In Deep __________

Have you ever been in something so deep before that you didn’t know if you’d be able to make it out?
Water?
Paperwork?
Emotions?
Problems?

For the past few weeks, I’ve been deep in depression. Some days I have felt like me and have had great days with high highs, but the following day has almost always been filled with a deep low. Yesterday was one of those lows. Monday was a good day. I was productive for the majority of the day, then I helped a friend, taught some kids about Jesus, and then learned that a curriculum I wrote was actually helping change kids lives. It doesn’t get much better than that!

When I woke up yesterday morning all I wanted to do was go back to sleep. I was frustrated that my head hurt and I wanted to do nothing more than to just binge watch Netflix all day long (surely, not my best yes). But I didn’t. I got up, showered, ate breakfast, and journaled for a few moments (something I’m trying to train myself to do regularly). I took some time to pray and told God just how frustrated, stressed, angry, and upset I was feeling. And honestly, I didn’t feel any better afterward. I still wanted to go back, curl up in my bed, and waste the day away.

“Do the next right thing.”

This is a phrase that helps me a lot throughout the day. Yesterday, I felt incredibly overwhelmed, so I just focused on doing the next right thing. I needed to respond to emails, so I did. I needed to edit some chapters in my novel, so I did. I needed to eat lunch even though that was the last thing I wanted, but I did it anyway. And slowly, as I did the next right thing over and over and over again, I eventually began to feel more like myself. I was able to encourage someone, help someone else, get some important work done, get approval on a project, and even received some good news by the end of the day.

Things weren’t perfect when I went to bed last night, but I am so thankful for yesterday. I’m thankful that I didn’t give up and retreat into a showhole. More than that, I’m eternally grateful that God hears my prayers and sees me no matter where I go. The fact that I can talk to him at any time of day and express anything, both the good and the bad, is an immense privilege — what an amazing God we serve!

My encouragement for you today is this: do the next right thing. No matter how deep you are in any hole, problem, or circumstance, make a move today. That might mean cracking open your Bible and reading a chapter after you’ve strayed. It might mean apologizing to someone or having an honest conversation. You might need to change up your diet or remove a substance from your life. Ask God what the next right thing is for you and then be courageous enough to take that step.

I believe in you — you can do it!!

To go deeper: Read All By Myself, Don’t Disdain the Little Things