Prioritizing Mental Health

I am met today with the reality that mental, physical and emotional health need to be tended to as well as the spiritual health.

The Lord will take us through a process where we begin to awaken to the spiritual realm- the forces at work upon and within us. We learn that we have a responsibility to be aware, vigilant and sober. We have to suit up, put on our armor, use our weapons, and stand against the wiles and schemes of the enemy.

The closer we get to breakthroughs, destiny moments, moves that will change the trajectory of our lives, changes that will make crooked paths straight, the war intensifies as the enemy chases you down like the Pharoah after the Israelites before the crossing at the red sea.

The intensity of the resistance is felt in every aspect of your being. 

The Lord allows it because ALL of it will be used for His glory. Before He chose any one of us, He knew of the pursuit that would ensue would ultimately be used to cause the pressure needed to get you to raise your staff, call on His power to part the red sea and walk through it and in your deliverance, He will be glorified.

In the midst of the resistance, the pressure, the war, the fight, the struggle, there is an increased vigilance on the spiritual.

Unfortunately, you can focus on the spiritual so much that you not only neglect but sacrifice every other aspect of your being.

One day you look up from the intense warfare and find your physical, mental and emotional well-being in shambles.

What you were once tending to-your spirit, you now see that you are white knuckling just barely holding on to every other aspect of your being, to life, if even holding on at all.

Take this moment to take a step back. 

Take a deep breath.

Reflect on  every aspect of your being.

• How is your physical health- your diet, exercise, sleep, etc? Are you keeping up with self care, proper grooming, physical appearance?
• How is your mental state? Are you tending to what you take in and what's present? What is your thought life like? Are you maintaining it- keeping it clean, healthy, holy?
• How is your emotional state? Is it healthy, calm, peaceful, hopeful, optimistic, tended to and guarded?
• How are you tending to your relationships, family, friends?
• How do you respond to people, activities, demands, life? What is your outlook? Is it healthy or one that screams paranoia, exhaustion, depression?

This evaluation is necessary in order to assess your current state overall.

You can be so focused on the spiritual realm that the enemy fights you with all he as in that area. All the while you have left all others vulnerable to his attacks and he is simply devouring, stealing from, destroying, killing and weakening the very structure, the housing, the temple of the spirit.

As the temple is being wrecked and ravaged, the spirit is exposed and vulnerable because now you dont have the wherewithal to tend to it like you need to; to build it and strengthen it so it can lead and conquer. You have left it defenseless in this war within the flesh and spirit.

Know the tactics of the enemy

There is a time where you may need to sacrifice sleep, food, exercise and get so intensely focused on going to war in the spirit because you are under severe attack. God will call you to fast, get up at 3 am to pray, take your time for exercise to get in your word, worship and war.

Make no mistake, spiritual disciplines should always be practiced. There just comes a period of time where you have to press in like never before. This may have been your reality at some point.

Now, step back.

Take that deep breath.

Check in with yourself.

Are you ok? Are you well?

If not, prayerfully determine what course of action needs to be taken to get you on the path of wellness. Emphasis on action, not merely words.

Some examples:

Journal

Consistently journal each day. Need a prompt? The truth about myself is...Start with honestly assessing where you are. Where are you weak/ strong? If you are unwell, admit it. Explore uncover, extract, expose, reveal your truth so that you can give it to Jesus and let His spirit comfort, teach and guide you.

Establish a routine

Do not go throughout your day haphazardly. This only gives access to the enemy. Set a routine. What has God revealed to you that is neccessary for your day? How will you tend to every aspect of your being-mental physical emotional spiritual to ensure you tending to yourself holistically.

Sample Routine:

4:00 wakeup

4:30-5:30 Devotion time

6:00-7:00 Exercise

7:30-8:30 Get ready for the day, meal prep

8:30-4:00 work and/or tasking for the Lord

4:30- 6:00 family time

6:00-7:30 read/ watch something that explores new concepts, increase knowledge, etc.

