Go There, But Don't Stay There

In this episode, we explore how the mind drifts into depression, disappointment and despair like a raft pulled from shore, and how awareness, choice and the Holy Spirit can bring us back. A simple beach story becomes a map for naming where we are, choosing differently, and shortening the time we stay down.

• recognizing mental drift and despair
• using awareness to interrupt spirals
• Recognizing and becoming aware of where you are
• practical strokes back to shore
• scriptures as landmarks for clarity
• planning for future currents and drifts

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Transcript

Go There, Don’t Stay There

Constance Lavonice 0:00

Go there, but don't stay there. When you've fallen short, disappointed, or depressed, beating yourself up about something you did, it's brought you down. Sometimes we have a tendency to just ride that wave deeper and deeper into despair. We may not have control going into that place, but we do have control coming out of it. You're listening to Wholeheart Conversations, a podcast especially for women to receive biblical encouragement that fosters resilience through the practical application of God's word. I'm your host, Constance Lavonice. I grew up in a beach town and we would go to the beach a lot, especially during the summer. And sometimes I would be on my float. And before I realized it, I was out farther than I wanted to be. I would look up and I would see see that the shore was way over there. And I was way out there in the ocean. And once I realized it, um, I could panic or I could stay calm, which I did, and I would swim back to the shore. Sometimes we find ourselves in a space mentally that we didn't expect to be in. And we may not be able to control how we got there, but we can control how long we stay there. So if you're in that space now, or you've been there in the past, or when you're there in the future, there's a way to make it brief. First, we need to realize or become aware that we have a spiritual adversary. And I've talked about this before, but Jesus tells us that the thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy, but He've come to give us life and to give us life more abundantly. So just like I was floating on the float, and I was unaware that it was taking me farther and farther away from the shore. But at some point I looked up and I realized that I was in a place that I didn't want to be in. And the only way to get out of it was to swim my way back toward the shore. And sometimes it was difficult because I was swimming against the current, but I eventually got back to the shore. So it's the same with us. The first thing is to become aware. Sometimes when you're in that space, we're not even aware that we're there. But there are moments of clarity. And when you have that clarity and you become aware of the situation, then that's when you can change the situation. The next thing to remember, which is most important, is that we have Jesus as our helper and his spirit lives in us. He indwells us. And Jesus will enable us to overcome every obstacle. And it's not a matter of if, but when. And that when happens the moment we're aware of the situation, when we can see it, then we can make a choice and bring ourselves back to where we need to be. So the next time you're beating yourself up mentally, disappointed, depressed, go there, but don't stay there. And if you've heard anything helpful, please subscribe and share and text the show and let us know what's on your heart.