Staying Sane in an Insane World
We are living in the last days and a time where people, including Christians, are dealing with a lot of stress, anxiety, worry, panic, depression, and various frustrations that can affect a person’s physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Negative events one sees on the news, reads about on social media, has firsthand experience with, and even prophetic words given and/or read can contribute to feelings of hopelessness and a sense of being overwhelmed. Furthermore, not knowing or learning how to maintain proper balance in the times we live in can have devastating effects not only on the individual but also on their families, friends, and other relationships. Emotional health is a significant factor in one’s overall well-being, including their spiritual and physical health. Stress, for example, is a contributing component to many physical and emotional conditions, including thoughts of suicide, heart disease, cancer, hypertension, and other illnesses. Many medical professionals advise their patients to seek ways to decrease their stressors because the long-term effects can keep them in a state of fight-or-flight. The fight-or-flight response can trigger the release of stress hormones that elicit physiological changes.[1] Yet one can still have a good quality of life in Christ that embraces the challenges that come not only with being a Christian but with life overall.[2] One can do so by studying the Word of God, prayer, fasting, socializing with other believers, and getting Christian counseling when life’s challenges become burdensome. Christians are not exempt from trials and tribulations because these are an integral part of our journey. Yet, we can learn from those who came before us in the Word how God dealt with them and how they responded to Him in times that stretched their faith.
The Prophet Elijah was one of the many Bible characters who faced overwhelming challenges. He lived in a time when people did not want to honor the Lord. They preferred their worthless gods and pagan rituals instead of honoring the one true God who had delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. Elijah found himself in conflict with the government, consisting of King Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel, his fellow citizens, and the false prophets and priests who failed to lead the people to God. Being a true prophet was not a popular task amongst God’s people, for they and their leaders did not want to hear or obey the Lord’s decrees and commands. Therefore, Elijah found himself burdened by life’s challenges and circumstances. This became very evident when the wicked Queen Jezebel threatened him with death after the showdown at Mount Carmel for killing her false prophets. The Bible says: “So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them” (1 Kings 19:2). The Bible lets us know that Elijah went into a fight-or-flight mode. In other words, he became overcome by fear, which produced stress and fled for his life. Not only that, but he also went into isolation by leaving his servant behind, experienced great depression, thus wishing for death, and was lethargic due to all the stress he encountered. Yet, God did not leave him alone. The Lord sent an angel to provide Elijah with food and water, thus caring not only for his physical needs but also for his emotional needs by helping him to know that he was not alone. Furthermore, the Lord encouraged him spiritually by telling him as much when He met with him on Mount Sinai. The Bible says: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). The Lord was letting Elijah know that even though he was tired and felt alone, it was not so. No, he was not alone because the Lord was in the quietness of a whisper—in the silence. So, what are some ways to maintain one’s sanity in a world of insanity?
9 Ways to Improve Your Emotional Health
1) Forgive yourself and forgive others.
Many people are weighed down by bags of unforgiveness, which can lead to emotional instability. Where they may think it is the actions of events around them causing undeniable bouts of stress, for some, it is the thoughts and feelings they have failed to release regarding certain regrets from their past, missed opportunities, mistakes, and offenses done by others that arise when they hear of events taking place around them. For example, a victim of sexual abuse may become stressed upon hearing of various domestic disturbances, sexual assaults, and similar atrocities on the news. While these events are indeed disturbing, a person who has not completely healed from the pain of their abuse may focus on past hurts, thus bringing the pain into the present and clouding their future. Even as Christians, it is still possible for some to hold seeds of unforgiveness and bitterness. Therefore, one must allow God to help them overcome such feelings, and it is wise to get counseling to promote healthy spiritual and emotional healing. Also, just as important as forgiving others, one must learn to forgive oneself, because it is sometimes easier to forgive others, but Jesus died for all to be forgiven, including oneself. The Bible says: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15).
2) Have fun.
We are living in serious times, and one can get so caught up in daily, weekly, and monthly happenings around the world. Yet, laughter, playtime, socialization, and hobbies are good for one’s mental health. It is important to keep this in mind because events will continue to unfold in fulfillment of Bible prophecy, yet we can still have joy in the Lord. Try to find joy in everyday life, even in the smallest of things. Take notice of the trees, the smell of fresh-cut grass, the sound of children’s laughter, or the sound of rain pattering on the porch or against the windows. We can take joy in God’s creation because it is all around us. The Bible says: “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy" (Psalm 30:11).
3) Trust in God above yourself.
