April 16, 2025 • 11 mins
Today I'm talking about a topic a lot of people don't talk about openly - those mental and emotional lows we go through in life. Here are some practical ways of dealing with them
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, this is Mark. Thank you for joining me today
on Words of Truth. Today, I want to talk about
something that many of us face, but few of us
talk about openly, those mental and emotional lows that we
go through in life. Whether it's anxiety, sadness, discouragement, burnout,
(00:22):
or just feeling stuck. These valleys are real and they
can be really hard. But here's the good news. God
is not only the God of the mountain, but he's
also the God of the valley. We need to realize
that God is close to us in the low places.
(00:46):
Let me start with a verse that I find incredibly
comforting is found in the Psalms. Psalm thirty four, Verse
eighteen says the Lord is close to the broken hearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Now that's
not just a vague idea. Notice this says that God
(01:07):
is close. He's not distant or waiting for you to
feel better. You see, when your heart is heavy, when
your spirit is crushed, that's when He leans in the most.
You may not feel him physically, you can't reach out
and touch him, but by faith you take his words
(01:29):
as truth and you embrace the fact that God is
close and he began to thank him for that truth,
and then you do begin to feel a peace that
surpasses all comprehension. And so if you're feeling emotionally or
mentally weighed down today, know this that God hasn't moved
(01:50):
away from you. In fact, he's drawing near to you.
But also realize that you're not the first one to
feel this way. You see, sometimes when we feel guilty
for being down, we need to realize we're not the
only ones that feel that way. Sometimes we do feel
(02:14):
guilty for being down, as if being sad or anxious
means that we failed spiritually. In fact, we'll say that
to ourselves. I mean, I'm a pastor, and when I
feel down, I feel like a failure. I do because
I should know better and know how to deal with
this beast. But when we look at the scripture, we
(02:37):
see that we're not the only ones who have gone
through these valleys, and that helps. Take for example, the
prophet Elijah first Kings Chapter nineteen. After winning a huge
spiritual battle. You remember that on Mount Carmel, Elijah runs
(02:58):
into the wilderness and he's says to God, I've had enough,
Just let me die. Those were his words Now that's
deep depression. You see. He was worried that Queen Jezebel.
Jezebel was going to send an assassin and be done
with him, and that's why he ran. But how did
(03:19):
God respond. Did he respond by condemning him. Did he
respond by telling him to you know, buck it up,
get a life? No? No, no, He responded with compassion.
This is what he said. He told Elijah first of
all to rest, and then God gave him some food
(03:39):
to eat. I mean after ill remember that he had
run a marathon to get away from Queen Jezebel, and
then he rested some more. And then he God gently
spoke to him in a whisper, remember that, and told
him the next time, or rather the next step in
(04:00):
his mission. It is shocking to us that a great
man of God like Elijah could get to a place
in his life that he just wanted God to end
it all. But it shows us that anyone can find
themselves in the valley. No one is exempt. Or look
at King David. Listen to what he writes in Psalm
(04:23):
forty two to five. Why my soul are you downcast?
Why so disturbed with me? Within me? Put your hope
in God. It's almost refreshing to see how David didn't
hide him his emotions from God. He didn't pretend that
anything was better than it was, but he poured out
(04:47):
his heart to God because he was obviously wrestling with
his own heart. He was pondering why he was feeling
the way he was, but he always turned his eyes
back to the Lord. He says, put your hope in God.
Now I felt that way at times too, haven't you. Unfortunately,
(05:08):
many times we'll just continue our nabel gazing and never
get to the point of actually putting our hope in God.
And you know what, that's when deep depression settles in.
You see, it's okay, and it's normal to feel down cast,
but we have to take the step of lifting up
our eyes to the one who has all the hope
(05:29):
to give, and we'll always find that hope. Describe for
us in the Bible, even Jesus in Matthew twenty six
thirty eight said to his disciples, my soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow to the point of death. Imagine Jesus, the
son of God, knows what sorrow feels like. My friend,
(05:50):
you're not alone, and you are not weak for feeling low.
You're just human. But also remember that God is always
with you in the valley. Psalm twenty three four says,
even though I walk through the valley of the Shadow
of Death, I oh fear no evil, for you are
(06:12):
with me. It doesn't say that God pulls us out
of every valley right away. We all know that he
doesn't do that, But it says he walks with us
through the valley. Our prayers tend to be God, deliver me, God,
get me out of this. God heal me when we
really ought to be praying. God protect me in this. God,
(06:36):
teach me what you want me to learn. God, help
me to learn to love you more in this. God,
use this to grow me spiritually. You might be walking
through something heavy right now. Maybe it's depression or anxiety,
or grief or loneliness. Whatever your valley looks like. God
(06:57):
is not watching from a distance. He is right there
with you, guiding, comforting and strengthening you, even when you
feel like well, you can't feel it. Isaiah chapter forty one,
verse ten is where God says, do not fear, for
(07:18):
I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I'm
your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I
will uphold you with my righteous right hand. That's a
promise from God. And God doesn't break his promises. And
it's amazing. When we look back over our shoulder at
those valleys that we walk through, we realize that God
(07:40):
has been with us, and he has been walking with us,
and he has led us through that valley. Now, what
can we do in those low moments? What are some steps?
