Tag: understanding God

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Scientists say that people have over 60,000 thoughts a day, the majority of which are negative. How’s that for an uplifting intro to today’s devotion?!

The reality is, though, that when you’re depressed, your thoughts are even more negative than usual. The types of things that used to annoy you are now annoying at an even higher level. And somehow, you’ve found new people to be cynical toward and new foods to hate.

This is important to talk about because thoughts have the power to affect us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Because of their capacity to influence our overall health, I want us to comprehend the impact that our thoughts can have on our recovery. Don’t get me wrong. The goal is not to prevent all negative thinking because that would be impossible. The objective should be to begin acknowledging our unhealthy and unhelpful thoughts so that we can manage them in our daily lives.

Author and speaker, Zig Ziglar, famously said, “your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude.” In other words, how you think determines your success.

Ziglar could say this because he overcame challenges with a positive attitude from the very start. When he was 9 days old, he stopped breathing. His mother whispered in his ear until he was revived in her arms. As a teenager, one of a dozen kids, Ziglar sold vegetables and milk to help support his family. Giving up his dreams of being a Navy pilot, he stuck with sales and continued to overcome poverty until, one day, he could look back on a life of success in which he saw millions of lives impacted by his message of positivity. He didn’t let his circumstances influence his thoughts. In turn, he didn’t allow his thoughts to influence his circumstance.

Your thoughts have the power to move you closer to or further away from health. Tomorrow, I will share with you the essential, practical steps for transforming your thinking. We’ll do some hard work together. But, today, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed, spend time focusing on these words of Jesus from John 16:33. Remind yourself that you are an overcomer because He is in your life.

John 16:33
“In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

I went walking on a beach one evening with a friend who had flown out to support me and journey with me through my depression. We covered what seemed to be miles along the coastline, talking and listening to one another. I told her about my life, my confusion, my doubts. And she, being an awesome friend, told me that the same thoughts, doubts, and struggles I was experiencing were the same ones she had during her fight against depression and anxiety.

I’ve said this before, but I need to reiterate it for you. The value of a good friend, when you are taking steps to heal, cannot be overstated! Without this girl showing up in my life every month, I would never have gotten better.

After our conversation grew silent, the sun began to set over the water. My friend, who had just heard me unload all of my baggage, stopped and pointed to my feet. A ray of sunshine had landed on my toes and was following me along the shoreline. Sunlight was everywhere, reflecting off of the water, shimmering like diamonds. The more we walked, the more I noticed that the ray of sunlight was not going to leave me alone. My friend reminded me that anywhere people stand on the shore, a ray of light will reflect off of the water and hit their feet.

It took me forever to finally grasp what God was teaching me that day. And here it is. God sees all of His children. But, He sees you, and He sees me, exactly where we are today.

Let me make this even clearer for you. He knew you when you were forming in your mother’s womb. He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows where you’re weak and where you’re strong. He knows you by name. You may not feel it right now, but God is shining a direct ray of light at your feet.

Today, I challenge you to stop walking along the shore and look for His light. He has always been with you and He is with you as you take steps toward healing.

Psalm 8:4
“What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

I pray that these daily devotions in 40 Days of Hope have been encouraging to you and that they have brought light into the dark rooms of your life. On the last day of this series, I want to tell you a story that started this entire journey. I tell it to you not to act like I’m more spiritual than you, but to reinforce one of our major themes: When we absolutely need Him, even if it doesn’t feel like it, God is near and waiting for us to lean on Him.

Two years before I got sick, I went to a concert by a band called Sleeping Giants. Front-man, Tommy Green, after playing one of my favorite songs, shared his profound, personal story with the audience. He said that he had recently realized his need to fully rely on God, that he couldn’t do anything without Him.

As simple as it was, Green’s words convicted me. For my entire life, I believed that knowing God was a good thing. But, I had never had an experience in which I had to trust God to work miraculously in my life. So, at the Holy Spirit’s prompting, I prayed, “God, I want to be the kind of person that needs you. I want our relationship to be one in which I fully rely on you for everything.”

Fast-forward to the middle of my depression. I was sitting in my bed, contemplating my day when God’s voice hit me square in the heart. He said, “You asked for this.”

God reminded me that I had asked for a moment, a big event, out of which only God could pull me.

Wow. Writing about that morning, when God spoke to me, gives me chills.

I’m on the other side now and I can tell you that, if you keep pushing forward, you will find your way. If anything, I hope the past 40 days have given you the encouragement you need to persevere. Let’s close our time in prayer together.

Father,

I am imperfect. I am messy. And I feel lost. Thank you for loving me even when I am weak and vulnerable. Please continue to teach me how to seek you in the darkness and not listen to the enemy’s lies. Give me the ability to focus on the positive, to believe that healing is on its way, and to stay connected to you when it’s so easy to pull away.

Thank you for your grace that was ultimately shown to the world when Jesus took our sins away on the cross.

In His name, we pray,

Amen.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

I have talked a lot about my story and how I was able, by God’s grace, to overcome some serious obstacles. But, I want you to know that the storm still tries to get in. I am under no illusion that I will never experience a season of strong depression again. But, as I sit here with clarity of mind and gratefulness to God for helping me through the toughest battle of my life, I want to spend several days sharing with you what He has done in my heart, mind, and, soul as a result of that experience.

There will come a day when you feel a subtle shift that causes you to recognize you aren’t shouldering as much weight as you used to. You will suddenly be able to remember what you were like and how you felt before you got sick: the movies that made you laugh, the friends that gave you life, or the food that put a smile on your face. There will be the day when you can authentically thank God that you are getting better. It happened to me very slowly and I believe it will happen to you, too.

The way I spent my days was the first significant change I noticed. For months, the mere thought of getting out of bed, going to the grocery store, or going for a walk was emotionally draining enough to keep me inside. Then, when my subtle shift occurred, I found the motivation to play tennis like I did before I was sick. I started weightlifting and working on my physical health through diet and exercise. The most important change was that I could feel again and find enjoyment in the activities I used to appreciate.

Today, I want to give you a bold truth. Your breakthrough is coming. You will find joy again. You will be able to feel again. God is working in your life and I promise that, if you stay the course and focus on your physical, emotional, and spiritual health, God will do the rest of the work.

Isaiah 43:19
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.