We must trust in God above all else. God always shows up in HIS perfect timing, but we cannot force His hand. Even when it seems that prayers, desires, and concerns are going unanswered, the Lord shows up when He sees fit for our good. The wait is never easy, and the events of the end times will often be discouraging in the natural, as we may see various judgments of the wicked. Nevertheless, God has given us His word to warn us of those things, so that our faith, hope, and trust will be in Him and in Him alone. The Bible says: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (Psalm 37:4-6).
4) Rest when you’re tired to prevent feelings of burnout.
Rest is a necessity for the human body and is vital to one’s physical, mental, and spiritual health. This includes resting away from social media, news, and even people who may incite stress in your life, to avoid spiritual, mental, and physical depletion. Rest, in the appropriate area, allows one to rejuvenate and be refreshed. The Bible says: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
5) Boundaries are necessary. Just say NO!
Sometimes people have difficulty setting boundaries. This includes Christians who may be people pleasers and find it challenging to say no. Many believers get burnt out in the church, but they feel too guilty to decline taking on tasks that will overwhelm them. They may be made to feel as if they are letting God down when, instead, they are simply saying no to a particular leader or organization that has not properly delegated duties and/or considered other people’s schedules, family obligations, and more. It takes practice to do this, but one must remind oneself that being kind and assertive is an essential way to maintain emotional, spiritual, and physical health by expressing one's needs, wants, desires, and limitations. The Bible says: “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—too much of you, and they will hate you” (Proverbs 25:17). Boundaries in all situations need to be set.
6) Say goodbye to negative, difficult, or unsupportive people.
Ending a relationship is often tricky. For example, many people have described going through a divorce as being like a death. Well, in many ways, it is the death of the relationship. As we get closer to the Lord’s return, there is a growing divide between the righteous and the unrighteous, the wheat and the tares, the sheep and the goats. This was painfully obvious during the COVID-19 era, the erroneous believers who were following date-setters for the rapture this year, and most recently, the difference of opinions regarding empathy in view of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Difficult people can cause undue stress. Therefore, while we are called to love everyone, this does not mean we are to associate with everyone. Not everyone who claims to be a believer is your friend, and sometimes, as the Word tells us not to be, being unequally yoked includes platonic relationships with other believers. Therefore, anyone who is a stumbling block to your physical, mental, or spiritual state should be taken to the Lord in prayer and reassessed so that you may make room for others. The Bible says: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20).
7) Take responsibility for your life and allow God to be in the forefront.
Regardless of what is happening in the world, you must be intentional about protecting your emotional health. No one can stop Bible prophecy from being fulfilled. Therefore, one must invest in one’s own physical, mental, and spiritual health to keep a healthy balance in life. Practicing self-care, such as taking up a hobby, taking a class, reading a book, joining a gym, or pursuing another area of interest, can help one get on the road to physical, mental, and emotional stability in an unstable world. Also, as we mentioned before, Christian counseling can help one find balance in accordance with God’s view, not the world’s. The Bible says: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
8) Focus on what you can control.
Many things in life aren’t under our control, especially events related to the end times. The Word has already told us what to expect, so we cannot change Bible prophecy. We can only pray for God’s grace and mercy. The events that are aligning themselves even now are in God’s hands, not ours. Therefore, the Word tells us not to worry, but to place all our care upon the Lord. Our focus should be on what we can do with the time we have left, rather than trying to prevent things beyond our capabilities. We can pray, fast, have faith, and believe in God’s word, which will never return unto Him void. We may not be able to solve all the world’s problems, but we can place them in God’s hands through prayer. The Bible says: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
9) Pay more attention to the blessings rather than the negatives in and around your life.
With everything that is going on around the world, it can be challenging to notice and remember the blessings in our lives. Yet, the Lord wants us to praise, worship, and remember Him despite the challenges we face and those around us. As we draw closer to Jesus’ return, it is ever so important to allow Him to be the center of our lives and remember all that He has done for us. When we focus more on His goodness than on the negative news we hear, know, and receive, it helps us find clarity in hearing His voice, which gives us wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment for the hour we live in. The Bible says: “And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!” (Psalm 107:22).
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/zoazt8eVF5Rpy8-rZZIjm0g1Trlvo0L8aENJegKUA_0DOv1dmapZOPTsSlF9tV9y.1t79UsTKf1_4o-3J
[1] Howard E. LeWine, "Understanding the Stress Response," Harvard Health, last modified April 3, 2024, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response.
[2] Deleene E. Menefee, Tracey Ledoux, and Craig A. Johnston, "The Importance of Emotional Regulation in Mental Health," American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 16, no. 1 (January 2022): 28-31, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8848120/.
No comments:
Post a Comment