Above All

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, from 12th to 18th May.

When facing suffering, whether mental, physical, emotional or spiritual, it can be hard to keep going, to face each day and find the strength to carry on - to persevere. We can't do it in our own strength, but to call out to God is to receive the strength of His love, freely given and available to all.

James 1: 12 , 16 - 18 (NIV)

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

However much we would like to, we can't hide away from pain and diversity. To bury our heads in the sand and hope that it will go away can only make matters worse. But the peace of the love of Jesus, who suffered for us and suffers with us is ever present and cannot be touched by circumstances, unlike our own equanimity. And the more we find shelter and peace from the storms of life in the shelter of His love, the more we are strengthened and ready to face whatever life may bring.

Psalm 46: 7 - 10 (MSG)

7     Jacob-wrestling God fights for us,    

God-of-Angel-Armies protects us.

8-10 Attention, all! See the marvels of God!    

He plants flowers and trees all over the earth,

Bans war from pole to pole,    

breaks all the weapons across his knee.“

Step out of the traffic! Take a long,    

loving look at me, your High God,    

above politics, above everything.”

By stepping into God's love, we can achieve a new perspective on life, seeing the abundance of God's good gifts above the trials and tribulations of surface concerns. Even as we wrestle with ourselves, God fights for us and protects us and brings us to a place of peace in His love.

Prayer

Please pray for all our CAP Clients, and especially for those struggling with Mental Health issues, broken relationships and loneliness. Pray that they would know the love of Christ alongside them through the support of the Ely and District CAP team. Pray that they would have the opportunity to find a supportive community to journey alongside them.

Please pray for our debt coaches, John and Pat, and for the befrienders, for the invitations that they can offer, that these small actions will help make a big change for our clients. Please pray for Community Links Coordinator Fiona and all those working to build up a knowledge of the support services and communities in our local area that can be signposted to our clients to help create holistic care alongside the journey out of debt.