Tag: depression

Barefoot Devotions

What’s Brewing In Your Heart? Lesson Three | Sloth

Hannah B.

What is sloth and how does it affect your life?

Definition of sloth:
1 a: disinclination to action or labor
b: spiritual apathy and inactivity

Similar Words:

Laziness, Idleness, Indolence, Inactivity, Inertia

Examples of Sloth:

• The inability to bring to completion what you have started due to lack of motivation or purpose.
• The refusal and rejection of God’s design for human life and the life of a follower of Christ.
• The refusal and rejection of God’s plan for your life.
• Someone who may not help around the home, work, or in other areas where help may be needed.
• Including these phrases in our life: “I’m too busy”, “I’m tired”, and “I don’t want to”.
• Finding excuses to not complete our work or delay your work.
• Neglecting our prayer life, participation in church, Bible study, and active tasks that have Kingdom-minded results.
• Partaking in activities that do not promote you toward your calling or benefiting the Kingdom of God. For example: Binge watching Netflix or scrolling Facebook for far too long.
• When you plan an escape from your relational, financial, work and emotional problems instead of solving the problems you may have. For example: You may decide to change your job or get a divorce because you are looking for something better.

Bible verses regarding the sin of sloth:

Proverbs 12:24 – The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.
Proverbs: 13:4 – The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Proverbs 15:19 – The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
Proverbs 19:15 – Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
Proverbs 21:25-26 – The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
Hebrews 6:12 – We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Hebrews 10:24 – And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.
Mathew 25:26 – But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?
Romans 12:11 – Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Take Away

Sloth is a sneaky sin that slowly creeps into your life without you recognizing the immediate harm this sin can cause to your daily life and relationships. Being under the control of sloth gets us to do things based on the way feel rather than doing tasks because we need to, cultivating a relationship, or obey God. We were made to be in relationship with God and to pursue Him with all things. Before the fall, He gave us the dominion over the earth to subdue it. Work existed before the fall and it was created because it is good for us.
In society, we have created an idol out of freedom, and we have neglected the calling God has on our lives. However, this quickly comes to an end when we find ourselves consumed with the freedoms we chose to do over and over with our time.

When we become consumed with everything and anything but God, we lose ourselves in the process. We forget to discover what God called us to do and who He created us to be. Sloth is the rejection of your God given purpose. He placed you in a position to work at your job, to be a student, He called you to be the parent to your children, and He called you to be the husband or wife to your spouse. He placed people in your life for you to cultivate relationships with them.

If you find yourself unsure of what to do and without peace, then I encourage you to seek God and keep seeking Him as long as it takes. If you find yourself, just “killing time” for the sake of doing something, then pick up your Holy Bible and engage in God’s word. To overcome sloth, you must cultivate your humanity and you must do so by first seeking God.

When you seek God, He begins to remind you of the sacrifice He made for you, He reminds you of who you are in Christ, and He begins to change your heart and desires to beat with the desires He has for you. When you make a choice over and over, you become that kind of person. Your character is formed by experiencing the demands and even heartaches of life. That why it’s important to always be making the right choices so that we do not become stagnant in our faith journey.

It’s important to remember not to be consumed with freedoms or consumed with always working because creativity and vision happens in downtime. We must be good stewards of our time and direct the time we have wisely and for God’s glory. When we do this, we can ensure that we can reach our potential and live out the purpose God has called us to.

Heavenly Father,

I acknowledge the areas in my life that I have allowed sloth to enter into my life. I ask that through your power, you show me what choices you would have me make so I may glorify you and live out the purpose you have for my life to the fullest. Thank you for knitting in my mother’s womb and setting me apart for a specific work. Give me the strength to work with diligence and joy for You. Show me the areas in my life that I need to change and give me the courage to step out do it without delay.

Questions to Ponder and Life Application Thoughts:

1. If you find yourself too busy, consider everything you have to do and do away with certain activities that do not produce good fruits of the spirit or bring glory to God’s kingdom.

a. In what ways can you reprioritize your to-do’s?

b. How much time do you spend mindlessly scrolling social media or binge-watching Netflix?

c. Take inventory of your time and see where it goes! With the time you discover you have, use that time to continuously seek God during those times!

