“A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.” – Proverbs 14:30
It’s hard to sleep when I’m worried. My mind races, and the next day, I feel exhausted. Sometimes, I even get a headache on top of it.
As a teenager, I wrote in my diary:
September 7
Sometimes I feel like if I fell off the face of the earth, no one would notice… I feel invisible. Sometimes, I feel as if people look at me and see nothing there.
I went to counselors. They helped, but they didn’t heal me. My faith in Jesus depended on how I felt that day, which was usually pretty terrible. Writing poetry pulled me out of that deep, dark pit. It helped me believe that maybe, just maybe, there was a small glimmer of a rainbow after all.
January 27
Finding a Way Away from the Stampeding Elephants
Soaring through the skies,
under stampeding elephants,
from one moment
to the next.
When I’m under
stampeding elephants,
will I be able
to pull myself back up?
Will I be able to work
my way around
the stampeding elephants?
There are so many,
stampeding elephants!
Please don’t let
these elephants crush me!
I’ll never find a way
away from
the stampeding elephants!
Sun,
please shine your light
on me.
I can barely see you,
in the darkness
of the stampeding elephants.
I’m depending on you, Sun,
to shine your light
on me.
Trusting God
Finally, in a community of young adult believers, I chose to trust God. I decided that no matter how bad the depression got, I was going to walk with Jesus. Through prayer and fighting through it with scriptures like:
“Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” – Psalm 62:2
I overcame depression!
Staying Guarded Against Satan’s Attacks
I’ve realized that depression was a spiritual attack on my mind. So, I’ve taken steps to guard myself.
Every day, I look myself in the mirror and speak scripture over my life:
“But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31
At first, it felt awkward. When I speak a new scripture over myself, I may not fully believe it yet. But over time, as I repeat these promises daily, I begin to truly believe them. My hope is in the Lord. He renews my strength every single day. He provides for me, and I trust that He has great plans for my life—because I’ve already seen what He has done in my past. I know there is so much more ahead.
Each evening, I write in my thankfulness journal—three things I’m thankful for that day. It could be something as small as a delicious taco I made, a funny moment with my niece, or the feeling that I made a small impact on someone. Thankfulness leads to joy, even in tough circumstances.
I also try to write three successes in my journal each day. Some days, I only write one. Success doesn’t have to be huge—it could be as simple as working on this journal prompt, connecting with a middle schooler, or learning a new art technique. But as long as I have at least one success per day, how can I feel like a failure? In the Lord, I am a success as long as I keep moving forward. And if I stumble, I know God forgives me.
Enjoying Exercise
“What we do with our physical body—what we eat, how much we exercise, even our posture—can impact our mental state, either positively or negatively.” – Patricia Hart, MD
After work, I love doing dance workouts. I can’t help but smile while I dance—it keeps my body active and my mind energized.
In the summer, I swim. I’m like a fish in the water! I challenge myself to swim one or two extra laps each time. When I first started, I realized I was capable of more than I thought.
What About You?
What helps you keep your mind at peace? What steps can you take today to guard your heart and strengthen your faith?
For more on Independent or Dependent on God: Two True Stories click here. For more on the desperate situations of King David read Friendship Can’t Get Any Better Than This here or Friends with Powerful People? You Must Have This here.
Sources and References:
The Bible. New International Version, Bible Gateway, Proverbs 14:30.
The Bible. New International Version, Bible Gateway, Psalm 62:2.
The Bible. New International Version, Bible Gateway, Isaiah 40:31.
“What Is the Mind-Body Connection?” Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing, University of Minnesota, https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu.
Dispenza, Joe. “How Your Thoughts Change Your Brain, Cells, and Genes.” HuffPost, 21 March 2016, https://www.huffpost.com.