As person who is prone to discouragement, I have found the following habits helpful in chasing the blues away or keeping them from coming.
Try to have a good reading from God’s Word daily. I keep a little New Testament or Key Promise book in my pocket so that I can review its promises at any moment when I have nothing to do. While waiting in the bank or at the dentist or post office or in the car for someone I can read a chapter or review a verse. Or I carry a book with me on creation science, or logic etc. which I can read, if I desire.
Feed your mind with faith building thoughts in song. I do a lot of travelling in the car daily so I have a set of music and scripture songs I listen to. Aurora Productions has a lovely scripture song and music collection. Simon Peterson’s “How to Be Happy” and “How to Win” are full of verses, antidotes, stories and music that can help keep your mind looking up are also available from Aurora or at http://radioact.org .
Another habit is to keep busy helping others. Menial tasks are fine, but tasks that involve helping others will keep your mind on other people’s problems instead of your own. Your interacting with others can be a cure in itself. Volunteering to help a neighbor or an association that helps others may be a good thing to look into. As you help others, you will actually help yourself and feel much better for your effort.
Praise is also important. The Bible says, “Let no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouth but that which is good for the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”[1] It says, “In everything give thanks.”[2] So we should not voice those negative thoughts and feeling because they will only grow and solidify in our hearts and minds making us feel even worse. Scientific studies have shown that a daily reading of God’s Word can actually improve our physical health by rejuvenating our brain’s nerve cells. Dr. Caroline Leaf has made a good study on this which can be found at http://drleaf.com/thought_life.php .[3]
So remember: Have a good feeding on God’s Word daily. Review God’s Word throughout the day. Listen to positive Word based music during the day. Praise and pray.
God’s Word says, “You shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all you heart.”[4] So get desperate and call out to the Lord with all your heart and soul. He will not fail to act and intervene or send help in some way. He has promised that if we “call upon Him and He will answer.”[5] Confessing the fact that you are down and asking others to pray for you can give you just the encouragement and prayer you need to keep fighting.[6]
Sing, shout, praise the Lord. Quote scriptures. Get so busy helping others you forget about yourself and your own problems. And SMILE. Like Charlie Chaplin used to sing. Just SMILE!
SMILE
Smile though your heart is aching,
Smile even though its breaking,
Smile though your heart is aching,
Smile even though its breaking,
When there are clouds in the sky
you'll get by.
If you smile through your pain and sorrow,
Smile and maybe tomorrow,
You'll see the sun come shining through,
For you.
Light up your face with gladness,
Hide every trace of sadness.
Although a tear, may be ever so near,
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying.
You'll find that life is still worthwhile-
If you just smile.
Footnotes:
1. Ephesians 4:29
2. 1Thessalonians 5:18
3. http://drleaf.com/thought_life.php
4. Jeremiah 29:13
5. Jeremiah 33:3
6. James 5:16
0 Comments:
Post a Comment