Sometimes it’s hard to know how to snap out of a bad mood. Keeping our mindset in check might be the key.
At the beginning of this month, my attitude was horrible. I don’t mean that I acted a bit cranky or a bit depressed, I mean that I was a force to be reckoned with. Nothing my family did was right, nothing I did was right, and even the cat brought on an anger I couldn’t quite understand. When I get in this mood day after day, I find it extremely difficult to snap out of it. So, when I started writing out Scriptures about giving thanks to God, I didn’t feel very thankful. I felt just as cranky with Him as I acted with everyone else.
Then about a week into it, something happened. My mood started to shift, because my thinking started to change. My thinking went from ungrateful and angry to realising how much I have to be thankful for. I started writing a list right beside my written Scripture that I have called, “Gratitude check.” Each day after I write my passage out, I write 5 things I am thankful for.
With Thanksgiving…
In my journey with depression and anxiety, the thing I have learned the most is that we choose whether or not we are going to dwell in these feelings or take one tiny baby step toward goodness. Sometimes that looks like crying out to God to help. Sometimes it’s just taking a shower or making sure we eat a few meals that day. One of the Scriptures I wrote out one day describes this process perfectly, and I can’t help but share it.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me — practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” ––Philippians 4:4-9
I want to encourage each of you to think about the things in your life for which you are thankful. In the comments section here, please leave a comment sharing what you are thankful for. Let’s fill this section with an offering of praise to God for what He has done in our lives. It can be a simple one like coffee (I am doubly thankful for coffee), or it can be more involved and part of your story. I would love to hear about it, so please share below.
Love this so very much Samantha!! Thank you for sharing!