Help for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts

(June 12, 2018.  I updated the links October 2024.)  

It's so sad to hear about all the celebrities who have recently committed suicide (or about anyone who has committed suicide, for that matter).  My heart breaks for them, for the pain they went through, and for the ones who love them, for the pain they are now going through.  It is truly a tragedy.

To anyone who is hurting really badly, who is struggling with overwhelming anxiety or depression, who is considering taking their own lives ... I dedicate this post.  Please, take some time to look through some of the links here.  This is a round-up of some on-line resources or posts about dealing with anxiety or depression, particularly as a Christian.


But first:

Quick tips for help:

If you are desperate for some immediate help and don't want to look through the links I have below, try some of these (but if it's really bad and you might hurt yourself, call 911 or go to the emergency room):

War Rooms, Praying Scripture, and Spiritual Warfare

(reposted from my other blog - My Crazy Faith)

I strongly believe that there are angels and demons.  That prayer matters.  That there is a spiritual battle going on around us all the time ... and that we need to get involved in it, actively and consciously.  (Something I haven't been doing lately.)  

Regardless of if we want it or not, we are constantly facing spiritual battles.  But if we don't acknowledge them - if we stick our head in the sand and refuse to get involved, to put on our spiritual armor, to use the spiritual weapons that are available to us - we open ourselves up to deceptions, to defeat, to being very vulnerable to the strategies and attacks of the evil one.

What I have done here is compile a list of posts on spiritual warfare, on praying Scripture, and on creating a War Room (or War Journal).


Have you ever seen War Room?

You should.  It's a great movie.  And it is so relevant to real life.  To the life that is most real - the spiritual life.

Sometimes I Wish ...

Sometimes I wish there was a place I could go where I could scream as long and as loud as I want to - a raw, primal scream, maybe even ranting and raving about everything I've ever wanted to scream out loud but held inside instead ... and no one could hear it but God in heaven (but maybe He could cover His ears for a little while, just in case). 

Or I wish I could wake up in one of those places you see in the movies sometimes, that all-white, alternate-universe place with no walls, no ceiling, no floor, no people, no noise ... no anything except whiteness as far as the eye can see.  And I could just sit there awhile in complete stillness and silence and peace.

That would be nice.

I Will Love You ... Always

            “How long, O Lord?  Will you forget me forever?  How long will you hide your face from me? . . . But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”  (Psalm 13:1, 5-6)

            “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him, . . .”  (Job 13:15)

            “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”  (Job 1:21)

                       

            Years ago, I saw the movie Facing the Giants.  And it was a good movie.  Last night (April 16, 2015, this is obviously a repost), I saw it again . . . and it was a great movie.  It touched my heart in ways it didn’t before.  And I pretty much cried through the whole thing.  (Good thing the lights were off so my family couldn’t tell.) 

Silence as Worship

(written 3\6\18)

For a long time now I have had a hard time praying.  (I'm talking a couple years.)  Or more accurately, I've had a hard time knowing what to pray, how to pray.

It feels like so much has gone wrong, like so many hopes have crashed and burned, like prayer isn't having any effect, like I am praying to the ceiling, like the things I pray about are what gets attacked anyway, like the burdens of life are too heavy and have shattered me into too many pieces, like there is just too much to complain about.

And so ... I have been silent.

In life.  In friendships.

And even in prayer (for the most part, compared to how I used to pray).

And this has bothered me for awhile.  Made me feel guilty, like I am failing at friendships, at my faith, as a Christian.

I was thinking about all this the other day.  Thinking about the alternative to silence.

What if I started talking?  What would I even say?

I realized that if I did start talking, start rambling in prayer, all I would do is complain.  I would lament all that was going wrong, all that felt unfair, all the broken dreams.  I would ramble on about all the things I think I need from God, all the things He isn't giving to me or doing for me.  I would be repeating all the things I've already told Him over and over again.  

And this is when it dawned on me that - with the emotional state I am in - silence is actually my way of honoring God, of worshipping Him.  Of trusting Him.  

Because I don't want to complain about what He has allowed into my life.  I don't want to focus only on the bad stuff.  I don't want to dishonor Him with my grumbling.  I don't want to keep telling Him over and over again about what I expect out of Him, about how He should answer my prayers, about how I want Him to do what I want Him to do, about how much it hurts that He isn't answering prayers my way.
 

