In January of 2023, my school introduced my fellow students and me to Sources of Strength, a program committed to helping people who are struggling mentally and to spreading positive messages throughout communities. The program introduced several strategies, each relating to an aspect of life that helps people through hard times. While participating in this program, I made a few good friends, and I began to ponder about how each aspect of the program relates to our Christian lives.

People in Our Lives

Family support is one of our primary sources of encouragement. There are times when one family member sacrifices for the well-being of another, just as Ruth did when she left her homeland to travel to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law Naomi (Ruth 1:16-19). Some of us may have a lot of family members nearby, and some may have very few. Regardless, we are all a part of God’s marvelous family. Ephesians 2:19 tells us that we “are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” We not only have a physical family, but through the Church, we also have a spiritual family that we can go to for comfort. 

How many of you have a positive friend in your life? A positive friend is someone who cheers you up when you feel down and knows when to give you advice. Jonathan and David were like brothers, and Jonathan had the compassion to protect David when Saul was bitterly angry toward him (1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:1-7). A true friend is more than someone who is nice to you, but someone who is willing to be there for you during your time of need. In today’s world, it becomes more important than ever to make and be around friends who have a positive influence on us. Use whatever social opportunities you have in order to find a good friend, such as a library, a local club or at the Feast!

I’m sure many of you have at least one person whom you would consider a mentor, someone who is wiser and is there to guide you through the challenges in life. Eli proved to be a good mentor for Samuel by advising him to answer and obey God’s calling (1 Samuel 3:9). There are times in our lives when we need to seek advice from someone who is older than us, and we shouldn’t rely on our own knowledge, as implied by Proverbs 15:22. While it’s okay to reach out to peers, sometimes we need the perspective of someone who knows how to make wise choices. Depending on your congregation, you may find yourself surrounded by a lot of young people, a variety of ages, or a small group of old people. Consider reaching out to those at church who are more experienced in life than you are, whoever that might be for you. 

Self-Care

When you’re going through a difficult time in your life, taking care of your physical health is especially important. Exercise and a healthy diet benefit our minds as much as they benefit our bodies. For instance, exercise has been shown to release feel-good chemicals in the brain. We may not be able to change the circumstances we are in, but we should do what we can to maintain a positive outlook on life. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we can go to God in prayer whenever we are sick or injured (1 Peter 2:24). We can have faith in God’s healing power because He is merciful and heals all of our diseases (Psalms 103:3).

There are certain times when we need to take care of our mental health and not just focus on our physical health. If something is bothering you or you don’t feel like yourself, talk to someone you feel comfortable opening up to or seek help from a counselor. As with our physical health, we can turn to God for guidance regarding our mental health. Through prayer, we can tell Him whatever emotions we’re feeling, for His comfort encourages us when we feel overwhelmed (Psalms 94:19). It’s totally okay to feel angry or sad at times, and my health class at school taught me that it’s normal to experience a wide variety of emotions. What matters is finding helpful ways to cope with them, such as listening to music or journaling.

We can take care of our health while enjoying ourselves through healthy activities. Meditation, for instance, relieves stress, and it benefits our spiritual health. King David wrote, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalms 119:97). When he went through various trials throughout his life, he always went to God in prayer and spent time meditating on Scripture, and we can do the same. We can turn to God for help and guidance, and we need to cope with our emotions in healthy ways. Besides meditation, we can do a number of other activities, such as biking or exploring nature.

The Greater Purpose

Even as we go through different struggles, we can still show generosity to other people. Paul wrote, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). We must always have a willingness to serve those who are around us, as shown by Dorcas when she made clothes for the widows (Acts 9:36, 39). A widow, giving everything she had, dropped two pennies into the offering box, and it was of more value than what the rich gave (Mark 12:41-44). Some acts of kindness may seem small to us, but they mean the world to the people who receive them. God truly blesses our works when we generously give to others, as promised in Deuteronomy 15:10. You can use your abilities and talents to help people, and seeing others happy will make you happy too!

Another thing that can help us in our trials is focusing on spirituality and going beyond the physical aspect of life. We can stay close to God as Esther did when she fasted and prayed for the deliverance of her people (Esther 4:16). Besides praying and fasting, we can also study our Bibles and focus on His plan, such as the hope and future He has planned for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Philippians 4:8 tells us that we must always be thinking about whatever is worthy of praise. Consider keeping a notebook or a journal and writing down your many blessings from God. 

Overall, I enjoyed my time in Sources of Strength. I always looked forward to our weekly meetings when we planned campaigns and worked on projects as a group. I hope you can apply some of these ideas to your own lives when you’re going through a difficult time. As we look forward to God’s Kingdom, let us continue to “encourage
one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, New International Version). 

by Andreya Halvorsen