Bring Your Mess and Leave With Peace
The holiday season is upon us, which means that we are all a little stressed out. We stress over throwing the best parties for friend or family get togethers. The perfect party has both delicious food and just the right ambiance. There's stress from trying to find the perfect gifts for friends and family. Let's not mention all the price tags from those gifts adding up in our bank accounts. We put so much on our plates this time of year, it can feel like we are going to some sort of event everyday for an entire month. If you are one burdened with mental illness, it can make the holiday season even more of a struggle.
Anxiety and Depression
The stress of the holiday season can lead those of us with mental illnesses into a dark place. Don't get me wrong, Christmas is amazing, but the lull of silence after the holidays is like a breath of fresh air.
Depression will tell us "don't go out, you're gonna ruin the party, just stay home in bed." It tells us "they love you for your gift, not for you", or even "I can't get all of this done so I may as well not do it". Depression doesn't make sense, and it isn't fair.
Anxiety tells us "you aren't dressed up enough" or "you are overdressed". It tells us "you're gonna get lost on the way there", "you're gonna drown in bills over these gifts", or even "there are going to be so many people there, you need to find the perfect excuse to get out of this".
What depression and anxiety both tell you is that you are a failure and worthy of nobody's love.
Come with your brokenness
As I sat in church the other day waiting for service to begin, I felt as though I couldn't breath. I sat there completely frozen. My focus was to make it seem like I was okay to everyone around me. Then, I heard a gentle voice in my head. The Holy Spirit was reminding me that he is there for me and loves me, brokenness and all!
Having a relationship with Jesus isn't about getting your life together or being perfect before coming to him. A relationship with God is beautiful because he wants you messiness and all.
Church began and I sat there, still anxious. The message started and my eyes suddenly got really big. I was in awe! The message we were listening to was on the exact same thing the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart just moments before we began.
We read through scripture on the different types of gifts that were given to Jesus on the day of his birth. The third gift referenced was myrrh. This was a substance that was used to help relieve pain, which is exactly why Jesus came down to us in human form. He came to relieve our pain.
Be filled with peace
Life wasn't guaranteed to be easy, and it is far from that. We can hurt either physically or mentally. This holiday season, if you are broken mentally, know you are not alone. Most importantly, know that God desires a relationship with you, despite how great your brokenness.
If finances or an overfilled schedule are causing you anxiety, if the hurt bought up by the season is causing you to be depressed, you have a God that is waiting for you with open arms.
When life presses you beyond what you can handle or when anxiety and depression fills your heart during the holiday season, just remember to bring your mess and leave with his peace.
