30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing Can Separate Us From His Love
I’ve had some moments in my life when the sins I’ve committed flashed before my eyes. In these moments, I’ve felt and seen the filth of sin on me.
Once I found myself feeling this way after a sexual sin. While growing up, purity is something I knew to be very important in the eyes of God. It is His will. When I found myself in sexual sin with a boyfriend, I began to feel filthy. Though I was a believer, I felt awful before the Lord.
Have you ever felt this type of shame, guilt, and condemnation around a particular sin you have committed? Thoughts like “God will never take me back or receive me after I’ve done such a thing like this” may have come to your mind.
This thought pattern is far from the truth in God’s Word.
Romans 8 reveals that God will never turn His back on his children. The gift of salvation justifies you. When you receive Jesus, the gift of justification is yours too.
God the Father has chosen us as believers to be His children. As His children, God has called us, justified us, and glorified us (raising us to a heavenly dignity). He is and will always be for us. The gift of His Son’s life as a sacrifice for our sins proves that.
No man can condemn us because God chose us and Jesus intercedes for us. Realistically, we also cannot condemn ourselves. Romans 8 also mentions that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Nothing includes life, death, angels, demons, fears, shame, guilt, condemnation, etc.
When you begin to attack yourself with condemnation, I encourage you to remember God’s promise to: never allow anything to separate you from His love. No matter what sin has brought you to the point of shame before God, He still loves you. When you come to Him with a repentant heart, He doesn’t see the filth of your sins, he sees His Son who is interceding for you.
Prayer
Dear Father God,
When I think about __________________ it makes me feel such shame. But you said I am chosen and justified. Your Son Jesus prevents anything from separating me from your love. So at this moment, I repent of _______________ and I no longer allow it to distance me from the love that you have always had for me. Thank you Jesus for cleansing me from the filth of my sins and interceding for me always.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
YOU SHOULD KNOW:
I’m always praying for my readers! Visit my CONNECT page if you have a prayer request for me to include in my prayers for you.
The power of God is astounding! His might is shown robustly in the lives of believers every day. Being a follower of Jesus takes faith and the grace of God. We are not promised a life without pain or trials while we live on this earth. However, this reality allows us to see the power of God in our darkest weaknesses.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul speaks about boasting about his weaknesses. He recognizes the power of God in his life even as he lives with a thorn in his flesh. Many of us experience a thorn of mental health challenges or illness. Sometimes this thorn weakens us to the point where we suffer from a lack of energy, great sadness, high anxiety, and loss of interest, to name a few. We face sorrow just as our Savior did.
Hardships Can Create Weakness
Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other disorders are hard to live with. It can be a daily battle. I often find life with a mental illness to be unpredictable. I never know how I will feel when I wake up each morning. I never know ahead of time that an anxiety attack is stewing. I also never know when my mood will flip throughout the day.
Suicidal ideation is also a challenge for many of us when we tire out from depressive episodes. In a state of weakness, sometimes hopelessness can come over us. I have experienced this challenge. It was hard to pull out without strength from God and my mental wellness resources.
I have wanted to give up many times during my mental health recovery. I have attended therapy and taken my medications, but sometimes the pain remains harsh. In many cases, I have combined mental wellness practices with the strength of God to pull me through my uneasy moments.
Our Darkest Weaknesses Become A Testimony
Moving on, I wanted to ask do you embrace your weaknesses as an opportunity for God to show His great power in your life? Boasting in our weaknesses allows us to testify of His sustaining power in our lives. For example, sharing my testimony has encouraged women to make God a part of their mental wellness journey. Sharing allows me to show women a first-hand example of how God can transform your life from bondage and brokenness to wholeness and deliverance.
Our Darkest Weaknesses And God’s Sufficient Grace
Earlier, I mentioned the journey of a believer requiring God’s grace. Our focus verse says that God’s grace “is sufficient” for us. How amazing is this revelation?! God’s grace covers our sins, shortcomings, and our darkest weaknesses. His grace is more than enough.
