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How are you doing? Are you feeling alright? Are you resting? Are you taken care of? Do you need someone to vent or talk with?

Over the past few weeks our minds have gone through some traumatic differences. Each and every person handles things differently. Some of us have had Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive” in our heads while others have had Bobby Vinton’s “Mr. Lonely” on repeat.

When trying times hit, we need to make sure we are looking out for ourself. While this may sound selfish it is actually far from it. If we do not take care of our own wellbeing we can never truly care for anyone else.

Jesus even informs us how this ideology flows even with love when he challenges us to love others as we love ourselves. (Mark 12:31).

Please make sure you are feeding your spirit and mind with positivity and truth. Please make sure you are contacting someone by phone/email/text/something to not only see how they are doing, but also to allow contact to ease your mind in knowing you’re not alone.

By checking on others it feeds both the one being checked upon and your own heart and mind. Please make sure you are eating, drinking and resting.

I love the story of how after Elijah upstages the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18 we see him fleeing for his life from Jezebel in 1 Kings 19.

Elijah goes from feeling like he is on top of the world to now falling into a deep depression and asking God to just “take my life (v4).”

Elijah falls into a deep sleep and is awakened by God through an angel who feeds Elijah and lets him rest some more.

Maybe life is getting the best of you currently. Maybe you find yourself falling into a depressive state and almost wishing, like Elijah, that God would just end it all. Be encouraged in knowing you are not alone.

Life slaps all of us and knocks our breath out at times. Learn from Elijah. Take a nap, get a snack, take another nap, talk with God, then go check on others and encourage them to follow (at least that’s what Elijah did with Elisha).

Sadness, worry, anxieties, depression, are all emotions we have, to allow us to know something is not right. Adjust your thinking to know that maybe you need to slow down, maybe you need to check on others, maybe you need a nap and a snack.

Just know God is awaiting your conversation with Him. Wondering where He is in all this?

Remember…the teacher is always quiet during a test. #bethegood

 

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com