2. What habits do you continuously do over and over that need to be addressed?

3. Has God revealed any area of your life where sloth may have entered?

4. If you need a vision or a place to start, then ask God to reveal it to you in a way that you will understand and be motivated to work toward the call He has created for you.

5. If you are stagnant in your faith journey and the places God has placed you, then make decisions over and over that will cultivate your character and propel you further into your calling.

Barefoot Devotions

Girl In The Mirror

Hannah B.

As she stood there standing in front of the mirror with her eyes opened, all she could see were thick, thorny, vines covering her. That is what life circumstances and experiences had done to her. She realized she was suffocating from the cold, prideful, sinful, heartless, hurt, and prideful person she had become. Surely, there was more to life than living it in these conditions. What is like to even live much less breathe without hurting?

There is a better way, it’s the way of Jesus Christ.

John 10:10 NIV | The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full

But as she trusted God’s process, she looks in the mirror and finds who she is becoming. Not who she was or what she has done.

Looking back at her in the mirror is a girl with fewer thorns and open holes from the thorns that God has plucked out. Holes that God has covered with grace and planted His seeds of truth and are beginning to sprout.

This is my 2018. I am her.

After God moved me to the holler, there were many thorns that needed to be plucked away and filled with His truth, grace, and love. It is a process and I have had to trust Him and acknowledge that His ways are higher. God has been a patient and loving Father with me through the process. Although it’s hard and it hurts, I am thankful that He loves me enough to prune back the branches and pluck out the rotten branches that have rooted in my soul. I am thankful that His mirror reveals the truth but does it in a kind and gentle way without shame and full of grace.

The pages of my Bible are tear-stained, worn, and falling out. The paragraphs are highlighted, sticky note prayers inside, completely marked in, and answers to questions only God could answer. You can say it’s been a year full of learning, applying, and walking out God’s truth in my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

John 15: 2 NIV |
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

If you feel shame, sadness, and despair when you look in the mirror, I want you to take a hard look at yourself and decide it’s time to start following Jesus. Start by reading His Word and apply His truths to your life.

When you align yourself with God and His will for your life, His promises will be yours, His love and peace will be yours, freedom will be yours, and a new life in Christ will be yours.

Hannah Boyd

God’s breath gives life to our bodies, how foolish of us to ignore when our soul thirsts for our Maker and deny our soul its true longing.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

I come to you with a thankful heart for everything you have done to bring me to this place and I praise you for the things you about to unleash in my life. Though the process hurts, thank you for loving me with a love that can’t be comprehended so that I may live my best life abundantly for you. Continue to guide me as you know I desire to walk and live out Your truth. Pluck any areas that are not of You as I know you know what is best for me.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Personal Reflection

  1. As you prepare to enter 2019, what would you like to change about the person you see in the mirror?
  2. What is God telling you to change?
  3. How is God telling you to act?

Prayerfully yours,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions

Beacons of Light

Hannah B.

Often I hear complacent Christians complaining about this dark world we live in.  As Christians, yes, we can speak about this but we don’t have the right to complain unless we are doing our part.  We are to be light beacons in this dark world and it’s a dark world.  I look around and I see more darkness than I do light.  The light in some people’s eyes has completely gone out.  They don’t have any hope, only sorrow, and despair.

Sin can be appealing because it feels like it’s the only vice that has numbed their pain to make their life tolerable to deal with the repeated disappointment, despair, abuse, addiction, and broken home. We don’t know what goes on beyond closed doors or what havoc the enemy is causing.

Are we persecuting the sin or the sinner? Be concerned for their spiritual well-being. There is a deeper rooted issue under the sin that could be holding them in bondage. People are broken for reasons that may be unspeakable but for crying out loud, love them!  Even if it’s just to love on someone for a moment. One day they may look back at that one act of love and there will be a shadow cast in their darkest days. A shadow that offers a glimmer of hope.

