By Nancy Virden (c)2024

Years ago in an attempt to write a book, I studied Genesis 1 and compared it to mental health recovery. That book is out of print, nevertheless, the comparison of God’s creation of the world versus human experiences still fascinates me.

You’ve heard the term, “born again.” It comes from Jesus who told a religious leader he needed to be born again to have eternal life. Since the Creation account is the birth of what we know as the universe and earth, let’s compare it to the experience of being born again. Creation is in italics.

From Genesis 1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. Spiritually speaking, before our second birth we are in darkness and there is no form or order to our spiritual selves.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. The Holy Spirit always calls us to return to a relationship with our Creator, Father God.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. He shows us the truth and offers a way to accept it.

And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God’s Holy Spirit separates the lies and deceptions of the world from God’s truth- and we see! This is when we recognize our place in relation to God. We confess our personal sins and turn our lives over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. God called the light “day” and the darkness ‘night.‘ And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Many exciting revelations occur on the second day! God made the sky. Compare that to how he opens a direct line of communication with him so we can feel and learn from him in our spirit. We learn to pray and to listen to his voice.

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened.  God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. As individuals having been born again, we are fresh ground, out from under the flood of disbelief and lies that kept us trapped. We are a new creation!

Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.   The gathered waters, called seas, are similar to nations and kingdoms. We grow spiritually and in knowledge and begin to spread the good news to others until more people come out from under and are born again. That’s us producing seed-bearing fruit. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

That’s as far as I went in today’s comparison. Just imagine the potency of the sixth day.  So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. And so, we spend our lives becoming more and more like Christ as we learn to truly love and devote ourselves to our friendship with God the Father.

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

-COMMENTS WELCOME

Today’s Helpful Word

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

If you are feeling suicidal, or concerned about someone who is, in the U.S. call 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. For a list of international suicide hotlines, go here.

If you are suicidal with a plan, immediately call 911 in the U.S. or go to your nearest emergency room. In the EU call 112. (For other international emergency numbers, go here ). Hope and help are yours!

Always the Fight Ministries (ATFM) has been displaying compassion for those fighting mental illness, addiction, or abuse since 2012. Nancy is the founder and voice of ATFM and openly shares her emotional resurrection from despair. 

NOTE: Nancy is not a doctor or a mental health professional, and speaks only from personal experience and observations. This website is not intended to substitute for professional mental or behavioral health care.

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