Depression + Anxiety + Obesity + Chronic Pain = An Uphill Battle.

I had to take a break here because this topic is hard to write about. I started getting an ocular migraine from staring at the screen, waiting for the words to come. I took a tour of the veggies growing in the garden, then turned on my recording of American Idol. This song came on: What If? by Kayko. This is where I live when the problems overwhelm me. In the what if’s. What if I’m not enough to overcome my failures? What if I can’t bounce back after my failed attempts or interrupted goals? What if I’m not a good enough singer, or writer, or person? What if I…?

Last Monday I wrote a whole blog—A Christian in Competition. When I was setting up my SEO and image data, I had issues with the image uploading, so I shut down my iPad and came back to it. Nothing had saved.

I couldn’t bring myself to rewrite it. Mentally, I was between two stressors. One, I had gone to see a pain care specialist and he suggested a spinal cord stimulator to deal with my nerve pain. Two, I was preparing to leave for our Sweet Adelines Regional Convention to compete for the first time since joining our local chorus just over a year ago.

For whatever reason, whether dealing with my pain or comparing myself to others while I was at the convention, my depression came back with a vengeance. I knew when I came back home I wanted to get my head on straight and nip this in the bud before I sink too far. I needed to replace the lies with the truth. Jesus tells us:

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

I am the way, the truth, and the life.

John‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬, ‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He also said:

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭ESV

Bouncing back when my bounce is slack is difficult, but not impossible. So let me start with just one lie. “I’m not good enough.” You may relate to that thought, so let’s say this next scripture out loud together.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT

Or if you prefer:

We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!

Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Whether you like to view yourself as God’s masterpiece or His poetry it is through Christ we discover who we are and what we are to do. We are enough because Jesus is enough to bring God’s plan for our lives to fruition.

I won’t ever be the best singer or the best writer, but I will be the painting, sculpture, or poem He creates me to be, and that is a beautiful thing.

Grace & Peace,

Sandy

PS: If you have a spinal cord stimulator, let me know if it helped you.

Image created in Canva.