Compassionate Love Blog: Displaying compassion for those who struggle with mental illness  (c)2016  Nancy Virden, Always the Fight Ministry

Today I finished editing the audio of my first internet radio show (I’m the host). It took three tries, and by that I mean my guest had to repeat her story three times. (Note to self: always start new projects with a friend).

I’ve been in training for this for the last five of some of the busiest weeks I’ve known to date. The pile of to-dos has been emotionally exhausting too, added in with a divorce and settlement. Needless to say, some of the details went unattended until the last-minute – hence, three tries.  It always pays to do the homework.

We can change only if knowledge of a need for change, instruction how to change, and some understanding of what to change to is available. My situation with the radio show is simplistic. We all know life is full of complexities.

Some of us have been lied to since childhood. We have believed those lies because we do not know they are untrue. We walk in fear – of being unlovable, worthless, and devalued by everyone important to us.

We may pause each day for Time Alone With God (TAWG), know in our heads it is true God loves us, yet deep inside see his love as pity and not as passion for his child. Our worry centers on whether we are spending time enough to satisfy him, or doing TAWG right. We walk around in the cold dark, unaware of perfectly warm light, until something or someone pries open our eyelids.

Once we see a need for change, we may be clueless how it can happen, or what our required participation level is. Is TAWG simply a matter of spending 5, 15, 30 minutes longer in prayer? Is it reading more verses or chapters in the Bible each day?

How does TAWG become personally meaningful?

When negative, false core beliefs such as “God’s love is only pity,” go unchallenged, how we interpret what we are reading is tainted. If we believe we are never good enough for example,  much of scripture nay come across as condemning. If the necessity of a deeper relationship with God escapes us, we won’t know what to do to begin to care about it.

We hear sermons, read blogs, and listen as Christian believers talk about TAWG. As long as we are not learning how to change our mindset, these messages will go unheeded. TAWG will remain a last resort and less effective as the ultimate change agent we need.

***** COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOME (see tab below)  NOTE: I am not a doctor or mental health professional. I speak only from personal experiences with and observations of mental illness. In no way is this website intended to substitute for professional mental health care.