Life Matters

There are mornings when getting out of bed feels like a small act of war. I know this, not in theory, but as an experience. There were seasons when the weight of simply being alive pressed down on my chest and the idea of celebrating life felt almost mocking. So I want to write this carefully, without pretending, and without preaching at anyone standing in that hard place right now. This is not a blog about pretending everything is fine. It is a blog about the stubborn, quiet conviction that life... your life... matters, even when it doesn't feel like it.

Let's start with honesty: life is hard. Scripture never sugarcoats this. Job said, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." (Job 14:1). Jesus Himself said, "In the world you shall have tribulation" (John 16:33). So, if you're struggling, you are not failing at life... you are living it. However, the same verse in John continues: "but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." That's the tension in which we live, where Trouble and Overcoming are both standing side by side.

So, you may be wondering what reasons there could be for wanting to celebrate a life that holds up even under pressure:

• First, your life is a gift, not an accident. "Before I formed you in the belly I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5). You were not mass-produced. You were known before you were born. Your existence is not a clerical error.

• Second, you carry inherent worth. Psalm 139:14 says "you are fearfully and wonderfully made." That worth doesn't fluctuate with your mood, your productivity or your bank account.

• Third, your story isn't finished. "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it." (Philippians 1:6). A book is not evaluated based on its most difficult chapter.

• And fourth, you are not alone. "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." (Psalm 27:10). Even at your most abandoned feeling, there is a Presence that does not leave.

Know this: celebrating life is not a feeling that you wait for but it's a practice that you build.

Below are a few steps I've found necessary, offered not as a cure but as a path.

1. Identify the darkness without embarrassment. Acting as if everything is okay when it's not slowly drains your spirit. The scriptures are filled with individuals who acknowledged their despair: "Why are you cast down, O my soul?" (Psalm 42:11). David didn't criticize himself for feeling down; he spoke to himself truthfully. Recognizing the darkness is not a sign of weak faith but the first step of courage.

Solution: Write it down. Share it with one trusted person. Think about seeking professional assistance. Counseling isn't a sign of spiritual failure; it's taking care of the mind God has given you.

2. Establish your identity outside your emotions. Feelings are real but not always reliable. "We walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7). When your emotions tell you that you're worthless, you need an anchor outside the storm.

Solution: Keep a written record of truths such as verses, kind words from others or the moments you survived before. Read them when you can't feel them.

3. Take the next small step. Despair encourages you to focus on the long term while resilience focuses on the present. "Sufficient in the day is the evil that's present." (Matthew 6:34). You don't need to solve all your life's problems today. Just focus on doing the next right thing.

Solution: Make your bed. Stay hydrated. Spend ten minutes outdoors. Send one message. These small, consistent actions will gradually shape your life.

4. Stay connected with others even if you feel like pulling away. Depression flourishes in isolation. "Two are better than one... for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). You’re not meant to face this by yourself.

Solution: Dedicate yourself to attending one gathering a week, whether it's at church, in a group or with a friend. Attend even if you don't feel inclined. Actions often lead to feelings rather than the other way around.

5. Assist another person. Although this might seem counterintuitive when you're feeling drained, the saying:"it is more blessed to give than it is to receive." (Acts 20:35) is more than just words; it reflects our nature. By helping others, you shift your attention away from yourself.

Solution: This week, do a small act of kindness for someone else. Whether it's serving a meal, making a phone call or writing a note, the action should be directed towards others.

6. Protect your inputs. The information you take in influences your beliefs about life. "Whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever is pure... think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

Solution: Curate your feed. Reduce doom scrolling. Select music, voices and company that don't contribute to negativity.

7. Maintain hope even when it seems elusive. Hope differs from optimism. Optimism suggests that circumstances will improve while hope affirms that God is good regardless of the outcome. "Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him." (Psalm 42:11) At times, hope is simply the determination not to give up until a new day arrives.

Solution: Pray with sincerity. Even saying "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24) is valid. God is not offended by your honesty.

Now, I don't want to condemn anyone; I just want you to know that depression is not a sin nor is struggling a lack of faith. Some of the most faithful people in Scripture asked God to take their lives, such as: Jonah, Gideon and Elijah. God's response to Elijah was not rebuke; it was food, rest and a gentle whisper. However, I definitely don't want to give the impression that life is simply what you make of it. Life matters because it is given by God, sustained by God and destined for something beyond this present suffering. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Life matters.... not because it's easy but because it's held. Held by a God who counts your tears (Psalm 56:8), who knows your frame (Psalm 103:14) and who promises that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)

Just keep holding on! The morning is coming!

*An added note: If you're in a crisis, please tell someone today. Call a trusted friend, a pastor, a counselor or a crisis line. Reaching out isn't a weakness; it is wisdom.