Renewing Your Mind And Healing From Mental Illness- A Faith Based- Biblical Approach
Let's chat about a journey I've been on for the past five years—trust me, it's been quite the adventure! It's funny how life can suddenly serve up a massive dose of motivation, especially when you're on the verge of bringing a precious bundle of joy into the world. I'd carried the weight of deep-seated brokenness for most of my life, but it wasn't until I saw those two blue lines on that pregnancy test that a lightbulb went off: "Maybe it's time to heal. Maybe it's time to grow."
During my pregnancy, I embarked on a quest for healing, seeking the Lord to mend the wounds of my past. I knew I had a whole lot of emotional baggage that I didn't want to pass on to my little one. These were the same heavy suitcases I'd hauled with me when I said, "I do." The beautiful, yet sometimes tough truth is that our thoughts are like the engine driving our emotions, actions, and ultimately shaping the course of our lives and relationships. It all starts with our thoughts, whether we're consciously aware of them or not!
Scripture reminds us that words have the power of life and death. And guess where it all begins? You got it, in the mind. The things we tell ourselves, the thoughts we have about others, and the ideas we stew over throughout the day—these thoughts are shaping us. They can either breathe life into us or push us closer to a state of emotional struggle.
So, now that I'm a momma to a spirited five-year-old, I'm passing on this wisdom to my little one. I'm teaching him that we must renew our minds daily, just as Romans suggests, by choosing to focus on what is beautiful and lovely. We opt not to dwell on the ugly or the worst because there's always something beautiful worth holding onto.
In a nutshell, dear friends, I'd say that we're at our absolute best when we fill our minds with thoughts that are true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, and gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. I'm living this out as an example, not just through my words, so my kiddo can learn to lean into the beauty. Because, trust me, there's always something beautiful worth grabbing onto.
Now, let's rewind a bit. During my first year of marriage, my depression, anxiety attacks, and fiery anger decided to throw a party and disrupt the peace in our home. I saw firsthand how it affected my husband in more ways than one, and I decided I didn't want to carry that baggage into parenthood anymore. So, I began seeking the Lord for healing and even sought counseling to become a better mom than I was at the time, a wife. And let me tell you, the Lord was faithful and showed up in incredible ways.
A significant part of my journey toward healing from my depression, intense mood swings, and those dark episodes was a crucial shift in my thoughts. I had to master the art of renewing my mind daily. I focused on weeding out all the destructive junk that was blocking me from being my best self and living my best life. As I transformed my thought patterns, I started to see a profound change in my emotions. It was like a ripple effect—the shift in my thoughts was changing how I felt, and that was changing me. My life was truly changing for the better!
So, remember, lovelies, our thoughts are powerful, and they can lead us toward a life filled with beauty, love, and grace. Keep embracing those positive, life-affirming thoughts, and let's journey together toward a brighter, more beautiful tomorrow! 💖✨
Xoxo, Madi.
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