Out of Sorts
Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad.
Proverbs 12:25
I woke up Friday morning a bit out of sorts. The past couple of weeks had brought challenges from all angles—health, work, family, spiritual, and although I thought I’d worked through most, if not all, of these issues, there was still apparently something lingering below the surface. My morning routine was off as well—though I’d dressed in workout clothes for after my morning time with Him, I decided not to work out and instead scrolled through Facebook and Reddit.
When I logged into work, I discovered an email that just bothered the dickens out of me, regarding a piece of feedback that we were supposed to troubleshoot back in July but had been stuck in someone’s queue until the previous night. The state of my being out of sorts increased dramatically and I vented a blue streak with my team in our stand-up meeting. It was so out of character for me that a coworker reached out to me afterwards asking me if I was all right.
I wasn’t proud of how I’d responded during that meeting. I don’t like feeling like I’m on the verge of losing my cool, helpless to control the irritability inside of me. As I am wont to do, I got into my head to see if I could determine what truly was bothering me. As I have learned to do, I asked the Holy Spirit to help me in my emotional and mental quest, and He did not disappoint. He and I are still working on me turning over every single concern over to Him, knowing that some are more immediate than others, and that all of that relinquishment relies on active work on my part.
Friends, if ever there were a time that stress would or could impact us, now is that time. The worries about COVID-19 and its physical and financial impacts are tremendous. Of equal impact is the political environment we find ourselves in, with the endless mud-slinging commercials and mailers or Supreme Court justice nominations. Of even more or targeted impressions and influence, in my opinion, are the “discussions” or inflammatory comments that appear in our various social media platforms. Add to that volatile mix the challenge of distance learning, racial injustice, as well as any potential disagreements within the family or church, and you have a recipe for a tinderbox of emotions, be they irritability, anger, or depression, or any combination of the three.
What is a believer to do?
· Understand that, despite what the enemy may tell you, having feelings like these does not mean that we have failed as a Christian. It simply means that we are still on this side of heaven, living in an unglorified body that is subject to the ravages of this world. Seek to understand what may be at the root of these responses. Spend some time in communion with the Lord, asking His Holy Spirit to reveal the true source of what you are experiencing. If you need help unpacking any of it, or delving further into it, seek out counseling services through Pastor Wayne or others.
· Acknowledge that if you do need to reach out for help, it is not a sign of weakness to do so. It is actually a sign of maturity and recognition of your humanness.
· Give yourself grace. Piling negative self-talk with the emotions you’re experiencing does you no good, and can actually be detrimental to any healing you may need to experience.
· Be purposeful in spending time in His Word. Don’t read a devotional or two and think that you’ve satisfied the need for bible reading. King David and other writers (some known and some unknown) of the Psalms wrote of despair, distress, deliverance in times of trouble, healing, and joy, among other things. Study Romans 8 to understand the depth and breadth of the love that our Father has for you, and study the gospels to see how Lord Jesus demonstrated that love. Allow the Word to speak to your heart, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand its message.
· Actively identify those triggers that may be affecting you. Do you find yourself in a foul mood after visiting a certain family member? Are your emotions in turmoil after watching the television news or viewing various social media platforms? Remember, negativity begets negativity. Take an active break from those activities that adversely impact you. Trust me, your Facebook friends may not even notice your absence, but your mental health may benefit greatly from it.
· Truly know and trust that the Lord has this whole thing. In fact, I’m not even telling you to trust that He has it all figured out, since there is nothing for Him to figure out! To say that He has to figure it out implies that things are a mystery to Him and that He has no control over the current and future events. Poppycock! No, friends, the Lord is sovereign and omniscient. The Lord either causes things to happen or allows things to happen. Nothing is a surprise to the Lord. Stressed about the election? Know that the Lord will allow the election of the person best suited to fulfill His plan. Concerned about a battery of medical tests you may be facing? Experience the refuge and the very present help in trouble that the Lord provides (Psalm 46:1), knowing that all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Anxious about what else 2020 could possibly bring? Spend time in prayer and communion with Him, confident that “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1). Remember, He is the Lord of our valleys as well as our mountaintops. He has this and He has you.
2020 has been a heck of a year. If you are struggling, please know that I am praying for you, and know that you are surrounded by your brothers- and sisters-in-Christ who are praying for you as well. Not all of us may know your specific situation, but please glean comfort from the knowledge that you are being lifted up in prayer.
Prayer Requests
· For Cheri Williams and her family at the loss of her mother Mary Lou
· For the Santillano family—for Ray and April, as he is at the Pentagon and she is in San Antonio; for Dora; for their children Noah and Crystal and grandson Maxxen
· For Wayne and Skylar, for their protection, discernment, and wisdom
· For God’s will to be done in the church and beyond, on earth as it is in Heaven
Just a gentle reminder—some people are fairly forthcoming about sharing their struggles; others of us, not so much. May we seek to have empathy and grace for each other, as sometimes the inner battles are not always obvious.
Quotes
“In Heaven we shall see that we had not one trial too many.” --Charles Spurgeon
“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.” -- Corrie Ten Boom