How Can A Melancholy Connect With God?
poppy melancholy ID-10091244
Jen, my Melancholy friend, has spiritually high standards for herself. She’s a perfectionist. With her bent towards self-criticism, Jen can be easily discouraged and depressed. And not only does she feel unhappy with herself, her pessimistic focus also affects her relationships with others“I want to experience the joy of the Lord,” Jen sighed. “But, it’s hard for me to be a cheerful kind of person. I feel different from other people and I get hurt easily, so I feel like I’m forever struggling with my feelings.”
Author, Florence Littauer, a noted expert on personality types says of the Melancholy, “It is only logical to assume that when one spends too much mental energy dwelling on negatives, such a mind falls easily into depression.”Florence’s advice, like that of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8, is to keep your thoughts on whatever is true, right, and positive. As soon as you realize you’re chewing over a list of negatives about yourself or a difficult situation, get hold of those thoughts, reject them, and change your focus.
There are several steps that Melancholies can take to increase their joy in belonging to God. Here’s one that Scripture advocates.
Focus your Bible study on the emotions God desires for you. Look up and list verses on joy, thankfulness, hope, and encouragement.
Do a word study on each one.
Look at Scripture, especially Psalm 77:11, where God tells His people to remember what He has done for them.
Write down five things God has done for you in the past month and journal on each one. What positive emotions do you feel when remembering these things?
Carry a card that briefly lists your personal experiences of God’s goodness. Keep adding to it, pulling it out whenever you start sinking into old thought patterns. Transformation of your thinking takes time, but it will happen as you intentionally and persistently renew your mind (Romans 12: 2).
Qu. How do you manage your tendency to self-criticism? What Scripture or habit have you found most helpful? Could you take a moment and help others with your story?
Poppy
Photo credit: Woman in white shirt