YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE

For all those who need to hear this today:

You are not the only person struggling to feel significant.
You are not the only young adult battling in depression.
You're not the only pastor who feels burn out and under appreciated.
You're not the only person carrying shame from abuse.
You're not the only single wanting to get married.
You're not the only guy (or girl) addicted to pornography.
You're not the only couple struggling in their marriage.
You're not the only person who’s been through a divorce.
You're not the only mother feeling like a failure.
You're not the only husband stressed out financially.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE. ALTHOUGH NO ONE HAS BEEN THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE, SOMEONE OUT THERE CAN RELATE TO WHAT YOU'RE FEELING. DON'T QUIT. DON'T GIVE UP.

Somewhere in this world, someone has gone through something similar. Someone has fought the same battles, someone has experienced the same pain. So often we’re convinced that we are alone in our pain, grief, depression, struggles, disappointments, and shame, but it’s a lie.

You are not alone. Somebody loves you. Somebody cares about you. Probably a lot of people.

Your pain is real, and your feelings are valid, but you are not your feelings, and your pain is temporary. You can heal, and you can feel different! More than the people in front of your face, God loves you desperately! I believe wholeheartedly that God hears your prayers, and He is close to you. Life can be so brutal, and our thoughts and emotions can weigh us down, but He is there in the midst of the heartache. He is there in the midst of your pain. The Holy Spirit is called our comforter for a reason. First and foremost, we need spiritual reconciliation and restoration.

BUT WE STILL NEED EACH OTHER! WE STILL NEED FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND FRIENDSHIPS. WE NEED REAL RELATIONSHIPS, NOT INSTAGRAM CONNECTIONS!

I don't know about you, but I don't want to fake perfection while aching inside. I don't want to put on a mask while drowning in depression. I don't want to stand in a church and feel completely alone. And I have before, and I am over it.

It's time we got honest about our issues, our struggles, our "stuff." It's time we run to Jesus with our problems and lean on others when we need to. It's time we speak up. Find a safe place to talk. Find the right person to talk to. If you need to see a counsellor or a Christian psychologist, do it!

THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL ILLNESS, ESPECIALLY IN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES, KEEPS PEOPLE LOCKED IN PRISONS OF SHAME, REFUSING TO ADMIT THAT THEY NEED HELP.

It's okay to say you need help. Like I said, run to Jesus first. He is the source of all things. He is hope personified!

But don't feel bad for seeking help. I'll be vulnerable for a moment; I have been seeing a counselor since I was 22. And I've been a pastor since I was 20, a youth worker since I was 21, and I'm currently completing a double major in Psychology and counseling, and I still see a counselor! It doesn't matter, despite the "titles" I may hold, I am just a person, and my heart still feels the effects of a sinful world. I need Jesus, and I need others.

I come from a broken home; both of my parents struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues and split just one month before I got married. I had a bag of issues, and I needed someone to help me unpack. I still need people, the Church, and the Holy Spirit to help me work through them. We are all on a journey of personal wholeness, and we need each other.

It's time to face the cross together. Let's chase after Jesus and lean on each other while we do it.

Let's share our stories of struggles and pain, not to glamorise despair or dysfunction, but to be vulnerable, to be real about life and all that comes with it.

WHOEVER YOU ARE, YOU ARE NOT ALONE, AND YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE!