Give Up or Get Up?

In the “God’s Children” group me chat someone asked a question, that question and the responses that were given has brought me here.

“How do y’all deal with being sad?”

I believe each and every single one of us is presented with the choice to give up or get up, might it be the decision to get out of bed and be productive or staying in or, might it be in the larger context of life of giving up on your dreams and God’s promises because it got too hard, too bad or too sad for you to keep going.

Last year there was a growth of immeasurable pain and agony that I was tired of and I tried giving up. My conversations with God usually included “I’m in pain, I’m tired, I’m overwhelmed and I just want to give up because this is too much”. He encouraged me, but most of the time the pain I felt led me to overlook the encouragement and strength he was giving me but the moment I channeled the strength he gave me and used it to lift my head up out of my pain and into his word, I got lost in his love, lost in his promises, plans and purposes that will be fulfilled I simply believed and LIVED.

This was enough to get me to get up but not enough to get me to stay up. I was comfortable in my pain and I would fall back into it. Not because I enjoyed it but because the moment I’d try to get back up I’d get triggered. I couldn’t see things getting better if any time I got triggered I would fall back into this negative space, there was no point in getting up only to fall again so I just decided to stay down. I had no faith, I couldn’t hold on to the promises I was given. I heard “This pain won’t last forever.” and my response would be “Ok, cool. Can it end NOW?”

After a lot of searching and acceptance, I simply told God “I don’t trust you." I laugh now because Blessing sweetheart that was the ENTIRE problem. But it was true, in certain areas of my life, I did not trust God. But, not trusting God is like a flesh-eating disease, it can start off in one area and quickly spread throughout the entire body. So, although it started off with not trusting God in these specific areas because it wasn’t dealt with, it spread to the rest of my life, rapidly. And that was what brought me to the place I was in, stuck in misery.

For the longest time, I believed that I DID have reasons not to trust God; disappointments, failures, loss – the list is endless. I couldn’t trust God because I couldn’t understand why I was in the situation I was in, especially because I was “good” with God. I prayed, I fasted; our relationship was great so why did this happen?

At that moment Mary Mary - I Just Can’t Give Up Now started playing in my head. “Nobody told me the road would be easy.” Literally nowhere did God ever say my life would be without any problems, but he did say through it all he would guide me. “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 I didn’t take into account that there was someone trying to steal, kill, and destroy everything that God promised me, waiting for the perfect opportunity. “Be alert and of sober mind, Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

To anyone that is struggling to hold on, that wants to give up. Please remember this verse Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) ' "For I know the plans I have for you", says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and hope." ' As long as you are living there is hope and things WILL get better.

We have to work to break the stigma surrounding mental health. We have to educate ourselves on the signs and warnings of a suicidal person. We have to make it a priority to have open and honest conversations with people close to us about their mental well-being and our mental being as well. We have to extend love to others always, you never know if your smile to a stranger on the sidewalk is what helped them make it through another day.

I love you guys.