John 1:5 | The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

They have not experienced God’s perfect love. It has not crashed over them like tidal wave drowning them in this perfect love that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

We must do our part and live out this redeeming love for others. The smallest act of kindness could mean the world for one person. One day they will look back and to them, it would be a light in their darkness.

1 Peter 4:8 | “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

These words are written out of my own experiences and I have felt them down to my innermost being. So many people have been placed strategically in my life and have been like dragonflies lighting the way in my darkness. It’s our turn to light up the darkness that surrounds us and is drowning those around us.

Matthew 5:16 | In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I leave you with this: Through Jesus’ blood that was shed on the cross, we have a way to always have His light in our life that turns on life for us and gives us eternal life.

Jesus is my salvation and the only way. Because He has reconciled and redeemed me, I must do my part to share Him with others and live out Christ’s perfect love. I hope you will join spreading me this contagious redeeming love.

John 8:12 | When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

With all of my love,

Hannah B.

Barefoot Devotions, The How To Series

How To Slay Your Mental Strongholds

Hannah B.

I am going to be writing about my experience with mental strongholds and how I overcame the chains of anxiety and depression that ruled my life.  This is a very sensitive subject but after many weeks of talking myself out of writing this, I am doing it.  This comes from my experience and how I decided to battle these strongholds with the word of God, prayer, and a relationship with Jesus.  After years of depression and anxiety,  I realized that it was my outlook on my circumstances and the perspective that I had.  That perspective was steaming from the enemy and the lies he told me about me.

Lets Start By Defining A Stronghold:

Biblically speaking a stronghold is a belief that is a lie and has taken root and overpowered your ability to think or see clearly according to God’s view and what His word tells us.  This effects you emotionally, spiritually, and even physically.

Lets Look At The Cause Of Strongholds:

It is so easy to get caught up in negativity, a false belief system,  doubts, fear, and our circumstances.  We are trained by the media, by people, and the ways of the world to live and think according to their standards.  We must accept that we fight against unseen spiritual forces of the dark world and that this world is ruled by the dark forces.  Yes, that means demons and malicious spirits that are causing affliction in your mind, on you, and to you.  They have stealthily found a way inside of your mind and they are trying to take over.  Perhaps they already have.

For a cause to take place, there has to be a sin or a circumstance that negatively affected you.  Therefore, that leaves you dealing with the effects.  This could be your sin or even someone else’s sin that has altered your way of thinking and your way of doing things.  If you are unable to let things go, the memory that haunts you can have a negative impact on your life.  If we allow a certain thought to replay in our mind, we start to believe that thought.

Here is an example:  As a child and young adult, I experienced rejection from my dad who was an addict.  Although it was not intentional, his addiction stronghold was the cause of my rejection stronghold.

Ephesians 6:10 | For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Identifying Your Strongholds:

Identifying the areas in your mind that are strongholds require you to take examine your life – the past and present.  It can be uncomfortable at first but as we know from God’s Word, the truth sets you free! Once you begin to identify and see the parallels, you will rejoice in knowing the cause of your afflictions and reasons of why you think or do something a certain way.

Here is a list of the most common strongholds relating to the mind:

(Be in prayer with the Heavenly Father, ask Him to reveal yours to you, and be open to listening to His answer)

  • Rejection
  • Fear
  • Doubt
  • Shame
  • Hopelessness
  • Worthlessness
  • Negativity
  • Anger

Lets Look At The Solutions:

Now that we have identified what a stronghold is and the cause, let us start taking a look at how we tear down the strongholds and replace them with God’s truth about you.

First, you must repent and turn from any sin that is unconfessed.  Once we have done so we will be able to break free from any sin that is causing negative effects.  You must remember that God has already won the battle and you must have faith to fight through.

Second, you must know and accept that God is sovereign.  He is the supreme authority and all things are under His control.  Without Him, you can not win. You need Him to fight a supernatural battle.

Third, you must believe and accept that you are forgiven, our sins and past are washed away by the blood of Jesus! You have the power to live free in Christ.  This is His desire for you!

