The person that we see standing or sitting in front of us, holds a myriad of experiences and feelings, however when we look at someone we can only judge how they are feeling by what they present to us.
The mind can play tricks on us, it controls our thoughts and processes, and some people even can hear voices. It can control our behaviour, our emotions, our relationships and yes even our faith.
It’s easy to think of a God who is loving, accepting and caring when we are receptive, yet how do we respond when we are not receptive, when we are gripped in the spiral of depression, stress, or anxiety?
As people, we are social beings, and whether we like it or not, how or what people think about us, can affect our behaviour. For example, if we are constantly being told “you look tired”, you will eventually start to feel tired, whether you are or not.
How we feel about ourselves, can directly affect our relationships with other people and also with God. How often have we said to ourselves” I am not in the mood for ‘them’ today” . Is it the ‘mood’, or is it the person?
Depending on how we feel, this can also depend on whether we are in the mood for God. Many people say that their faith is their Rock and a sturdy foundation, however what happens we feel that our faith is on shifting sands and we sense that instead of a sturdy foundation we are standing on precarious rocks?
For people who are stressed , anxious or depressed, Faith can be a source of anxiety for they feel they have to be in the mood for God, yet the revelation is that is does not matter to God if we are not in the mood for a one-to-one chat with Him, God is always ready and willing to love us …as we are , even if it means we are not in the mood for God.
Believing in God does not mean that we will have a trouble-free life or that we will not succumb to stress in our lives. It simply means that a life without faith and without a God of Love makes coping with stress an impossible and often debilitating task.
God ,
Help me
When I feel alone
When I feel sad,
When I feel anxious
When I feel afraid
Send your peace
A peace that is truly beyond my understanding
And lift my sadness and replace with hope
Amen
RD