I wanted to start up a special blog series on my own struggles with mental illness and to testify about how God has remained faithfully with me despite my deep struggle and how far God goes to save even one of us and to help us in our struggles. It is crazy LOVE. God wanted me to be transparent with others about this. I will share my experiences as I blog about this and what I’ve learned on this journey so far. I feel God has showed to me that He is taking me on a healing journey to be healed and wanted to share this with my readers so they may have hope and be encouraged and hopefully to be set FREE!
My hope and prayer for people suffering from their inner torment/struggles is for them to learn about the LOVE God has for you and that you can rest in His infinite love. And also for folks to feel that they are not alone in suffering and KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD. YEP, YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD! Even if you have been abandoned or forsaken by friends or family because of your struggles, GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE YOU! His loving arms are wide open for you to come and rest into! Come and thirst for Jesus.
Isaiah 41:17 (ESV)
When the poor and needy seek water,
and there is none,
and their tongue is parched with thirst,
I the Lord will answer them;
I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
John 7:37-38 (AMP)
37 Now on the last and most important day of the feast, Jesus stood and called out [in a loud voice], “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! 38 He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”
My heart goes out to folks suffering from mental illness and folks taking care of loved one struggling with it and I truly want you to feel cared for and loved and for you to know that God cares very much so. I realize there are a heavy stigma associated with mental illness and folks are afraid to talk about it or might’ve been abandoned by friends/family because of the illness, etc.. You are not alone, I am also reluctant to talk about my inner struggles with other folks around me in life. But with God, He knows our inner struggle! And still loves you regardless! THERE IS HOPE!!! Check this verse out –
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Please take everything I write in prayer and to check with the Bible and MOST IMPORTANTLY… CHECK WITH GOD!!!! (Good rule of thumb in general) I am only a mere man but will strive my best to keep it in line with what God wants me to say and to be real as possible. God is the one that deserve GLORY AND HONOR. God knows EXACTLY what each of you need, I do not, man do not either, BUT GOD DOES!!!! Everyone is different and might need one or different combination of things to help with your struggles. Allow GOD to lead and guide you as you journey in your life.
Without Him, we are nothing but dust! With Him, we can do all things and be all we can be in Christ! I also pray for the readers to be able to enjoy God in an intimate relationship – to live and thrive in Christ! Not just simply knowing about Him or just simply going to church BUT A REAL AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!! A LOVING RELATIONSHIP!! For Jesus Christ is loving and tender. He is VERY REAL!!!
I plan to have special contact section soon in case you have any questions, or want to talk about your issues or ask questions about God, etc.. related to inner struggle/torment. I realize this is a very sensitive and challenging topic about real struggles and will do my best to be considerate and understanding and helpful. I might not be able to know or answer everything but I can certainly try and I will ask God to help me =). I will announce when that is up and completed.
Just wanted to cap up this introduction with a little background on my mental illness since I brought that up.
Growing up, I’ve struggled with severe anxiety, obsessive thinking, irrational thoughts, and overthinking in everything including over-interpreting and over-analyzing even a simple social encounter. I also struggle with lack of confidence many times. On the outside, people may or may not notice but on the inside it’s a totally different world since I try to act/appear normal on the outside, hiding my own inner struggle. I have suffered through many rejections throughout my life, being misunderstood and left out from folks and I also have misunderstood folks’ intentions/actions many times.
I will explore different topics in depth as we go through this special blog series. So I wanted to give you a preview on this struggle and how God has led me along on a journey. My goal is to share God’s WORD and to open up about my struggles just like how David poured out his heart unto God. I will use the term mental illness and terms commonly used for the sake of shared vocabulary and understanding. But I want to focus mainly on the spiritual application of this struggle and to provide specific spiritual tools to help fight the inner struggles that we have. That can include specific verses that can help with specific situations you may be facing.
I will end with several inspiring verses to show that God is calling us to have a relationship with Him and that He is faithful always. Let us go to Him and start our journey of healing!
Psalm 27:7-14 (ESV)
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
Leave a Reply