I originally wrote this blog in 2021 in the full world-changing events of Covid-19. I’ve just been reading over it and realised that here we are 2026, and we are back in a global crisis – not a virus – but resources. What I wrote then, still applies today and it will again tomorrow.
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I have been playing contemporary Christian music on almost a continual loop these past 18 months. Most of the world can probably relate to how I am feeling.
Heartbreakingly, our world is in turmoil.
I have a few favourites that I crank up loud and sing at the top of my lungs – as they speak to me with a deep resonance.
One that I’ve had going around in my head has been Matthew West’s Truth Be Told.
I love the lines
…I'm fine, yeah, I'm fine oh I'm fine, hey I'm fine but I'm not
I'm broken
And when it's out of control, I say it's under control but it's not
And you know it…
How many of us live our lives this way?
We pretend it is all ok, that we are doing ‘it’ all the way it is expected, when really, we are lost, afraid, broken and out of control.
It is especially hard for Christians. We have this false belief that because we have God on our side, we should have it all together. Thank God, He doesn’t say that.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
God knows we are going to have a tough time, and He knows we are going to struggle. But we do have a Way to get through this.
His Name is Jesus!
I suffer from anxiety, and to increase my anxiety, I get anxious that I am anxious, because being a Christian, I am not supposed to be anxious. It is quite the anxiety producing conundrum.
I only know One Way to survive. The only reason why I haven’t ‘checked out’ is because Jesus is my answer. He is my strength when I have nothing in the tank. He is my comfort when I can’t find peace, He is my refuge when I am feeling alone, He is my best friend.
How do I dig into Jesus?
- I’ve learned a few simple things to stop me completely losing my mind, and you can learn them too.
- Connect with other Christians – these don’t have to be people you pour your heart out to – just people who share the same love for Jesus that you do. There is comfort in being connected to Christ-minded people.
- Set up and do daily devotionals – I have You Version on my phone and I just do short daily devotionals at the start of my day. Start and end the day with Jesus. It is amazing how these 5-minute devotionals can hit you fair and square and help you deal with the very thing you are struggling with that day.
- Read God’s Word – read the Bible, read books by Christian authors who speak in a way that speaks to you. Read Christian novels. Just get God’s Word into you – daily.
Turn off the TV, social media, negative music, or media – stop tormenting yourself with stuff you cannot control. Get healthy, wholesome music, tv shows, movies, whatever into your heart and mind. - Exercise – get some air into your lungs. You don’t have to go hard and break yourself, just get moving. Exercise produces endorphins, endorphins make you happy.
- And, this may not be for everyone, - write it down! Journal, draw, scream your words, hurt, frustration, angst, anger, bitterness, anxiety, whatever it may be, into the pages of a blank notepad. If it is something you don’t want anyone to ever see, burn it, shred it, get rid of it. But it is very cathartic to write it down.
- And one very important thing – be kind to yourself, love yourself for all your eccentricities. God knew you were going to be you, He knew you were going to have anxiety, He knew you were going to struggle. But tip it on its head, take what you see as negative, give God glory for it and then use who you to Glorify Him. There is strength in your weakness – Jesus! There is calm in your chaos – Jesus! There is peace in your dilemma – Jesus!
- My daily go to is ‘Let go and Let God’. It’s not always easy, some days are super tough, but I have learned the hard way that if I don’t do my ‘simple things’ I don’t cope.
Say good morning to Jesus and say goodnight to Jesus and let Him deal with everything in between.