the absolutes of “never” or “always,” and a good outcome is as likely as a bad outcome. say the positive, flexible statements out loud whenever thinking the negative thoughts.
A good phrase: “This too shall pass.”
Why do I cut?
Feeling: I need to be punished.
Truth:
When Jesus allowed himself to be beaten, mocked and nailed to a cross to die, He paid the price for any wrongs. He bled (so we don’t have to) and gave grace, love and forgiveness. His perfect love casts out fear (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 4:18).
Self-injury causes harm. Think of three things to do when you want to self-harm, such as journaling, talking to a friend or taking a vigorous walk or run. Start with just one new way of coping and practice it for a week. Add other new strategies down the road.
A good phrase: “I am not a bad person who deserves punishment. I am a hurting person who deserves to be understood.”
What to tell someone else: “You are valuable to me, and it scares me when you hurt yourself.”
Feeling: God has abandoned me.
Truth:
Because God loves us, He promises to never leave or forsake us. God’s love is everlasting; it will never stop, disappear or grow cold. Nothing can separate us from His love — not even the teen. God will provide mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16; 13:5; Ephesians 2:4-5; Romans 8:35-39).
Keep in mind, we tend to attach human characteristics to God; yet God’s character does not resemble ours. Feeling abandoned by people in life does not mean God will do the same. Grab your Bible and research the character of God. Do you see examples of His faithfulness, even when others are not faithful? How does this relate to you?
Listen to the song “You Are More” by Tenth Avenue North or read the lyrics. What can be taken away from the song regarding God’s forgiveness and love?
A good phrase: “People may abandon me, but God never will.”
What to tell someone else: “I’ve learned even if I can’t feel God’s presence, it doesn’t mean He isn’t there.”
Feeling: I’ll never be able to change.
Truth:
When we came to Christ, He made us new. Remind your teens it takes time to renew our mind, body and spirit, but He has promised to change us no matter how we feel. He is reliable and faithful (John 15:15; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 10:23).
Change is hard but possible if your teens are willing. Help them consider all of the things that will improve in life if they stop self-harming.
Consider what may get harder if they stop self-harming. Make plans for healthy ways to cope.
A good phrase: “I have made good changes in the past. I can do it again.”
What to tell someone else: Point out and celebrate small, positive changes as they are made.
Feeling: I’m unlovable.
Truth:
When Jesus died on the Cross, He demonstrated the ultimate act of love. God showed us the high value He puts on our lives when He paid the cost by giving the life of His one and only Son (Romans 5:6-11; John 3:16).
write down three personal strengths and put the list somewhere you can see it. Whenever you see the list, you should read it out loud. Try to do this three times or more a day.
Good phrase: “God loves me; therefore, I am lovable.”
What to tell someone else: “This is what I see in you that is lovable.”
Feeling: I feel like God won’t forgive me.
Truth:
Despite how you see yourself, God sees us as blameless and holy because of what Christ did on the Cross. It’s hard to imagine, but God has completely forgiven us. When we confess sin, He is more than willing to forgive and cleanse us, no matter how many mistakes we make (Colossians 1:22; Colossians 1:13-14; 1 John 1:9).
We often find it easy to forgive other people but so hard to forgive ourselves. How have you been able to forgive others in your life? Can they apply those principles to forgiving yourself?
Write a letter to God asking for forgiveness. Based on what you know about God’s character, write a letter from God in response. Then share these letters with a trusted Christian mentor or counselor.
Good phrase: “God can help me forgive.”
What to tell someone else: Share an honest story of a sin you committed, your confession and how God forgave and healed you.
Remember, change takes time. However, remember what God says. Trust God for His good plan for your life.
Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.
Proverbs 12:25
The Bible does not state what causes anxiety. Perhaps that’s because anxiety cannot be over simplified or reduced to one common cause. But when it surfaces and no matter how it enters in—through some trial, crisis, suffering, perceived lack, emotional, spiritual condition or other, it can be a peril to the body and soul, destabilizing every part of life and well-being. Just as Solomon was writing anxiety is not just felt in the emotions or brain and mind, it is felt in the body, and burdens the heart; weighing it down until it is unbearable. If you open the Bible to find something on anxiety that will help you, you might have to look under several words or topics such as “heaviness, distress, trouble and cares. That’s because the word anxiety is like an umbrella with many prongs.
Some things we know about anxiety are:
About 40 million adults between the ages of 18 and 54 suffer from anxiety disorders. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that anxiety has become the number one mental health issue in North America. That alone tells us anxiety is not uncommon and Christians should never think they are alone when they experience anxiety. We might understand the physiology and psychological aspect of anxiety, but God also wants us to understand it as a spiritual issue which is why he talks about it so much in the Bible. God talks about it, not to shame us or berate us for experiencing it as people of faith or to make us feel our faith is inadequate, but so we will know it’s not uncommon, there is nothing to be ashamed of, and he has provided answers for the anxiety we experience in our life at times. Since anxiety can come upon both believers and nonbelievers; and believers are not immune from having mental or emotional disorders or be plagued by things such as anxiety, fear, or worry it’s good to know the only thing that sets us apart is because of the relationship we have in the Lord. Our relationship with God gives us additional strength and support; help to overcome even something as weighty as anxiety.
Because God loves and cares for us and does not want us to suffer under the weight of anxiety or any emotional, psychological, or spiritual pain, he tackles the hard stuff in this life and is not afraid to talk about the things the devil shames us over. When Jesus died on the cross for all our sins and suffering, he set us free, so we are free to speak up about it and seek help for it, using God’s Word as a spiritual resource and those professionally trained to experience wholeness and regain mental, emotional and spiritual health.
Praying Proverbs 12:25
God, it’s been said we should let you do the worrying which will keep anxiety away. When we are feeling anxious help us to seek and accept help, both in your Word and those who are trained to help us in this area. When the devil shames us help us to push back by calling him what we know him to be, “a liar and the father of lies” because we know Jesus took the shame on himself and made it possible that we might be victorious even over anxiety. Amen