I know Him too well to doubt His love, care, goodness, and sovereignty. I know Him too well to think that He isn't listening, that He doesn't care, or that He isn't going to do something about my concerns.
  

If opening my mouth right now means complaining ... then I choose silence.

If opening my mouth means telling Him over and over again all that I've already told Him, acting like He isn't listening or doesn't care ... then I choose silence.

If opening my mouth means that I keep talking and talking, leaving no room for Him to talk and no room for me to really hear what He has to say when He is ready to talk ... then I choose silence.

Silence is how I am worshipping Him right now.  How I bear the daily crosses.  How I am settling myself down so I can hear Him when He is ready to talk.  How I am learning to wait on His timing, to let Him do things His way.  How I show that I trust Him, even when life hurts.  

I Just Want To Finish Well

Once again, I found myself in an emotional funk (this is a repost from 2014, yet it still seems to be where I’m at in 2017), feeling like I can’t accomplish anything.  Can’t give any one thing the effort and time it needs.  I am so stretched-thin in places.  The housework never gets done.  This house will never be "finished."  My cooking has seen better days.  There’s not enough time to do everything I want when it comes to homeschooling … so, of course, my boys are going to grow up to be great big drains on society. 

I was feeling a little panicked that things were slipping away from me too fast, that I couldn’t get a grip on anything.  And then I picked up a movie from the library that really settled my heart.  Flywheel.  It’s an older one, the first one done by the people who made Courageous and Facing the Giants.  And I have to say that . . . it . . . is . . . good!  It’s really good, even if it’s a little old and primitive.

But the thing that sticks with me the most from it was the line that went like this: “I just want to finish well.” 

Six Dollars and Thirty-Three Cents

            Six dollars and thirty-three cents.

            It’s all the money that my 8-year old and 11-year-old have right now … and they have asked me to donate it to those affected by Harvey.

 

            We were watching some coverage of the aftermath of the storm, and we saw the story of “Mattress Mack,” the man who opened up his high-end furniture store as a shelter.  And my 11-year-old turned to me, almost with tears in his eyes, and said, “It’s so incredible that someone would risk their business like that to help other people.”  He immediately went to his room and scraped up all the coins he could find (getting his 8-year-old brother to do the same) and they gave it to me to give to the Harvey victims.

 

            Six dollars and thirty-three cents. 

 

            “But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 

            Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’”  (Mark 12:42-44)         
 

            Six dollars and thirty-three cents.  It might not be much in the world’s eyes, but it’s an incredible sacrifice in God’s eyes.  Because it comes from a heart that wants to love and help … a heart that sees the hurt and needs of other people and refuses to do nothing … a heart that knows it doesn’t have much to give but that gives it anyway.

 

            ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”  (Matthew 25:40)

Winning the Battle

I have been in a “funk” lately.  I get in them often, comes with being a child from a broken home.  (This is a repost of something I wrote years ago, but it still strongly applies.)  Prayer has felt futile.  I’ve been wanting to pull back from people.  I am struggling to accept certain “life problems” that I wish I didn’t have.  And I constantly deal with feelings of failure and not mattering.  

I know it’s not proper for a Christian to expose the fact that they are dealing with depression and frustration with God and disappointment with prayer and unhappiness with life.  I know we are supposed to plaster on that “good, happy, Christian smile” and act like we are full of joy and peace and contentment.  (Or are we?)  But this is the truth about how I feel.  And if I can’t be real with God and other Christians (even anonymously on this blog), then who can I be real with? 

[One of my reasons for writing so honestly is because I want my kids to understand that struggling with life and with God is part of the journey.  It does not make you a “bad Christian.”  It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but it is important to face it and work through it honestly. 

Broken

            It hurts to be broken. 

            It’s being vulnerable, taking a risk with our hearts . . . sometimes winning, sometimes losing. 

            It’s leaning on others and opening ourselves up to them, to trust, to hope.  Sometimes finding support and acceptance and help, being caught before we hit the ground.  And sometimes being let down and battered, falling flat on our faces when others pull back and fail to catch us. 

            Sometimes, it’s just a minor annoyance, a pain that we absorb with relative ease, realizing that we are better for it.  And sometimes, it’s more pain than we can bear, feeling like we’ll never be whole again, wanting to curl up in a ball in a dark, lonely corner and fall asleep forever. 

            Being broken hurts!   

I'm weak and I need You!

            What is it that we always say to encourage people going through a hard time?

            “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

            But guess what?

            It’s not true. 

