“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’” – 1 Samuel 17:32
In her book “Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess,” Dr. Caroline Leaf writes: “Many people are broken and without hope. It’s not surprising that a Brooking’s report in October 2019 noted how “deaths of despair” were affecting many sectors of society, particularly in America’s heartland.
Carol Graham, Brooking Institution’s senior fellow, made this eye-opening observation: “The metric that really stands out is not sort of happy or unhappy. Happy today doesn’t matter a whole lot. It’s hope for the future or lack thereof that’s really linked with premature mortality.” More and more research shows how the absence of hope and the lack of resources to deal with our most basic emotional and physical needs are coming at a significant cost.
Fear, isolation, pain, purposelessness, despair . . . these are the symptoms of a society that is broken and hurting. They can lead to an early death not only from suicide but from very real damage to the heart, immune system, GI system, and brain—the entire body goes into states of low-grade inflammation that can increase our vulnerability to disease by up to 75–95 percent when we are in a constant state of turmoil.”
In our darkest moments, our Heavenly Father is near. Today, in prayer, ask the Lord for courage as you face difficult situations.
“Courage: The lovely virtue – the rib of Himself that God sent down to His children.” – James M. Barrie
God’s Word: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
Fair, 59°