Dream Fulfilled Life

“For God has not given us a Spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

I don’t know about you, but there are certainly days, weeks,  months, and even years of my life when I have not felt like I had power, love, or a sound mind. Not because I didn’t have the Spirit in me, for I received the Holy Spirit as a child when I accepted God’s gift of salvation through Jesus, but because either I allowed Satan to distort my thoughts and feelings without realizing it or because mental illness, like physical illness, is a symptom of the evil that inhabits our bodies because we live in a fallen world tainted by sin. Both are definitely at play in my life and the lives of many of us at some time or other.

So how do we fight back against the forces of Satan and sin in our minds and lives?  God has taught me and used others to teach me a few ways to guard against the mental and emotional attacks as well as battle those attacks when they inevitably try to wage war on the Spirit of God within you. I’m not always successful, so Satan and my sinful nature will win a battle or two sometimes, but God has already won the war, so I can rest easy knowing He will see me through. This is what I have learned about guarding against and fighting sadness, worry, fear, insecurity,  depression, and anxiety when they come knocking. 

1. Be Grounded in the Word

Our first defense and first way to fight back is reading our Bible. I don’t mean by opening up to a random page and reading a verse out of context. I mean by daily and regularly committing to reading and working to understand the Bible as a story. The story the original audiences of the Bible would have understood. Understanding who God is and understanding who you are in Him is the most powerful way to bear the good fruit of the Spirit – that power, love, and sound mind Paul talks about in 2 Timothy. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4 NKJV. Abide means to remain, continue, and stay. Therefore, we must remain connected to Jesus. Continue to read His word, and stay close to His heart at all times. 

2. Know your Values

Do you really know who you are? Do you know who God says you are? Sometimes when we are tempted to give in to a negative thought, or we are trying to drag ourselves up from the depths of worry or sadness that have overtaken us, it can be powerful to know your values and your purpose. A commitment to live by your values and connecting to your purpose can sometimes be enough to push you to take a small step in the right direction – and we all know things can get easier after the first step.  I have taken my values from the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering (patience), kindness, goodness, and self control. There is no law against these things! (NKJV)” The word patience in parentheses is taken from other translations of scripture than the NKJV. I think the feeling of the word “patience” is more positive  than “long suffering” even if the actual definition is generally the same. My personal mission statement is as follows: It is my purpose to live a life of true worship to God and to live in such a way that others can see His love in me. The decision to live by these values and in this mission has helped me on some of my darkest days. I encourage you to search your Bible and your heart to create your own list of values and discover your life’s purpose.

3. Mindfulness

I know that mindfulness is a buzz word in our culture and conjures up images of deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and journaling. All of those things can be beneficial. Deep breathing really does calm a racing heart and sweaty palms. Yoga is good for strength and flexibility and understanding the needs of your body. I keep a personal prayer journal where I try to practice confession and gratitude. However, mindfulness encompasses a little more when we focus our thoughts the way we are encouraged by Paul in Philippians 4, “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things (verse 8 NKJV).” When I read this I am encouraged to intentionally move my thoughts away from negative feelings and sensations and focus my mind on things that are pure and lovely. Music is wonderful for this practice and uplifting to the spirit. Worship music is often my go to, but any music that allows you to continue focusing on things that are true, noble, pure, lovely, and respectful can work. I also like poetry, books, and movies that fit this description. Allowing yourself to engage your senses in the enjoyment of a chocolate bar can be a really fun way to practice mindfulness. Just remember I said one chocolate bar – not five. 

4. Be a Servant of Christ

Ask yourself – what would you do if you were well? If the problem you were experiencing was no longer a problem, what would you do? Would you paint masterpieces? Would you try for a promotion at work? Would you finish school? Would you get married? Travel to South America as a missionary? Would you lose weight? Would you simply show up in the lives of your friends and family more often? When we are fighting our minds, it can be hard to do anything, and we feel stuck. Jesus doesn’t want that for us. He wants us to live a full life. Truthfully, you may not be able to do that this minute. But the chances are you can do something. One of my husband’s favorite sayings is “a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.” This saying has gotten me to decide to hit the treadmill for ten minutes, helped me write a paragraph, read a page, or even just wash my face. Sometimes that ten minutes turns into thirty, and sometimes it doesn’t. But those ten minutes were still better than just sitting there doing nothing. So, if you were well, you would be serving Christ in a multitude of ways. “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God  (1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV).” What could you do RIGHT NOW that would serve God?

5. Self-care

Self-care is another cultural buzz-word that brings up things like mani/pedis, massages, and bubble baths. Now, I’m not going to knock a good massage. That’s some of the best medicine I can get, but that’s not the self-care I’m referring to. I mean simply caring for your body and mind. Drink water, get seven to eight hours of sleep, eat meals with a few veggies in them – before you are hungry enough to faint, move your body regularly. Get a shower, trim your nails, wear clothes that are comfortable and make you feel good. Have a good support system around you to help you manage the things in your life that need managing. Let your mom, best friend, significant other, sister, or whoever, show up for you and support you. You matter. This isn’t being selfish – this is caring for a body that houses the Holy Spirit. You would not expect your pastor to neglect the church building – it needs to be cleaned and repaired regularly and updated periodically. You also need to care for your body. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are,” 1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV). I recently got a good dose of how important this seemingly simple self-care is. I spent a few days away caring for my mother as she went through a difficult surgery. During my time with her, I spent a few days not sleeping well, eating poorly, and not exercising at all. While the short-term sacrifice was indeed necessary and fulfilling, it did take several days to get back to feeling well afterwards. My mental wellness suffered during that time, and I have made plans to ensure I do a better job of caring for myself next time I need to do something of that nature. 

6. Seek Professional Support

If you are really struggling to get started on your journey to mental wellness and positive

habit formation, I urge you to seek the help of a professional Christian counselor or mental health coach. These individuals can help guide you to overcome challenges and take steps to get your mental health on the right path. A Christian professional is essential as they have the same worldview that you do. Check into what your insurance covers or look for affordable options. I am blessed to be able to connect with a Christian counselor via telehealth when I am in need of some support and guidance. 

7. Medical Intervention

Sometimes nothing works. Sometimes we can’t get out of bed and no amount of prayer, counseling, or music is making a difference. There are times when our fears overwhelm us to the point we cannot function. When this happens, and ideally before this happens, it is necessary to seek the help of a medical professional. We are part of creation that was damaged in the fall of man, and so are our brains. Thankfully, along with a Savior, God has given us doctors and medications that can help us cope with the problems we face because of living in a fallen world. God has used an extremely supportive healthcare provider to enable me to find the right combination of self-care, therapy, and medication that allows me to live my life to the fullest – which is exactly what God wants for us.  Jesus even tells us so in John 10:10b (NKJV), “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Jesus became flesh, lived, died, and rose so that we may have a full life! 

Do not let Satan steal your peace and joy! God has given us all the tools we could ever need to fight, and He fights on our behalf. With the Lord of all creation on our side, we can achieve every good thing. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” Ephesians 2:10 NKJV.