I want to make this very practical. Here are some
quick truths that you can hold on to when you're
in a low place. First of all, remember that you're
(08:01):
not alone. We talked about that Elijah, David, many other people.
Hebrews chapter thirteen, verse five says, never will I leave you,
Never will I forsake you. You see, if you feel alone,
it's not because God has moved. Remember that you're not alone. Secondly,
remember that you're not forgotten. Isaiah forty nine sixteen says,
(08:26):
I have engraved you on the palms of my hand. Wow.
Imagine that the God of the universe loves you and
thinks about you so dearly that it's as if your
name is engraved on his hand. How often do you
look at your hands well quite a bit. I would
guess God sees your name written on his hand. You're
(08:52):
not forgotten. And then also remember that this season is
not your ending. Romans chapter eight, verse twenty eight says
in all things God works for good of those who
love him. You see, God has a purpose in your valley.
He's working out something special for you, either for your
(09:16):
spiritual growth, to teach you a new lesson, or for
a new blessing that you couldn't have otherwise. But this
is not the end. Just take a read through the
Book of Job and you'll see that it's not your end,
and then finally realize that peace is possible. Philippians foretells
(09:37):
us to bring our anxiety to God in prayer, and
he'll will guard our hearts and minds with his peace,
a peace that goes beyond understanding. Your mind is your
thought life, your heart is your emotions. God promises to
bring peace to both your thoughts and your emotions, but
we first have to lay it all out at his feet,
(10:00):
let him take care of it and listen. It's okay
to ask for help from God and from people. God
created community, create a counsel and care for a reason,
reach out now. Let me say this very clearly, Your
low moments do not disqualify you from God's love or
(10:21):
his purpose. In fact, those moments are often where He
does his most beautiful work. So don't be afraid of
the valley. Look for God in it. He's not finished
with you yet. I hope this helps. Thank you for
letting me share with you. If you're going through a
difficult time, don't go through it alone. Reach out, talk
(10:42):
to somebody. Most importantly, talk to God. He's listening and
he loves you. Hey, let me pray with you this
before I go. Father, thank you for being close to
us when we're broken hearted. Thank you for never walking
away from us even when life feels heavy and ares
are overwhelming. We asked that you would bring comfort, healing,
(11:04):
and peace to those who are struggling right now. Help
us to trust you even in the valleys. Remind us
that we are never alone. In Jesus's name, Amen, I'll
see you next time.
Hi, this is Mark. Thank you for joining me today
on Words of Truth. Today, I want to talk about
something that many of us face, but few of us
talk about openly, those mental and emotional lows that we
go through in life. Whether it's anxiety, sadness, discouragement, burnout,
(00:22):
or just feeling stuck. These valleys are real and they
can be really hard. But here's the good news. God
is not only the God of the mountain, but he's
also the God of the valley. We need to realize
that God is close to us in the low places.
(00:46):
Let me start with a verse that I find incredibly
comforting is found in the Psalms. Psalm thirty four, Verse
eighteen says the Lord is close to the broken hearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Now that's
not just a vague idea. Notice this says that God
(01:07):
is close. He's not distant or waiting for you to
feel better. You see, when your heart is heavy, when
your spirit is crushed, that's when He leans in the most.
You may not feel him physically, you can't reach out
and touch him, but by faith you take his words
(01:29):
as truth and you embrace the fact that God is
close and he began to thank him for that truth,
and then you do begin to feel a peace that
surpasses all comprehension. And so if you're feeling emotionally or
mentally weighed down today, know this that God hasn't moved
(01:50):
away from you. In fact, he's drawing near to you.
But also realize that you're not the first one to
feel this way. You see, sometimes when we feel guilty
for being down, we need to realize we're not the
only ones that feel that way. Sometimes we do feel
(02:14):
guilty for being down, as if being sad or anxious
means that we failed spiritually. In fact, we'll say that
to ourselves. I mean, I'm a pastor, and when I
feel down, I feel like a failure. I do because
I should know better and know how to deal with
this beast. But when we look at the scripture, we
(02:37):
see that we're not the only ones who have gone
through these valleys, and that helps. Take for example, the
prophet Elijah first Kings Chapter nineteen. After winning a huge
spiritual battle. You remember that on Mount Carmel, Elijah runs
(02:58):
into the wilderness and he's says to God, I've had enough,
Just let me die. Those were his words Now that's
deep depression. You see. He was worried that Queen Jezebel.
Jezebel was going to send an assassin and be done
with him, and that's why he ran. But how did
(03:19):
God respond. Did he respond by condemning him. Did he
respond by telling him to you know, buck it up,
get a life? No? No, no, He responded with compassion.