            “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered . . . We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we even despaired of life.  Indeed, in our hearts, we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”  (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

Rest!

(I wrote this years ago, but it still applies.)

            “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)

            This verse really speaks to my soul right now.  It is exactly what I need.  Rest.  To put down the burdens I carry around with me.  I’m just not sure how to do it.

            A couple days ago, I asked God one of my “250 Questions to Ask God.”  (I will repost it sometime after this post.)  The questions was “Since You know what’s best for me, what do I need most right now?”  I had been struggling with concerns and frustrations and disappointments.  With God’s silence even.  And I didn’t know what to pray for anymore, but I needed to hear something from God.  So I asked Him this question.  Because I don’t know what I need right now.  I just know I need something.  And for a couple days, He didn’t answer.   

And God Said ...

(reposted from a few years ago)

Not too long ago, I was going through a very discouraging “four-month funk.”  I was so stressed and depressed about life.  I felt like I couldn’t do anything right, and yet I kept trying and trying to accomplish something, anything.  All day, I would ruminate on all the things that were wrong, all the ways I was failing.  And I would plead with God to show me what more I needed to do to succeed.  My shoulders ached from being tense all the time.  My head hurt.  And the tears were always ready to burst forth.  

And one day, as I stood in my kitchen doing dishes, I asked God to help me.  To tell me one thing that He wanted me to do.  Whatever it was, I would do it.  I was failing, failing, failing … and I just wanted His leading in my life because I couldn’t do anything on my own.  What else did He want me to try?  What did I need to give up?  What needed to be pruned from my life?  What did I need to do to make things better?  What more could I do? 

Please, God, just tell me! 

And do you know what He said?  The big advice that He gave me in such a quiet whisper to my heart? 

“Turn up the music and dance!”

Turn up the music and dance!  As soon as I heard it, I knew that this is what I really needed to hear, what I really needed at that moment.  I didn’t need to keep trying so hard to accomplish something, to reach for something just beyond my grasp.  I didn’t need to try to make things better, to do more than what I was doing. 

I just needed to relax, to breathe, to celebrate the moment that He gave me as a gift. 

And so I did.  As the kids played outside, I turned up the music in my kitchen and just danced.  I shook out all of the stress and the ache, and I let the music fill me with delight and joy.  For a short time, I let go of my fears that I would fail and I grabbed onto the blessings of the moment instead.   

It filled me with joy to know that God knew what I really needed, that He cared enough about me to remind me to slow down and relax and enjoy the journey.  To breathe.  To smell the roses.  Pick a daisy.  Laugh with my kids.  Talk a walk. 

Sometimes, I make it harder than it needs to be.  I overwhelm myself with the idea that everything God asks us to do is going to be stressful and hard work and sacrifice and dying to self. 

But sometimes …

He just wants us to dance.     

Fighting Back A Panic Attack

(reposted from https://heathersgardenandhome.blogspot.com)

As I’ve already written about, I had a panic attack last summer for the first time.  As anyone who’s had a panic attack knows, they are horrible.  They wreck you inside and out, and then leave you feeling fragile for a very long time after.  I would dare say they change you permanently.  I’m still feeling the effects of this “fragileness” and I’ve noticed that I don’t eat like I used to before the attack.

Anyway, as I reflect back on that attack and the unsteadiness I’ve felt since then, I realized that there are several factors that contributed to it.  And I’m going to summarize these factors (some are variations of others) and give possible ways to deal with them.  Maybe someone else can find a little help in these and ward off a panic attack, stopping it before it overtakes them.

"Being Human"

Struggling with depression or anxiety is often called "being mentally ill".

Why can't we just call it "being human"?

Praying Scripture: When You Fear You're Failing in Life

            Proverbs 3:5-6:  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

            Proverbs 16:3:  “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

            Colossians 3:23-24:  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Jesus you are serving.”

            1 Corinthians 10:31:   “ . . . whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

            Romans 8:28:  “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

            Matthew 6:19-21:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in a steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

            Matthew 25:21:  “… ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

            Lord, you know how anxious I am, how much I feel like I am failing at everything, like everything is falling down around me and I can’t keep it together.  I need You now, Lord.  I need to know that I am doing okay.  (And if I'm not, then I need to know what needs to change.) 

            Please, Lord, speak words of comfort to my anxious, despairing heart.  To the part of me that feels like I’m going to let You and everyone else down, no matter what I do or how hard I try.  To the part of me that just never feels “good enough.”

