astes 9: 11-12 (NLT)
I have observed something else under the
sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the
race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always
win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry,
and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy.
And those who are educated don’t always lead
successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by
being in the right place at the right time.
People can never predict when hard times
might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap,
people are caught by sudden tragedy.
ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER
No one really knows what is going to
happen. No one can predict the future.
– Ecclesiastes 10:14 (NLT)
Clearly, life from the outside world
can cause us to feel broken on the inside.
The death of a loved one, loss of a job,
unexpected tragedy, prolonged or even
short-term illness, broken relationships, and
disappointments with our station in life can
be sources of emotional or psychological
distress. How you cope with it and whether
you seek help is a personal decision.
However, Christians can make a
conscious effort to notice people. Noticing
people means more than seeing them, it
means taking the time to talk, comfort,
understand, and be available. Dr. Frederick
Haynes of Friendship West Baptist Church
in Dallas, Texas used the game of basket-
ball as an example of noticing people. He
asserts, “In the game a player might be able
to make the basket, but may require an
“assist”. Without the assist, the star player
might not make the basket.
Whether you call it depression or
simply the blues, life can hurt so much that
you want to anesthetize the pain. The Chris-
tian can be a source of comfort and/or be
encouraged through the word of God and
through mental health support services.
“My thoughts are nothing like your
thoughts,”
says the Lord.
And my ways are far beyond anything you
could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the
earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
– Isaiah 55:8-9
USEFUL RESOURCES
National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
Mental Health America
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may
American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org
Mary Shaw-Ridley, PhD, MCHES is a health
education professional with over 25 years of
experience. She is the President of Shaw & Asso-
ciates, LLC, a health & education consulting
group. She is also Chair and Professor of the
Department of Behavioral & Environmental
Health at a new School of Public Health/Jack-
son State University.
www.himpowermagazine.com 31