Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God! – Psalm 42:5 NLT
Seasons of prolonged difficulty can leave us feeling frayed, making bad habits and addictions more attractive. How do we lead ourselves when addictions tempt us to trust in them instead of God? Here are four steps to strengthen your mindset and save you from unhealthy coping.
Start talking to yourself.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, "Most of our unhappiness in life is because you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself." The psalmist talked to himself, saying, "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will praise Him again" (Psalm 42:5 NLT). God helped me defeat depression years ago when I started to “tell myself how to think” by declaring God’s truth over my thoughts (1 Corinthians 10:13). When unhealthy thoughts trap us, the way out is to replace bad thoughts by putting on God's thoughts (Colossians 3:8-14).
Talk to others.
We can easily talk ourselves into the quicksand of avoiding others. Some relationship-enriching strategies that help me are hopping on a zoom call with friends, texting encouraging words, and untangling my thoughts by sharing my feelings with others. Last weekend, I had a blast playing Pictionary on Zoom with 12 family members. Talking, drawing, laughing, and competing (loudly!) created family memories. God made us to thrive in community (Acts 2:44-47).
Expect good results.
Binge-watching TV, over-eating, alcohol, or drugs do not disqualify us from God's love. Maybe you’re in a season of doubting or have even walked away from Jesus. Though God is saddened by our wanderings, He receives and loves us—always! He keeps our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8), is full of compassion (Lamentations 3:22), and He’s ready to forgive (Psalm 86:5). Even when we are a mess, His grace is greater than our sin (Romans 5:20). What helps me keep perspective and expect good results is knowing the struggle is a gift, since "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28 NLT).
Prioritize your life.
When I was overwhelmed, my mentor would say, "Simplify. Eliminate. Focus. Prioritize." Since fear multiplies problems, one way to simplify is to avoid worry. A second way to help prioritize is by eliminating non-essentials. Enjoy your hobbies, but regain focus by tossing junk food, monitoring media consumption, and decluttering your living space so that we can love God and others better (Matthew 22:37-40).
Let's enjoy today and live with a mindset of encouragement and service to others.
Dig Deeper:
Start “talking to yourself” by hoping in Jesus. Let him become your stable rock and overcomer of discouragement.
Prayer
Father, thank You for being my source of everlasting hope. I can win in this life when I tell myself the life-giving truth of who You are. Help me view struggles as a gift to develop me so that You can work through me. Thank You for making me on purpose with a purpose. Amen.