Our Lord and Savior had His struggles while living on this earth. I remember the account of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus spoke about His soul being sorrowful and grieved. He asked His Father in prayer to take the cup of suffering away. However, Jesus also told God the Father that He wanted His will done and not His own.
I’ve prayed a similar prayer asking God to remove bipolar and depression from my life. I would say that I still live with the illness; however, God has given me grace. His grace has been everything I needed to reach a point where I thrive in life despite the hardship of mental illness. His power has made me stronger in my darkest weaknesses.
Thriving In Our Darkest Weaknesses
I believe all of us have an opportunity to thrive with the presence of God in our life. Faith in the power of God and His ability to restore is crucial. Healing in the area of mental health may not always look like the complete absence of symptoms. For me, it presents like maintaining hope and faith during a depressive period. It may also look like receiving the strength to continue to push through suffering. God is responsible for the healing I’ve seen within myself. He has provided every mental wellness tool I utilize. God has eased my pain and shown me abundant life is mine.
I want to encourage you to keep going. You may experience suffering immensely, but I want to remind you that you are still loved, worthy, beautiful, and will succeed. Don’t give up on yourself. Open your heart to God and allow Him to strengthen you in weaknesses. He can also restore your confidence, drive, self-esteem, and more. He is able!
Acknowledge your weaknesses just as Paul did. Do not walk in fear. Express the goodness of God’s strength during your circumstances. You will experience the power of God’s grace and might when you do this. Continue to keep going, sister. God sees you! He will provide everything you need to thrive.
Prayer
Dear God, I thank you for your strength and provision of grace! I experience weakness, but your power has been perfect amongst great pain and suffering. Thank you for never leaving me alone in my circumstance. You are faithful to provide and sustain me through whatever comes my way. Instill joy and peace throughout my mental health journey. Lead me on how to depend on you. Empower me to be a bold witness as I testify of the great things you have done. I want to always acknowledge my weaknesses as the place you have shown yourself mighty. Bring me to a place in life where I am thriving. Impart to me your purpose for my life and direct me in it. I know I can weather the darkest storms with you as my Savior. Thank you for abundant life and the promise of eternal life. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen
YOU SHOULD KNOW:
I’m always praying for my readers! Visit my CONNECT page if you have a prayer request for me to include in my prayers for you.
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.
In the beginning of Psalm 139, David wrote about how well God knows him. It is evident from David’s choice of words that the knowledge God has of him is both wonderful and incomprehensible.
David describes God’s knowledge of his actions, thoughts, words, movements, and life’s path.
God’s Omniscience of Us All
The same detailed knowledge God has of David, He has of all His creations. His omniscience means that He knows everything.
Security In God’s Omniscience
We can all find great security in God, knowing that He knows everything and is sovereign. Therefore, we need not be embarrassed or fearful about facing mental health challenges in our lives.
For instance, God already knew that I would face bipolar disorder even before I was knitted in my mother’s womb. He knew every detail of how I would react to this part of my life, that I would return to a relationship with Him as an adult, and find in Him guidance, hope, and healing.
Also, He had already prepared the way for me to overcome any weapons that would form as a result of living life. I find great security in the fact that bipolar has never taken over because of God. God prepared the way for me to walk in victory over any diagnosis, chemical imbalance, or anything that I would have to face.
Thankfully, by His grace, I walk in freedom through bipolar trials, and life and abundance are available to me through the power of Jesus’ blood.
One day, when every trial and tribulation is over, I will be eternally with my Lord and Savior.
I pray that you will find security In God’s knowledge of you.
God knows every last detail about you
God has not forgotten you
God is never confused about you
God understands you
God has His hand on you
Nothing about you has escaped His knowledge
God is not caught off guard about anything concerning you
Finally, you don’t have to live in despair or fear. Your hope, healing, and deliverance from the sadness and symptoms of mental health challenges can be found in God’s omniscience of you.
He has prepared the way for you to overcome!
YOU SHOULD KNOW:
I’m always praying for my readers! Visit my CONNECT page if you have a prayer request for me to include in my prayers for you.
