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oceans-worshipper · 4 years

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I initially decided to write this article for myself.

But then, I realized, there are beautiful souls out there who would benefit from the key points I have learned to be victoriously joyful in my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have a mental illness, and I spent a long time thinking I would never be able to be successful or live a good life because of it. I was doing “bad” for so long, that I got used to it and couldn’t even recognize the miracles unfolding in my life and how strong God was equipping me to be. That is because I have a thought disorder. I was in a sense, “overthinking” everything. I would be accomplishing so many wonderful things and still thinking that I was a doomed failure. When I reached out for support, I was told that I should use “coping skills.” So, I started practicing yoga every day, reading books, journaling, running, and the list continues...I was externally thriving, but on the inside, I was miserable. I was completely being destroyed by depression and anxiety. And then, I learned something, something the Lord put on my heart: Internal coping skills. So many clinicians and mental health professionals advise different activities on the outside. But what about coping skills on the inside? How can we become harmonious in the presence of God, as believers? How can we find balance in mind, body, and spirit? After all, happiness starts and flows from within. We have to learn to be stable and healthy in our hearts as well as interacting with the world around us.

This is the purpose of this blog post.

There are steps to hold God’s hand and walk in faith, always and forever trusting in Him. God is not a religion, He is a relationship that we can choose every day.

Give Praise to God

When you wake up, may the first thought you think be, “Thank you, God.” Every day is a gift from God. While you are going about your day, think thoughts of lovingkindness to Jesus. For example:

“I love you, Lord, you are so good that I can’t thank you enough.”

“I praise you Lord from whom all blessings flow.”

“I give thanks to God for created me with so much love.”

“Thank you Lord for this meal that is so nutritious and will give me energy. I am so thankful for this.”

If you begin to feel anxious or afraid, just remember that God is with you and you can always worship and praise Him for everything good in your life.

Isaiah 25:1 says, “Lord, you are my God

I will exalt you and praise your name,

For in perfect faithfulness

You have done wonderful things,

Things planned long ago.”

The Word actually encourages us to Praise God. The Bible gives us all the answers we need. Additionally, you can listen to worship music, and let the lyrics of praise harmonize in your spirit. You can even sing along!

Count Your Blessings

When you start to feel down or sad, just remember that God created infinite blessings. Just start mentally reciting the treasures in your life, such as family, friends, your home, your pet, your spouse, your education, and suddenly you will realize how much the one who loves us has blessed you richly.

Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are reasons to be joyful, delightful in the Lord, and feel good about yourself and your life. They can be anything which brings you self-esteem and feel safe. For example:

I am beautiful, healthy, and strong.

I love and I am loved.

Jesus loves me and I am His.

I am doing such a good job today. I am taking such good care of me.

I am serving God today.

I am becoming the best version of myself for God.

Pray Unceasingly

Thess 5:17 says, “Praise unceasingly.” This essentially means to always pray to Jesus, and the best part is believing that God will answer your prayers. If you start to feel anxious, depressed, pray for help. God is a waymaker and will always provide.

Gratitude

Gratitude is the component of being thankful for God’s goodness. All around us, there are reasons to be thankful and happy. Whether it is the beauty of nature, (Spring and the budding flowers and birds chirping outside!) or our loved ones, it is an amazing thing to always thank Him. Recite in your mind three things you are thankful for. And you can write a gratitude list every morning to remind yourself of how much you have to be grateful for and keep a gratitude journal.

Memorise Scripture

The Word of God is alive. It teaches us everything we need, and gives us strength and protection, and we must live by it. Every day, study the Bible, and write down notes. Memorising scripture allows it to manifest in our souls and when we find yourself getting stressed, we can think of the Word and this will guide us to joy. A fun idea is keeping a jar and writing down scriptures on sticky papers or pieces of paper. Every day, reach into the jar and take out a piece of scripture, and think about it throughout the day. Plus, there is nothing more beautiful and encouraging than the Word of God.

Love God, Love Yourself, and Love Others

Loving God is one of the best things to focus on, and when we love God we begin to love everyone, including ourselves. The Bible says, “Let all things be done in love.” - 1 Corinthians 16:14. When we love, we are showing Jesus (a reflection) of how much he loves us. When we are kind to others, we are representing Christ.

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

My best advice is always try to keep God in mind, when things get tough. Just remember that you have a Heavenly Father, and He loves you always and wants to have a relationship with you. You can envision Him in your Mind or simply say His name in your mind or out loud. Putting God as the center of your life will never steer you wrong.

Be Kind

God calls us to be kind to one another. Jesus was always kind when he came to Earth and helped / healed as many as he could. We are the light of the Earth and when you are kind to someone, you may be the reason they believe in the goodness of God. Always do all things with love and kindness for God. And, when you are kind to others, you in turn feel great about yourself.

Keep Your Goals in Mind

God uses ordinary people for extraordinary works, and He has a plan. Everyone has a beautiful purpose, and it is important that we aspire to serve God. Never give up and keep goals of helping people.

#christian #christianity #christian blogger

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