What's in Your Head? From Elle Limebearনমুনা

“Wherever you go, you’re never alone, you’re under the wings in a shadow”

Philippians 4:7 - “and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Mental illness can make us feel extremely alone, like we’re the only ones with it, feeling like no one understands. Then shame loads on, self worth cripples, hope dissolves, and vision is blurred. Then we hit rock bottom. But let me tell you my friend, you are NEVER alone. You will never be alone as our God is omnipresent, available, listening, watching over you, and walking beside you. So that lie that keeps whirling in your head telling you ‘you’re so alone,’ ‘no one cares,’ ‘you have to do life on your own’  - tell that voice to get out and never come back. You are totally capable. You are brilliant. You have a reason to be here. You can do all things with HIS strength. I believe it. I believe in you!

The way my friend Jane explains anxiety is spot on: ‘Anxiety steals. It destroys. It sucks life dry. It takes up precious headspace. It kills dreams, crushes creativity, and causes stage fright.’ I hate anxiety.

Matthew 6:34 says, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

And doesn’t each day have enough trouble of its own!! Ha! But I love this verse. It puts things into perspective. I’m not in tomorrow, so there is no point worrying about that situation, conversation, meeting etc. Easier said than done I know, but I’ll get there when I get there. Focus on today. Let’s try to be present today. Tomorrow will come and go too. 

And oh my goodness - the word of God is utterly incredible. We have a book that BEAMS with truth, and we get to cling to this truth, the living word. Even when our lives, our minds, and our situations look and feel out of control, we have a choice to cling to the truth or avoid it. It’s up to us. We make the call. Mental illness, as we know, makes us overthink EVERYTHING. But the truth is something that we don’t need to worry about. It’s concrete; it’s as rock solid as my abs (joke), but like proper solid stuff. That is the substance that we can rely on and stand firmly on.

Romans 12:9, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

Prayer: Today, we say BYE BYE to that big, ugly beast called anxiety. You’re not welcome anymore. I don’t want to hold hands with you. You’re not allowed to whisper in my ear anymore. I give you ZERO permission to hold me. I don’t even want to ‘see ya later.’ I want to  ‘see you never!’ Lord Jesus, you will never leave me. You are the maker of peace, who I long for. Come now by your Holy Spirit. Fill me, dig out the dirt in me, ignite me and make me new. Amen.