2 Corinthians 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Fourth, you must act!

Great! So, how do you act?

This will require you to put your faith in action and when you experience the enemy placing thoughts or past memories into your mind, you must exercise your authority in Jesus Christ to reject your past way of thinking and replace your thoughts with all good things that are of Jesus.

Philippians 4:8 |  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

Accepting The Past Is The Past

Unfortunately, the enemy knows about who you were and all the things you have done and said that you are not proud of. There will come a day when he is smearing it in your face and putting every sordid detail back into your mind.

When you start remembering the past, you must stop replaying past memories. You can not allow yourself to be controlled by your past – no matter how painful and haunting it is! It happened and it can not be changed! Get your head out of the past and strain your neck to look forward into your future! Your past is not there!

Philippians 3:13-14  | Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Renewing Your Mind

Romans 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

You must ask the LORD to guard your mind and to help you keep your mind focused on what is right in the eyes of Him.

Every day you have to wash and bathe in God’s living word.  It refreshes you and each day you will learn something new about the characteristics of God and how he truly feels about you! To renew your mind is to spend time with the LORD, read the Bible, and pray daily!

Taking Every Thought Captive

2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 | For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Every thought that comes to mind must be tested. Ask yourself – is it from our loving Heavenly Father or is it from Satan who is set out to steal, kill, and destroy?

With God there is life.

With Satan there is death.

With God there is truth.

With Satan there are lies.

With God there is hope.

With Satan there is hopelessness.

With God there is a future.

With Satan there is a past.

With God there is confidence.

With Satan there is fear and doubt.

With God there is boldness and bravery.

Life TruthHopeFreedomFutureConfidence BravenessBoldness (1)

Ask yourself, does this thought come from God or Satan?

If it comes from Satan, then you need to hold that thought captive, pray and ask God to slay this thought and replace it with His truths.  Seek His word and learn what He says in scripture.  Rejoice and praise God for the truth that He is replacing in your life.  Slowly, you will see just how each thought, especially thoughts that seem to be on repeat can cause depression, anxiety, and fear!

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this blog and if you did be sure to leave a comment down below and share across all of your social media feeds!

Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor and encourage you to seek professional help to determine what is best for your situation and I am not encouraging you to stop current treatments.  I do believe that with physicians and the hands of our great physician, you can be healed! Almost always, there is a root cause and I do believe that we need to get down into the roots to properly heal.

Barefoot Devotions

You Are What You Think

Hannah B.

I came across this quote from a fortune cookie, “Your Mind Creates Your Life.” As I began pondering this quote and delving into it, I couldn’t help but think how true it is and how saturated our minds are with junk.

Just like the food you intake in your body, it can provide you with life or death. Real and whole food can be used as medicine and has healing properties for our bodies but junk food can have the opposite effect. It makes us sick and over time we develop diseases that lead to death.

Our minds are the same way and whatever we feed into our minds will lead to the life or death of our life. If we surround ourself with real and whole thoughts, words, positivity, love, and encouragement they can lead the way to a life filled with joy, peace, and a positive mindset. When we are in a better frame of mind, we are able to focus on Jesus’ calling on our lives, serving Him and others, following through with our goals, and living our life to the fullest.

Now, what if you are negativity talking down to yourself, expecting things to go wrong, expecting to not go any where in life or expecting to have a bad day? Chances are you are going to have a rough day. If we are consistently thinking about the things we have done wrong, the things we are not good at, and are focused on the things that aren’t going right in life then eventually you will be diseased with anxiety, depression, fear, and in a contact state of discouragement. When we are in this state, we are not able to find joy in things that we used to love to do or we won’t be able to discover our true purpose if we allow ourselves to stay in this mindset.

If you are what you eat, then you are what you think.

What are you thinking on? Maybe it’s time for a mind detox.

You are the only one who can change your thoughts from negative to positive. Cultivate Your Mind to Cultivate Your Life.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. – Philippians 4:8

Drop a line in the comments and be sure to share on all of your social media feeds.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.