Growing up, I was never consistent or persistent in prayer. I had no idea about powerful prayer methods. I didn’t think of prayer as a gift that allows me to communicate with God. I utilized prayer when I felt that I needed it. For instance, in a snag or when hardship hit my life. It did not become a lifestyle until much later in my adult life.
After many difficult years, I was ready to give up on myself and life. Most days, I was depressed. Functioning became impossible for me. I lived most of my life at home with little interaction with my family and no energy to do anything productive. Necessities were hard to complete as well. I ended up hospitalized in Summer 2013 for close to a week. The hospital staff and patients were friendly, but I felt imprisoned by the rules. I wanted to be free, whole and healed.
A pathway to healing
While I was in the mental health facility, God spoke directly to me and through the words of people closest to me. He revealed a second chance that He had wanted me to take for a long time. He offered me His hand and a path to healing.
During my healing and mental wellness journey, God has shown me the power of conversation with Him. I want to share some powerful prayer methods I have used for years to eliminate anxiety, pull myself out of depressive spaces and gain mental clarity.
Powerful Prayer Methods
Prayer Journaling
So, I want to introduce you to prayer journaling. Have you tried it? It’s one of the best ways I release emotions of all kinds. Specifically, doubt, anxiety, and insecurities are all emotions I release during my journaling practice. My journal becomes a place where I brain-dump everything on my mind. As I write, I present the list to God and seek His guidance and comfort in our quiet time together. I ask for clarity on things I do not understand and sit silently to hear from Holy Spirit. Sometimes I don’t walk away with a Word from Holy Spirit, but I close my journal feeling lighter spiritually and emotionally. I feel the peace that surpasses all understanding.
One of my weapons against anxious and depressive thoughts is the Sword of the Spirit, the Holy Word of God. In my prayers, I often speak scriptures I’ve memorized that come against false narratives my mind has accepted to be true. I also love turning to certain Psalms and reading those aloud in the middle of my prayers. I speak scripture that talks about our identity in Christ, healing, having the mind of Christ, and the character of God. The scriptures give me hope because I know they are true. They are able to reveal and refute any lies I find myself believing. I am able to refocus my gaze on Jesus.
Praying during worship
Additionally, I pray while worshiping. I worship through song and speaking words of adoration to God. I use this sacred time in God’s presence to open my mouth and share my heart and the state of my mind with the Lord. It’s a conversation that is clear and transparent. It’s a time of surrender before the Father. When I rise from the floor, I feel lighter and more at peace mentally.
Picture life throwing curve ball after curve ball at you and your loved ones. Illness, death, accidents, disappointments, and uncertainties often weigh on our hearts and minds. When anxious and depressive thoughts come, it can be difficult for many of us to remain grateful. Perseverating over our problems sometimes becomes our primary focus.
When this happens, it is in our best interest to shift our gaze off of what we see as our problems. Instead, we should focus on who God is and what He has done for us. Despite hardships, our live’s are gracious gifts that God has given us.
Let’s explore Pslam 96 today as we discuss expressing gratitude and living a thankful life. The psalmist shows through this passage an expectation of the coming of Jesus!
Psalm 96:1-4 explains how the Israelites should express their gratitude for God:
Sing to the Lord a new song
Bless His name
Tell of His salvation daily
Declare His glory and marvelous works among all the peoples
Praise Him
Fear Him above all gods
So, these verses show that this gratitude should be shared among all peoples so that it can be a witness of the one true God to the whole world.
Moving on in Psalm 96 verses 7 through 9, the Gentiles are called to join in worship with the Israelites. The psalm looks forward to a time when Gentiles “Ascribe” to the one true God:
So, as you shift your gaze toward God in gratitude, remember this psalm for all the ways you can express gratitude through worship and praise. Yes, your anxious and depressive thoughts seem larger than life, but I challenge you to focus on gratefulness.
With this said, utilize the expectancy of the second coming of the Messiah. At that time, all will be made right! Because of who God is and all He has done, we have great reason to express gratitude and live a thankful life.
Sadness and feelings of defeat may come when hardship hits, but remember not to focus so much on those feelings that you miss the opportunity to worship and praise God.
Keep a heart of gratitude in all things. Trust God’s word in Romans 8:28 when it says,
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