Still Hooked on Feelings

November 22, 2024

It’s time for some genuine honesty. I’m still hooked on feelings, and mine aren’t good. In fact, they’re quite negative most of the time, which brings me to my first point. You are how you feel. If you’re fearful and worried almost all the time, then you can become consumed by fear and worry, and seemingly unable to break free of these emotions. This is where I have lived for nearly a year now. I don’t know how people live this way for years. Some experience this emotional turmoil for most of their lives. People tell me that I am very strong, but I think that title goes to ones who’ve struggled for years, and my heart goes out to them as well.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our saviour, who daily bears our burdens. (Psalm 68:19)

It sounds hopeless but remember, I said that you are how you feel. Our minds are very powerful, and all that power can be used to reverse the negative flow of our thoughts. I’ll admit that it’s not easy. I’ve been struggling a lot with it, but it is possible, and that’s what we need - possibilities. We also must keep choosing to go on every day. Yes, I know how hard that is some days, or maybe every day, but there are always reasons to keep trying and they’re not hard to find.

When Jesus woke up he said to the waves, ‘silence, be still’. The wind stopped and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39)

I will admit that I have a hard time getting out of bed most mornings, but I do get up and I do make sure I eat and take any meds or supplements that I need to take because the alternative is never going to be life-giving. My husband is so encouraging, and sometimes he’s quite adamant about me changing my thought patterns from negative to at least neutral, and maybe even toward the positive. It will take commitment and some time to get things back on track with my emotions, but it is possible to change my way of thinking.

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:114)

You see, every morning when we wake up, we have choices to make. Yes, the choice to get out of bed, eat, take medications/supplements but even more important we have the choice to focus on anxiety and sadness, or hope and joy. And yes, it takes practice, a lot of practice, but it does work. I’m not saying that it’s just that simple to recover but this is an essential step toward recovery. And once you really focus on planting that seed of hope and joy and water it by choosing it every morning, it will eventually get easier to re-focus your thought patterns from negative to positive.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. (Isaiah9:2)

I still have some terribly hard days, when I don’t think I have it in me, but I also have some decent days where I truly think I am up to the challenge. I am still waiting for testing to check for physical causes for my health problems but, even if something is discovered, that won’t negate the need for positive reinforcement from my mind and my emotions. I am learning radical acceptance concerning my physical problems. If I can accept my current state of being, that will go a long way to full healing. You see we don’t always have to receive full healing to be well, we sometimes just need to trust and accept that where we are is right where we need to be.

And my God will meet all your needs, according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)