            Lord, You promise to work everything for good.  Please take my feeble efforts and use them for Your glory.  Make something beautiful out of my messes and my shortcomings.  Sometimes I feel like that’s all I am capable of – messes and shortcomings.  But I know You can turn them into something good, because Your Word says so.  I might not be able to do much, but please take the little I do and work it for Your glory.  (And reveal to me if there is something that I claim to do for Your glory and purposes but that I am actually doing for my own glory and purposes.) 

            Lord, You know my heart and my motives.  You know that I want to please You, that I am trying my best to do my best at the jobs You have given me.  Please, be glorified in that, and help me know that I am doing okay in Your eyes, for I feel like I am failing in the eyes of so many others, including my own.    

            You say that if we trust You and lean on You then You will make our paths straight.  Please, Lord, I am leaning on You now.  I don’t always know the right step to take, so I need You to straighten the path as I walk.  And when I don’t have the strength to keep walking, I need You to carry me.  And when I don’t even have the strength to stand, please, Lord, just hold me for awhile and let me know that it’s going to be okay. 

            Help me remember that it’s not my job to always know which way to go in life or to be “strong enough,” but that my job is simply to let You lead, to lean on You when I am weak, to follow You in daily obedience, to work at whatever I do with all my heart for Your glory, and to let You work it all out for good and for Your purposes.

            The Bible says that if I commit my plans to You, Lord, they will succeed.  Well, I am committing my plans to You – the work I do everyday.  I want to do it for Your glory, Your purposes, and Your kingdom.  Help me remember to do my best simply because it matters to You, because You see what I do and why I am doing it.  And what I do matters to You, even if no one else sees it.  Guide me along as I go, as I do the jobs You give me each day.  Lead me in the direction You want me to go.  Use my efforts as You want to, whether they appear successful to the world or not. 

            I know that I might not see the rewards of my work, my efforts, here on earth or on this side of eternity, but may I be successful, Lord, in Your eyes, in the heavenly realms.  Help me remember to always work for eternity, not for the things I can see.  Help me build up treasures in heaven as I wait to hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  For Your glory and Your kingdom.  Amen 

For more encouragement, also see https://lovehealme.blogspot.com/2017/08/war-rooms-praying-scripture-and.html

    

And an updated version:

Prayer for When You Feel Like You’re Failing:

Proverbs 3:5-6:  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 16:3:  “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

Colossians 3:23-24:  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Jesus you are serving.”

1 Corinthians 10:31:   “ ... whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

Romans 8:28:  “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Matthew 6:19-21:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in a steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 25:21:  “… ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

 

          Lord, you know how anxious I am, how much I feel like I am failing at everything, like everything is falling down around me and I can’t keep it all together.  I need You now, Lord.  I need to know that I am doing okay.  (And if I'm not - if I am off-track somewhere in my life - then I need to know what You want me to do or to change so that I can get back on-track with You.)  Please, Lord, speak words of truth and comfort to my anxious, despairing heart.  To the part of me that feels like I’m destined to fail, no matter what I do or how hard I try.  To the part of me that just never feels “good enough.”            

          Lord, You promise to work everything out for good for those who love You.  Please take my feeble efforts and use them for Your glory.  Make something beautiful out of my mistakes and messes.  Sometimes I feel that’s all I am capable of – mistakes and messes.  And so I thank You that You are a God who is bigger than any mistake I make and who specializes in turning messes into something beautiful.  And so I will trust You to bring something good out of the bad things in my life, just because Your Word says it’s true.  Lord, I might not be able to do much, but please take the little that I can do and use it for Your glory and Your purposes.            

          Lord, You know my heart.  You know that I want to please You, that I am trying my best to do my best.  Please, be glorified by that.  Let it bring a smile to Your face, even if I keep stumbling along the way.  Thank You that even though You know I will always stumble, You love me anyway and will turn my stumbles into something good.  And even if others see me as a failure, You don’t.  You see me as a dearly loved child of Yours, one who You loved enough to die for, even though You know I am so very human.  But that’s okay.  Because You know we are human.  You made us human.  And You do not ask us to be superhuman.  You just ask us to be real with You, to seek You, need You, trust You, love You, and obey You.  And You will make our paths straight.  You will turn our futures into something good. 