7:30- 8:00 engage something that provides relief such as a comedy show, sitting under the moonlight with a cup of tea, stretching by soft music and candlelight, laughing with a close a friend, watching a romantic comedy, etc

8:00- into sleep Lay in silence. Explore

This is merely a sample schedule that certainly will need to be adjusted based on your particular situation. Notice how it covers the tending to the physical, mental, spiritual,and emotional aspects of your being. Without a routine or schedule, you leave yourself open to the devices of the enemy to distract you and pull you away from what is needed daily.

Get disciplined

The routine is not a suggestion. It needs to be your new lifestyle. When you begin this routine, if you are paying attention, you'll begin to see how the enemy uses you and other people to distract, drain, demotivate you. You must keep your focus. 

Submit routine to God. It is not what you want to do, it is about what God needs you to do in this season. It is not just about doing stuff. It is about doing:

• the good thing,
• the good, morally right thing.
• the good, morally right, God thing,
• the good, morally right, God thing assigned for you to do,
• the good, morally right, God thing assigned for you to do, right now.

Only God can lead you into this level of specificity for your life as He desire.

Do not lean on your own understanding.

I grew exponentially in my walk with the Lord when God began talking to me about efficiency and efficacy according to the will of God.

You can do nothing apart from God. God has a will. What is His will in this moment for Me?

3 hours of prayer may sound great, but He may want you to pray for an hour, work on your budget and business plan and get online to apply for grants all while being present with you and walking you through that process.

Instead of entering into another vain argument with someone for an hour about Christian doctrine or listen to 2 hours of someone's drama (with people who will not change), He may want you to spend that time open for the God appointment He is going to bring your way.

Instead of spending time watching another sermon or Christian influencer, He may want you to spend time in silence so He can speak to you.

God is a God of order, specificity, efficiency and efficacy. As His child, His vessel, you need to be of this way to.

See how this will close the doors of the enemy in your life.

Rest in God

Make the Lord your refuge and fortress. Embrace the Psalm 91 lifestyle. In fact, say it daily. It is not all up to you. God is with you. He is looking down on you. He surrounds you. He covers you. He goes before you. He is your rear guard. His spirit is in you. The earth and fullness thereof is His. All of creation is at His command. Through Jesus Christ, as you are seated with Him in heavenly places, operate in His dominion and authority. You are a victor and an overcomer before you even open your eyes in the morning because the one who is Victorious; the Overcomer lives within you. 

You Will fall short, but although the righteous falls 7x they will arise. Forgive, Repent. Keep pressing toward the high calling up God casting all your cares to Jesus and trusting Him with them.

For the God assignment, identity in Christ, life in God you need God. Trust Him to be with you in it all.

Love yourself

Love God, love others as you love yourself. Take care of and honor the temple of God, God's vessel. Do not neglect, destroy, turn on that which belongs to God. You have no right to damage what does not belong to you. Jesus has paid the price for your life and desires for you to steward it well.

I frame it this way because sometimes when things get overwhelming we tend to offload that which we esteem can be afforded to be tossed off the ship. Unfortunately, we discard our goals, dreams, self-care, devotion time, tasking from God, etc. The enemy is fully aware of this and will place heavy demands and burdens in every aspect of your being internally, externally for this reason.

This is where you must love yourself. If you don't love yourself enough to, than honor God by taking care of what belongs to Him. Set boundaries with others, even yourself. Be disciplined in sticking to your routine.

Stand watch

Protect and safeguard your inner being. Stand watch at the gate of your heart, mind and spirit. Keep them closed. Open them to God and God alone. Do not let the enemy in. Your eye, ear, mouth gates all needed to be heavily guarded and protected as these are the entry points to your heart and soul.

From Jesus:

Jennifer, I love you. To you who are reading this, I love you. You are not just a tool for my use. You are my child. I care that you are unwell. Too much is given, much is required, yet this is a marathon not a sprint. I need you to live. I need you to survive because I have many days planned ahead for your future that include all that I have promised you and so much more. I need you not just to endure but to be well. Get well. You are my precious child. Take care of what is precious to me. My child, my friend, my sibling, my co-heir, my comfortee, my student, my patient, my delight, the apple of my eye, the one whose soul I love.

You,

you,

you

are important to me. This journey has been all about you, for you and in that I get the glory.  Get well in that you will see my hand and my glory.