May is National Mental Health Awareness Month; today, the world is grappling, trying to find hope and mental clarity.
I have wonderful news for you! Despite pain and heartache, you were designed to flourish.
You Are Not Your Disability Or Your Trauma
You have a pleasure center in your brain that stimulates you to accomplish good things. The enemy subverts that to lead you into addictions. He triggers you to hide from pain to be safe or fills you with negative thoughts that move you into self-rejection or anger.
The paths you travel up and down in your mind determine whether you walk in fear or in peace. That means what you think about is super important. Thoughts develop deeply ingrained patterns that stimulate your pleasure center – either positive and lovely things creating beauty and freedom or negative and toxic things that empower fear and shame.
Here’s the thing. To survive abuse and unresolved trauma, you learned to compensate. That developed maps in your brain, leading you into fear and confusion as they threw you into shutdown mode. It’s possible to learn a new way.
Thoughts develop deeply ingrained patterns that stimulate your pleasure center. What do you think about?
The Enemy Is Lying To You
Please know the battle for your mind is real. The enemy uses shadows to infiltrate your thoughts as he puffs himself up to make you feel small and insignificant.
But Jesus defeated the demonic at Calvary.
You don’t need to be afraid, for Jesus holds you, and no man can pluck you out of His hand. (John 10:29)
The enemy uses shadows to infiltrate your thoughts as he puffs himself up to make you feel small and insignificant.
Steps To Move Into The Path Of Peace And Mental Stability
1. Remember that messes indicate life. Without oxen – the stall is clean. But the mess increases proportionate to the strength of the oxen. It’s okay to have a mess. Jesus isn’t bothered by messes. (Proverbs 14:4)
2. Learn that you are beautiful. You matter; so does your pain – for you are valuable. (Psalm 139:14P
3. Invite Jesus into whatever distresses you – He will keep you safe.
4. Turn on the light to expose lies that lock you into fear or confusion. (Psalm 119:105)
5. Know that shame is not your identity. Jesus took your shame; He calls you beloved. You don’t have to fear the light. (Hebrews 12:2)
6. Rest in the peace that Jesus knows all about you. Nothing shocks Him. He wants to be in a relationship with you. (Psalm 139:2)
7. Praise, give thanks, and sing about Jesus! This stimulates your pleasure center to release healthy hormones to calm your body. (Isaiah 61:3)