          Please, Lord, I am leaning on You now.  Guide me in straightening out the areas of my life that need to be straightened out.  I don’t always know the right step to take, so I need You to straighten the path as I walk.  I need You to lead me clearly in the ways I should walk.  And when I don’t have the strength to keep walking, I need You to carry me.  And when I don’t even have the strength to stand, Lord, please just hold me for awhile and let me know that it’s going to be okay. 

          Help me remember that it’s not my job to always know what to do or to be “strong enough,” but that my job is simply to let You be God, to let You lead and to follow You in daily obedience, to work at whatever I do with all my heart for Your glory and to let You work it all out for good and for Your purposes. 

          Help me to remember that it’s okay if You only give me small jobs that no one else sees or appreciates.  As long as I am faithful in doing those small things, for Your glory, then You are pleased and consider it valuable and will reward my faithfulness in the end.  No task is insignificant if You ask me to do it.  Help me to be faithful in the little things as well as the big things.           

          The Bible says that if I commit my plans to You, Lord, they will succeed.  Well, I am committing my plans to You.  I am giving You the right to alter my plans, to mold my future, to change me into what You want me to be.  I want to live for Your glory, Your purposes, and Your kingdom.  But I need Your help to do that.  Help me remember to do my best simply because it matters to You, because You see what I do and why I am doing it.  And what I do matters to You, even if no one else sees it.  Guide me along as I go, as I do what You call me to do each day.  Lead me in the direction You want me to go.  Use my efforts as You want to, whether they appear successful to the world or not. 

          I know that I might not see the rewards of my work and my efforts here on earth or on this side of eternity.  But that’s okay.  Because I just want to be successful in Your eyes, Lord, in the heavenly realms.  Help me to glorify You in all I do.  Help me to work for eternity, for the things that will last, not for temporary pleasures and treasures that won’t last.  Help me build up treasures in heaven as I wait to hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  For Your glory and Your kingdom. 

          In Jesus’s name, Amen. 

Praying Scripture: Prayer about Resting in the Lord

Prayer about Resting in the Lord (updated April 2022)

Matthew 6:25-34:  “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? . . . But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Proverbs 3:5-6:  “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Psalm 46:1-3, 10:  “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.... Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 25:9, 37:7:  “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way… Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him…”

            

        Lord, You know how easily I give in to worry, to stress, to fear, to feeling like I will make too many mistakes and mess everything up and be too weak to handle things.  I can make myself crazy with fear, and it’s hurting me, exhausting me, crushing me.  And I can’t do it anymore.  You never wanted me to live a fearful life anyway.  But I have let myself believe the enemy’s lies that everything rests on me, that I am alone in my struggle, that I will always fail or let You down, that You don’t care about my pain, and that I have to be big enough, strong enough, capable enough, and wise enough to handle everything.  And this stresses me because I know I am not big enough, strong enough, capable enough, or wise enough to handle everything. 

        But it’s ok.  I don’t have to be those things… because You are.  You are big enough, strong enough, capable enough, and wise enough for both of us.  Forgive me for listening to Satan’s lies, to the one who wants to discourage me and destroy me and pull me away from You, from the help, healing, and wholeness You offer.  Forgive me, Lord, and help me grab onto Your truth instead.

        Lord, most of my fears and concerns are out of my hands anyway.  I can’t do anything about them, but I worry over them as if it’s my job to fix them.  And this worry has been crushing me.  And so right now, I give these concerns over to You.  You work it out the way You want it to be.  And instead, I will focus on the things You ask me to focus on – living humbly and obediently before You daily, working for Your glory in whatever I do, trusting in You, and drawing near to You daily.  You are God and I am not!  If You can create this world out of nothing and hang the stars in the sky, You can handle my problems too.  And I will trust You enough to let You do it. 

        And so I am throwing myself on You right now, leaning on You instead of on myself, trusting You to make my path straight, to handle my concerns and comfort my fears.  And even when it feels like everything is falling apart, I trust that You are still there.  You are still in control, holding it all together, holding onto me, helping me on the journey, and working all things out for good.  I don’t have to always know what to do because I know You, and that is enough.  And so today I am not going to focus on fixing anything; I’m just going to be still in You and know that You are God.  You are my refuge and my strength.  You will straighten out my path, in Your time and in Your way, as I walk with You each day.  Thank You for being my heavenly Father who cares for me.   