This is what he said. He told Elijah first of
all to rest, and then God gave him some food
(03:39):
to eat. I mean after ill remember that he had
run a marathon to get away from Queen Jezebel, and
then he rested some more. And then he God gently
spoke to him in a whisper, remember that, and told
him the next time, or rather the next step in
(04:00):
his mission. It is shocking to us that a great
man of God like Elijah could get to a place
in his life that he just wanted God to end
it all. But it shows us that anyone can find
themselves in the valley. No one is exempt. Or look
at King David. Listen to what he writes in Psalm
(04:23):
forty two to five. Why my soul are you downcast?
Why so disturbed with me? Within me? Put your hope
in God. It's almost refreshing to see how David didn't
hide him his emotions from God. He didn't pretend that
anything was better than it was, but he poured out
(04:47):
his heart to God because he was obviously wrestling with
his own heart. He was pondering why he was feeling
the way he was, but he always turned his eyes
back to the Lord. He says, put your hope in God.
Now I felt that way at times too, haven't you. Unfortunately,
(05:08):
many times we'll just continue our nabel gazing and never
get to the point of actually putting our hope in God.
And you know what, that's when deep depression settles in.
You see, it's okay, and it's normal to feel down cast,
but we have to take the step of lifting up
our eyes to the one who has all the hope
(05:29):
to give, and we'll always find that hope. Describe for
us in the Bible, even Jesus in Matthew twenty six
thirty eight said to his disciples, my soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow to the point of death. Imagine Jesus, the
son of God, knows what sorrow feels like. My friend,
(05:50):
you're not alone, and you are not weak for feeling low.
You're just human. But also remember that God is always
with you in the valley. Psalm twenty three four says,
even though I walk through the valley of the Shadow
of Death, I oh fear no evil, for you are
(06:12):
with me. It doesn't say that God pulls us out
of every valley right away. We all know that he
doesn't do that, But it says he walks with us
through the valley. Our prayers tend to be God, deliver me, God,
get me out of this. God heal me when we
really ought to be praying. God protect me in this. God,
(06:36):
teach me what you want me to learn. God, help
me to learn to love you more in this. God,
use this to grow me spiritually. You might be walking
through something heavy right now. Maybe it's depression or anxiety,
or grief or loneliness. Whatever your valley looks like. God
(06:57):
is not watching from a distance. He is right there
with you, guiding, comforting and strengthening you, even when you
feel like well, you can't feel it. Isaiah chapter forty one,
verse ten is where God says, do not fear, for
(07:18):
I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I'm
your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I
will uphold you with my righteous right hand. That's a
promise from God. And God doesn't break his promises. And
it's amazing. When we look back over our shoulder at
those valleys that we walk through, we realize that God
(07:40):
has been with us, and he has been walking with us,
and he has led us through that valley. Now, what
can we do in those low moments? What are some steps?
I want to make this very practical. Here are some
quick truths that you can hold on to when you're
in a low place. First of all, remember that you're
(08:01):
not alone. We talked about that Elijah, David, many other people.
Hebrews chapter thirteen, verse five says, never will I leave you,
Never will I forsake you. You see, if you feel alone,
it's not because God has moved. Remember that you're not alone. Secondly,
remember that you're not forgotten. Isaiah forty nine sixteen says,
(08:26):
I have engraved you on the palms of my hand. Wow.
Imagine that the God of the universe loves you and
thinks about you so dearly that it's as if your
name is engraved on his hand. How often do you
look at your hands well quite a bit. I would
guess God sees your name written on his hand. You're
(08:52):
not forgotten. And then also remember that this season is
not your ending. Romans chapter eight, verse twenty eight says
in all things God works for good of those who
love him. You see, God has a purpose in your valley.
He's working out something special for you, either for your
(09:16):
spiritual growth, to teach you a new lesson, or for
a new blessing that you couldn't have otherwise. But this
is not the end. Just take a read through the
Book of Job and you'll see that it's not your end,
and then finally realize that peace is possible. Philippians foretells
(09:37):
us to bring our anxiety to God in prayer, and
he'll will guard our hearts and minds with his peace,
a peace that goes beyond understanding. Your mind is your
thought life, your heart is your emotions. God promises to
bring peace to both your thoughts and your emotions, but
we first have to lay it all out at his feet,
(10:00):
let him take care of it and listen. It's okay
to ask for help from God and from people. God
created community, create a counsel and care for a reason,
reach out now. Let me say this very clearly, Your
low moments do not disqualify you from God's love or
(10:21):
his purpose. In fact, those moments are often where He
does his most beautiful work. So don't be afraid of
the valley. Look for God in it. He's not finished
with you yet. I hope this helps. Thank you for
letting me share with you. If you're going through a
difficult time, don't go through it alone. Reach out, talk
(10:42):
to somebody. Most importantly, talk to God. He's listening and
he loves you. Hey, let me pray with you this
before I go. Father, thank you for being close to
us when we're broken hearted. Thank you for never walking
away from us even when life feels heavy and ares
are overwhelming. We asked that you would bring comfort, healing,
(11:04):
and peace to those who are struggling right now. Help
us to trust you even in the valleys. Remind us
that we are never alone. In Jesus's name, Amen, I'll
see you next time.
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