Struggling in Silence
Have you ever struggled in silence? Like, have you ever been dealing with issues that you didn’t want to share with anyone, because you didn’t want to burden anyone with your problems? I mean, you know you could pick up the phone, and call a friend, or a family member, or even talk to your significant other...but yet, you would rather just keep it to yourself.
Have you ever struggled with the pressures of day-to-day life, but tried to keep a smile on your face? Or when a friend texts and asks, “How are you?” or “How have you been?”, you reply “Everything is good”, or “I’m fine.” You’re far from “good”, and even further from “fine”, but it just seems like the easiest thing to to say.
Nobody sees the tears you cry at night, when everyone else in the house is asleep. Nobody knows the pain you feel when you open your eyes in the morning, and the weight of your struggles are there immediately, like they’ve been waiting for you to wake up so that they can burden you for yet another day. You want to scream out to God for help, but you can’t manage to let the words out. The only thing you can whisper in your heart is, “God, please help me”.
I found myself feeling all of the above for weeks, and I couldn’t seem to shake it. I kept asking myself…
How did I get here???
I had allowed myself to get to a place that I couldn’t seem to shake myself out of. In hindsight, I realized that I had thought myself into worry. I had thought myself into anxiety, and I was quickly thinking my way into depression. If we allow it, our negative thoughts can rule our emotions, and our emotions then rule our lives.
The Bible tells us not to worry, but have you ever thought about why? Simply put, worry robs us of our peace. God helped me to realize that the most important thing the enemy was trying to steal from me in this was my voice. Ever realized how your voice seems to be the first thing to go when you’re feeling overwhelmed, and burdened? During this time we can become quiet and isolated.
Not only do we become silent when we isolate ourselves from our loved ones, but have you ever noticed how it can become harder, and harder to pray, and talk to God? This is because the enemy wants us to struggle in silence. We lose our power, when we lose our voice.
I realized that I could continue to worry myself about every single thing there was to worry about, or I could choose to give it to God, and trust him with the outcome. I could continue to give the enemy power over my voice, or I could take back my voice, and declare the word of the Lord over my life.
One morning, I had had enough! The overwhelming thoughts came before I could even put both feet on the ground. Instead of succumbing to the weight of my worries, I decided to open my mouth, and speak positive things over my day, over my family, and over my situation.
Because I felt fear, I declared that God had not given me a spirit of fear, but has given me a spirit of love, power, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). I gave him my fear, in exchange for His peace.
Because I felt confusion in my mind, I declared that I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). I gave God my confusion, in exchange for His clarity and wisdom.
Because I felt abandoned, like God was nowhere to be found, I declared that God was with me, and that He would never leave, or forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6). I gave God my feelings of rejection, in exchange for His acceptance and His love.
I kept going that day until I didn’t have any more words to say. I gave all my worries to Him. We give our worries to God when we simply admit that we can’t carry the burden on our own, and we release it to him. Now, I release my cares to Him daily. When the negative thoughts come, I try to combat them immediately, so that I won’t think myself back into a place that’s hard to get out of.
I believe that God wanted me to share these things with you today, because there are many others who have been struggling silently as well. For many, this season has brought about a lot of pressure, stress and worry. Today God wants you to cast your cares upon Him. Release every worry, and every care. You don’t have to struggle in silence.
“Take back your voice! Know that God has brought you this far, so no matter what’s going on in the world around you, He absolutely won’t leave you now. ”
Today’s Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I am so thankful that I can trust you with every situation that I face. Today, I rebuke the spirit of depression, and every negative thought that tries to come against the truth of your word. I give you the weight that I’ve been carrying in my own strength. I see now that this burden was never meant for me to carry, so I give it you. I lay it at your feet, and I receive your peace, love, joy, and your strength. I bring every thought into captivity into the obedience of Christ. Have your way in my life, both now and forever. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Today’s Reading: 1 Peter 5:7; Proverbs 12:25; Matthew 11:28-30
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) ”Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
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