We all face discouragement and disappointment. Some of it is because of our perceived imperfections, or points of conflict, or times of crisis.
It does not signify a loss of faith, or even a meaningful assessment of the circumstances.
Sometimes, it’s just a temporary episode of what some call a pity party.
Sometimes, it’s a moment of selfish indulgence.
But sometimes, it’s a signatory event or period which demands attention to what’s causing the effect.
In no way do I suggest psychological prowess on this topic, only personal experience.
I am an unapologetic Christian, relying on God’s sovereignty and grace, and when I find myself hanging on the precipice of depression, I go through a checklist which might be helpful to those reading today’s entry. By the time I’ve reached the second or third item on this checklist, I’ve solved the causal relationship for my “funk” and can recommend to myself the elements of healing necessary to restore my usual good spirits.
Maybe this will help or encourage you as well.
#1. Lack of sleep
#2. Events on my mind which usually caused that lack of sleep
#3. Awareness of “stuff” bothering me over which I have limited or no control
#4. A lack of trust in God’s sovereignty because I’m trusting in my feeble attempts to control the situation.
#5. A lagging in my study of the Scriptures or deep passionate prayer time (not just the surface stuff which so easily rolls through my mind)
#6. A need for companionship or someone to share my burdens
#7. Letting the world be too much with me, bogging me down with negativity (especially TV programming)
#8. a schedule too busy to allow for debriefing and dealing with issues
I could probably add to my checklist, but you get my drift. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, or impotent, or discouraged, I can usually point to one or more of the above.
So how do I change my attitude and focus? No simple platitudes here, because each day/hour/month finds new challenges, but the most obvious one is to tell myself (based on prior experience) that this too will pass, and that:
#1. If it doesn’t matter in five years, it doesn’t matter in five minutes.
#2. God is in charage, so I don’t need to be.
#3. God loves me as His own, and nothing will happen to me that He can’t use for good
#4. That I am blessed to be a blessing, and that when I consider others’ needs before my own, I have no complaints or concerns worth considering
#5. Write about it, release it, and get on with living life as it should be used
#6. Study the Scriptures and pray. (Usually I put this at the top of the list. Why didn’t I this time?)
OK, so what’s the specific beef this time? a temporary thing, I’m sure. There’s a water drip in our master bedroom which woke me up at 2:30, kept me tossing and turning until 4:00, and finally sent me to my computer to write my way out of it! It’s not the leak that’s a bother (well, really it IS, but that the well pump keeps going on, and it is REALLY loud, and just beyond the bedroom wall in the garage). Those who know me well know that’s I’m deaf in one ear, so really, just turning over on the other side of my head should help. It didn’t. So here I am at 5:00, after working on some other stuff for a while, complaining to my blog, facing a very busy day on no sleep, and just venting. So there you have it.
Have a blessed day, and pray for me that my funk doesn’t destroy what will, by all intents and purposes, be another day in paradise, caring for my two-year-old granddaughter, my family, and God’s creation in my garden. Joy to all! b
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