Running after Truth- Through God & Therapy; Becoming a Healthier Self

Truth. God’s truth.

Seeking after the truth of something is an integral part of who I am. Writing down the truth, listening to the truth through songs and sound preaching, not taking someone else’s word for it just because I look up to them or they are important in my life. Verifying that what they are saying is truth by studying God’s word for myself.

Seeking truth. Reading truth from the Bible and reading books from trusted Biblical scholars. Seeking truth. Friend, are you also seeking God’s truth out for yourself and studying God’s word on your own? Are you having truth-filled inputs throughout your day with songs based in truth? If not, you can start today with it.

For me- Seeking evidence based truth in medical, relational, and other issues is another integral part of who I am. Pursuing the hard work of therapy to dispel untruths in my life and mind and heart and work through painful things that have occurred, traumas that have occurred, in order to be a more resilient truer self. Making time for the healthier, truer person I am becoming— spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically.

Running after truth. I will encourage and urge those around me to pursue truth in their life as well. To seek after the healthier, wholer self. To allow God’s truth in the Bible and a relationship with Him to permeate their life in such a significant way they will never be the same- for it is what they were made for, purposed for.

The traumas and wounds of the last 7 years that have left their indelible marks- unseen marks- on me have forever changed me- There is good and there is difficult in the same breath.

I am not the same person I was before it-

Choose joy in the midst has come out of that muck and mire- A passion and prayer and hope for the Lord to redeem all the broken pieces— has come out of the painful, hard things.

Becoming a writer has come out of that— to share & encourage others in the midst of their own difficult circumstances- to look to God in those times- my only source of strength and wisdom- the One who brought me through them. The One who is redeeming my broken things for His glory. The One who continues to sustain me today.

And do you know what friend? I can see good and bad at the same time. The pain and the goodness. Life is never truly one sided. There will always be a juxtaposition. A Both, And present.

In your own life, can you begin to identify the realistic knowledge of the difficult and painful and also the good and beautiful at the same time? They don’t cancel each other out.

The volume of the difficult and painful can be turned up really loudly during those hard seasons or traumatic moments.

The blessing and care from the Father can also be seen in those same times, small bits of His protection or guidance or grace present at the exact same time- a reminder of not being alone in the midst, God always being beside you. It can sometimes be harder to see, and takes a slowing down to observe more closely. I can see it in the different moments and seasons in my life that have occurred.

Will you pause friend and consider one or more of your own difficult life circumstances or past painful seasons? I would ask you to grab a notebook or journal to write down – acknowledge- the difficult, the painful, but don’t stay there- look a little closer and try to see the presence of the Father- of a blessing or small glimmer of goodness present surrounding whatever it is?

A detail overlooked or the timing of things that protected life or brought hope or encouragement. Sometimes it’s extremely hard to find anything to redeem looking at a season or circumstance.

We live in a fallen, broken world because of sin. But God is present here, and He is in the business of restoring, redeeming, and bringing life out of death, bringing beauty out of the ashes of your life- if you will let Him. It usually won’t look the same as you pictured, the way you thought it should work out, but God is doing something we can’t see. His ways can be trusted- I am a testament to that in my own life.

So, friend— I would be honored for you to share with me what you noticed as you looked for both, and, in your own life. The reality of life. The truth of life. A wholer picture. Acknowledging the good and the difficult, the good and the painful, at the same time. Giving space for both. Not discounting either one, and then praying and handing it over to Jesus who is strong enough to hold all of it- the Both. And. Of your life. The good and the painful.

Now— let’s switch gears a bit—

Friend, if you are one who chooses to only look at the good and the positive (rose colored glasses) of a situation or issue and would rather ignore or dismiss the bad or difficult— I would encourage you to take a moment to again write down both. It will be incredibly difficult for you at first to willingly write down the hard and difficult in your life. Maybe only start with one word or a couple words for each difficult thing. It can be overwhelming and hard but is so important. In a situation or life circumstance of yours, acknowledge the good you already focus on, and then take some time to acknowledge the difficult, the painful also. Lift it all up to God in prayer as you go along or at the end and ask Him to help you to have a healthier wholer view of your life and help you to trust Him with all of it and lead you in wisdom and discernment through all of it— the good and the difficult. To redeem the difficult, broken things as only He can. To rejoice in the good.

God is at work, and He loves each one of you very much. He loves me.

And the cool thing is— He is for me. And He is for you. For our best. Which will always be found in walking life fully in Him, being brave to face hard things and being observant to see the beauty and goodness around us in our life too.

And friend— If your difficult hard things are ones you can’t tackle on your own— Know that seeking out mental health therapy is one of the most beautiful and brave things you can do in your life. Putting your health and wholeness first. Allowing someone who is trained to walk alongside the broken and difficult things in your life and help you break down negative beliefs, work through traumas or difficult situations, and work through past woundings in your life that are affecting your present day. We all have them in some form or another.

I’m so thankful I can use my spiritual disciplines and lean into God’s strength and prayer as well as use mental health therapy to pursue a healthier, wholer me.

It is not weakness to seek out therapy or seek out God. To seek out and begin therapy is one of the bravest things you will do. To seek out and begin a relationship with the living God is the most important decision you will ever make.

Be blessed today friends!

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