If you’re struggling with your mental health, first and foremost, please know that you are not alone and help is ready and available. Call 988 if you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need immediate help.
I’ll just get straight to the point: this has been a challenging season for my mental health. For much of it, God has felt quiet and kind of distant.
Truly, I know He’s always near. But experience has taught me that He’s not always speaking loudly and clearly, with neon signs pointing the way. (Even though most of the time I’d greatly appreciate that!) Sometimes He’s teaching me to be still and know him; to trust His heart and character even when I don’t know for sure what His next step is for me.
In this season, my instinct is not necessarily to press in close to Him. Instead, I can choose things that bring temporary relief: binging videos on social media. Online shopping. Getting myself a little treat to make me feel better. Not things that are bad in and of themselves, but ones that don’t bring about lasting relief or healing for my pain.
On some level, I know these things won’t fill the God-shaped hole in my heart. Yet they feel oh-so-much easier in the moment than dealing with my emotions and going deep with God. They involve turning my brain off, avoiding the hard stuff, and getting a quick release of dopamine—one that never lasts long.
This season, I’m taking back what the Enemy is trying to steal from me, with all his subtle tricks and diversions. I am fighting for my relationship with God, and choosing to trust Him amid the uncertainty.
Are you with me? Here are some practices that are helping me hold on tight to God:
Removing distractions.
I’m going to be really vulnerable here: I’m a thirty-something-year-old woman who had to delete TikTok from her phone. Why? Because I found myself mindlessly scrolling through the video app for way too long.
What began as a quick escape morphed into hours a day watching silly, gossipy, jealousy-instigating, or drama-filled videos. But here’s where the excuses came in: it’s only for a few minutes. I’m not getting too lost in it. I just want to see this one thing…
The more I absorbed, the more my mindset shifted, proving itself more critical, more anxious, more consumer-oriented, and less Godly. TikTok was affecting my mental health for the worst. It needed to go. And the evidence is clear: my mindset has been improving ever since.
Maybe you’re not as social media obsessed as I can be. But is there something in your life that you make excuses for? A habit that consumes your mind, takes up a good chunk of your day, or takes precedence over your practices with God? Pay attention to your patterns. Don’t make excuses for the things that get in the way of what’s most important.
Notice moments of joy and let them prompt you to rejoice.
Everything can feel darker and hopeless when you’re battling depression and anxiety. Lots of times I felt like I was forcing a smile or a laugh just to be socially acceptable. On the inside, I was searching for any form of light, any bit of goodness to hold onto.
Praise God for this: that He always comes through for us with joy, even in small ways. You can find it in sunshine, in your child’s giggles, in a random act of kindness from a friend or a stranger, in the way plans came together just right, or in the perfect song playing on the radio.
These moments are more than just coincidences or a glimpse of relief during a hard time. They are open doors to acknowledge and praise God. The more I stopped to praise God for these gifts, the more of them that I noticed. God was always there, but the gratitude and worship were opening my eyes to all the ways he works, big and small. Slowly, I found myself experiencing unforced joy, an inexpressibly comforting gift in a time of fighting for mental health.
Stay consistent in your faith practices.
Choose a few practices with God that are non-negotiable, and practice them at the same time (or close to it) every day. Consistency is not typically my strength; however in this season, having certain practices I keep going back to has been incredibly helpful for me.
One of them is praying an examen prayer, which is a time of reflecting on your day with God, thanking Him for the times the Spirit has met you, and seeking repentance for the times of neglecting the Spirit. It’s been so refreshing for me to wind down for bedtime as I recount my day and consider all the ways I’ve been able to see God in it.
I’ve also been served well by leaving my phone off for the first half hour or so of the day, and focusing that time praying, reading, exercising, or walking outside. Typically our schedule can allow for that, but even if not, setting my phone aside until the kids are off to school is helpful too, so I don’t start my day stressed with emails and news feeds.
Maybe fasting, Sabbath, Bible reading, or prayer with friends will be part of your practice. It can be as simple or specific as you would like. It truly helps to have those points as touchstones with God in your day: places and times and spaces you come to anticipate spending with him.
Find Bible verses to hold onto.
Throughout my life, in my hardest seasons, I’ve found such consolation in the book of Psalms. When it feels like no one else understands, whatever emotion comes, there is a psalmist that relates with words that speak straight to my soul.
Some of my personal favorites?
- For peace: Psalm 23
- For strength and confidence in God: Psalm 31
- For courage and relief from anxiety: Psalm 34
- For when you need help: Psalm 40
- For a reminder of the God who is for you: Psalm 46, 103
Maybe your passage, story, or verse will come from another part of the Bible. It doesn’t have to be long to be effective. Memorize it, write it on post-it notes and place it throughout your house, read it every morning. Hold tightly to God’s promises and the truth of his character and heart towards you.
Enlist help from trusted allies.
The biggest lie the Enemy will keep using against you? The belief that you are alone, and no one else will understand what you’re going through. While it’s far easier for him to take you out if you feel isolated, nothing could be further from the truth.
Reach out to trusted friends or family, and ask them to pray for or with you as you face mental health struggles. Talk to your doctor, who might have suggestions to help with your overall wellness. Set up an appointment with a counselor or therapist. Look into resources for mentoring within your local church community. If you’re experiencing a crisis or feel like you might hurt yourself in any way, please don’t hesitate to call 988 to speak to a mental health professional.
Friend, if you’re in a season of challenges in your mental health; if you feel lonely, even with God; if you feel anxiety or depression creeping in–you are not alone. Let us here at AllMomDoes know how we can pray for you. Hold tight to God’s promises for you, as well as all the ways he has come through for you in the past. This season will pass, and God will be with you through it.
PIN THIS!
Read more of Jenn’s contributions to AllMomDoes here.
