On this Day 22 of MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, it is such a beautiful, bright, and sunny day. I can’t believe how much I am scrambling to get last minute things together for prom on Friday. I planned well in advance, yet here I am, still not ready. There are various things that have played a factor in my not being ready, and none of them are in my control. I have to wait on someone else to finalize each thing and I am frustrated, to say the least. I am proud to say, however, that I have managed to remain calm for the most part. Usually, not being in control causes me anxiety, however, I have managed to figure out how to allow not being in control to not cause me anxiety. This has minimized my anxiety attacks and reduced some of my stress.
Being able to control at least the anxiety attacks is a small feat, but important. Any small amount of stress which can limit my anxiety or prevent a trigger, from my depression, Is major for me. This proves to me that I am conquering my obstacles, overcoming my battles, and finally beating my adversaries. I am stepping into MY WINNING SEASON, and I can feel it now, more than ever!
The things that were crippling me no longer control me. As with many of us who struggle with mental illness, making excuses for why we simply DON’T GET IT DONE…Whether the excuses are valid or not, the things we neglect to do are usually minor, we usually wouldn’t accept them from others, and they get out of control because we continue to put them off. A lack of support from family and friends used to discourage me and prevent me from reaching my goals. I now know that God has given me the power to overcome. He gives each of us that same power. When it feels like things are getting dark and lonely, know that God cares. Stay on course and keep pushing. Exert more effort refuse to give up on your goals,
As I continue through my healing process, I understand that we will all go through and GROW through our processes at different times, in different ways, in different stages and for different reasons. Though difficult, we must understand that we must be patient because someone was patient with us. What many of us fail to realize is that we all had to learn lessons; some the first time and some it took several times. Many of us tend to forget how long it took for us to get it right, expecting others to be perfect from the beginning. We seem to forget how we dressed, the house parties we attended, the foul language we used as a teen, the music we listened to, cutting class, etc. Many of our parents went through worse things with us, yet some of us treat our children as if they owe us for raising them, and some act as if it’s their fault life is the way it is for them; forgetting that we were once in their shoes.
When we fail to relate to our children, or even to our friends and loved ones, we automatically put them at an unfair advantage by not allowing them to feel that we can relate to what they are going through. If we make our children feel as if we were perfect, they will feel less likely to share their imperfections and struggles. If we are already perfect, we have no room to grow; there is no room for improvement. In addition, we are now failing one another when pertaining to loyalty in relationships. More and more, I see statements regarding us not owing explanations for cutting people off and having to do what is best for our peace. As always, opinions will differ, however, I will never understand how anyone can justify expecting to know something they haven’t been told. Above all, we want people to be psychic. It is amazingly selfish to me.
This poem that I found on Facebook sums up the problem with our flawed relationships and our flawed selves: In looking at ourselves in the mirror, and fixing what is wrong with US, relationships can once again have their true meaning of loyalty and love.
GOSSIP! One of the MOST DESTRUCTIVE SINS!
Gossip is one of the most undermined sins in the church, but, unbeknownst to many believers, it is also one of the most damaging to the Body of Christ.
Many believers gossip without any sense of remorse, giving the excuse “We’re just stating facts/commenting/discussing the reality on the ground,” but what they are really doing is taking an individual and stripping them naked, and then stabbing them. This is very destructive. This takes place when the weaknesses of others can be seen or when a believer falls into sin. It may begin as an innocent conversation, but in the multitude of words, gossip often sneaks in and strips individuals naked, one after another; analyzed and then stabbed, repeatedly with the knives belonging to the tongues of others pretending to love and care. They discuss the personal business of others; oftentimes, exaggerated. They never say these things in front of the individual; without realizing it, gossiping about the weaknesses of their brothers and sisters in Christ. It is similar to taking a knife or sword and personally stabbing and destroying them. Gossip defiles the tongue, takes away the sweetness of our words and pollutes the fountain we carry within. In addition, it dulls and contaminates our spiritual sensitivity and makes us see people through the lenses of what we have heard, giving us a false narrative about the person. It oftentimes prevents us from making unbiased opinions about people and we dislike and prejudge decent people who have done nothing to us…people we don’t even know. When we gossip, we prevent ourselves from seeing others through the eyes of Christ.
In addition, gossip damages the person we are gossiping about as well as us. It causes us to communicate to the spiritual realm that we consider ourselves better than the victim of the gossip. This is a trap. We will be judged by the same measure of judgment in which we judge others. Constantly being a victim of gossip, I make a concerted effort not to judge others, and I definitely do all I can to avoid gossip or at least defend the victim.
I have lost friends because I boldly and openly speak against gossip when I witness it. My reasoning is that I too, have weaknesses. It angers me to find people discussing me behind my back instead of addressing me or asking me about what they “HEARD” directly. Because I don’t want it done to me, I don’t want to see it done to others.
If we genuinely love someone, we will not use their weaknesses as ammunition to attack them. We will call them aside and correct them. Gossiping about them would mean we don’t love them at all. When we engage in gossip against someone else, we show hate, disloyalty and jealousy, dishonesty and other non-Christlike characteristics. Most importantly, gossip negativity effects the mental health of the victim. It oftentimes makes the victim feel alienated, isolated, harassed and at times, even bullied. These are usually factors that are overlooked and frankly, not even considered when we are JUST GOSSIPING.
1. We cannot redeem a person we have already judged in our heart.
2. We cannot effectively intercede or pray for someone we have been gossiping about.
3. We cannot minister effectively to someone we have been pointing fingers at.
Sweet and bitter water cannot flow out of the same fountain.
Corinthians 11 12-20For I am afraid that when I come, I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
James 4:11Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
Leviticus 19:16Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.
Proverbs 11:9With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Defy the Stigma!
Dying to be Perfect 