          In Jesus’s name, Amen

For more encouragement, also see https://lovehealme.blogspot.com/2017/08/war-rooms-praying-scripture-and.html

  

Praying Scripture: For When You're Brokenhearted and Exhausted

            Psalm 34:17-18:  “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

            Matthew 11:28-30:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

            1 Peter 5:6-7:  “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

            Romans 8:28:  “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

            Lord, I am crying out to You right now.  I am brokenhearted and I need You.  You promise to save those who are crushed in spirit.  You promise to lighten my burden and to help my soul find rest.  I need that right now.  Please, help me find rest for my soul. 

            I am falling down before You right now, weary and exhausted.  I cannot keep carrying the burdens I have been carrying, and so I am putting them down at Your feet right now.  Help me learn what Your yoke is - the jobs and responsibilities that You want for me, not the more burdensome ones that I place on myself.  Help me to let go of my heavier and harder yoke so that I can take up Your lighter and easier one instead.  In fact, I realize now that depression and anxiety and fear are burdens that I have been carrying around, and they have become too crushing for me to carry anymore.  And so I am putting them down now.  I cannot bear those burdens any longer and I am giving them to You.      

            Lord, I admit that I have been trying to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, but it’s too much for me.  And it never was my responsibility to begin with.  And so I am putting the responsibilities that are not mine back into Your hands and asking You to take care of the things that I can’t take care of.  I am humbling myself before You, admitting that You are God and I am not.  I cannot keep trying to do Your job.  I cannot carry the world’s problems or anyone else’s problems.   I cannot even carry my own problems by myself.  I am not big enough or strong enough.  But You are.  And so I am trusting in Your wisdom and Your capable hands to carry all these problems and to help me through mine.  I am getting off of Your throne and humbling myself at Your feet and asking You to lift me up again when it is time. 

            I trust that You really do care for me and that You can handle my concerns, and so I give You all of my anxieties right now and ask You to fix them in Your time and in Your way.  (Maybe list each anxiety right now, on paper or out loud.)  Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness and for being able to handle the things that I can’t, for promising to work good things out of all the messes in life.  Please, just put Your arms around me right now and give me Your comfort.  Tell me that You are with me and that it will be okay.

           In Jesus's name, Amen

For more encouragement, also see https://lovehealme.blogspot.com/2017/08/war-rooms-praying-scripture-and.html

                   

And an updated version:

Prayer for the Brokenhearted and Exhausted

Psalm 34:17-18: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Philippians 4:13: “I can do everything through him [Christ] who gives me strength.”

Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”

Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

 

          Lord, I am crying out to You right now.  I am brokenhearted, and I need You.  You promise to save those who are crushed in spirit if we cry out to You.  You promise to lighten my burden and to help my soul find rest.  I need that right now.  I am falling down before You, weary and exhausted.  I admit that I have been trying to carry the weight of the world, of my world, on my shoulders, but it’s too much for me.  I cannot carry the world’s problems, anyone else’s problems, or even my own anymore.  I am not big enough or strong enough.  But thankfully You are. 

          I know that You are a big God.  And so I will trust in Your wisdom and Your capable hands to carry all the problems, to help me through my trials, and to make something good out of my life.  I am getting off of Your throne and humbling myself at Your feet, asking You to lift me up again when it is time.  And until then, I will rest in You.  I will trust You to handle the things I can’t handle and to help me with the things I can.  Tell me what I need to do to find rest for my soul, give me the strength to do it, and then help me to let go of everything else.  Tell me which things I need to give You control over.  You are God and I am not.  Forgive me for forgetting this sometimes.  Teach me how to let You be God of my life.           

          I believe that You really do care for me, love me, and want the best for me.  Even if I don’t feel it sometimes, I will believe it just because You said it.  And if You are a God of love, then I know I can trust You.  And so I put my life – my concerns, my problems, my circumstances, my future – fully into Your hands right now.  I give You all of my fears, depression, and heart wounds, and I trust You to fix them, to heal them, to use them for good, in Your time and in Your way.  (Maybe list each one, on paper or out loud, and pray them over to God.)  I cannot bear those heavy burdens any longer, and so I am giving them to You to worry about for me.  Please, give me Your peace and Your comfort in their place.

          Thank You, Lord, for being faithful, for being able to handle the things I can’t, and for promising to turn all the bad into something good, even my sins and mistakes.  Please put Your arms around me right now and comfort me.  Heal my broken heart.  Help me learn to rest in You.  Tell me that You are with me and that it will be okay, no matter what comes my way.  Because as long as You are with me, I can face the future and do anything You ask me to do.  Thank You for being a powerful, loving, good, gracious God.              

          In Jesus’s name,  Amen