Mental Health: Saying Goodbye to StigmaSample

Day Ten - Walking in Victory

Romans 8:37 - No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

To end this devotional, I couldn’t leave you without addressing a very important concept that some are in the habit of neglecting - victory.

When you have walked through Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar, Schizophrenia, BPD, or any other mental illness, there is a label that attaches itself to you. Your diagnosis label.

For me, Bipolar Affective Disorder is something that I may have to live with for the rest of my life. The diagnosis is true. But the label does not have to stick.

What I mean by this is simple - do not allow your mental state to define you.

I have met individuals who have suffered terrible and traumatic illnesses in their lives - not just mental but physical illnesses such as cancer. Something that I have witnessed that saddens me, however, is when that individual allows their season of poor health to define them and the rest of their lives.

In Christ, we are more than conquerors.

He is the only One worthy of defining us.

Friend, please do not let a portion of your story become the entire story.

Let it be the chapter or chapters it was meant to be, and ask God to help you move on to the next part of your story.

Of course, you will carry those seasons with you as you journey through life—and there is wisdom in that! There are things I have learned whilst ill and in recovery that I will treasure forever (remember day six on peace!).

But I refuse to be defined by a part of my story that was never meant to encapsulate me.

As we draw this devotional to a close, my last piece of advice is that you get on your knees before the Lord and, rather than asking Him to remove the thorn in your flesh—whatever that may look like—ask Him to define you.

Ask Him to allow His love, mercy, and healing to define you.

You are made for so much more than your experiences with mental health and illness.

He has come to give you life and life in all its fullness.

Walk in it.

God bless you.

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