Have you ever felt just… off? Like there’s something wrong, but you just can’t pinpoint what it is? That nagging feeling won’t leave you alone and you rack your mind to identify it. Sometimes the source is as simple as a bill needing paid but at other times it’s a more complex emotional issue that will eventually need to be addressed.

When that “Aha” moment comes and you settle on the source of your angst… there’s a bit of relief from naming it: anxiety, grief, anger, attention deficit, clinical depression, discontent, compulsive behavior, fear, exhaustion, addiction, loneliness, frustration… or something else just as discouraging. But once you’ve slapped a label on it, in the words of Journey, “Where do we go from here?”

This is where I found myself… not so long ago. I felt frustrated and misunderstood. My feelings were raw, my heart sensitive, and yet, not much around me had changed. Because I couldn’t identify the source of my emotions, I didn’t really know how to talk to anyone about it. I stayed trapped in that place of edginess until I decided to stop wondering about it and went to the One who made me! I’m so thankful for the truth deep in my spirit that God loves me and knows exactly what is going on in my heart!

After some prayer and heart-searching, I realized that an old foe had come back for a visit… its name: rejection. From childhood, this has been a source of pain and through the years, layers have been added. I also feel like layers have been removed through healing and a deeper understanding of who I am in Christ. But life happens and we get knocked back onto our proverbial backsides at times.

But THIS is what I want you to hear… when you and I have come to the place where we are able to name our struggle, that is not the end! It is just the beginning of our journey (no pun intended )!  

Too often we settle for simply naming our issue and then we allow it to manage us:

• I deal with anxiety, so I can’t …
• The grief is too much, I guess I’ll always feel this way.
• Yes, I have ADHD, that’s why I …
• No one gets me, so I don’t even try
• I have anger issues, that’s just who I am.
• I wish I could travel, but I’m too nervous to go anywhere

Just because you and I name our struggle does not give us an excuse to not address it! Where do we go from here? We go from naming our challenge to dealing with it and then overcoming it!

These struggles are REAL issues and often can be traced back to painful experiences. However, no matter how valid your pain and discomfort, do not allow it to hold you captive! Do not allow it to limit who you are or what you can do! Grab ahold of the label, look it in the eye, call it by name, and get ready to live your life well… in spite of it!

Here are some weapons that helped me effectively subdue my “label.”

• Talk to someone you trust and ask for their support. Bringing feelings, circumstances, concerns, and fears into light brings a measure of freedom in and of itself.
• Do an online search for practical strategies relating to your label. There are tried and true ways to manage executive dysfunction, grief, addiction, and just about anything you can label!
• Therapy… Patient, objective support and input from a therapist is valuable. Some employers even offer free sessions as part of a healthcare package.
• Research natural healing: magnesium for stress, exercise for attention deficit, essential oils for anxiety, etc. (Be sure to check with your physician if you are taking medications.)
• Speak positive declarations over yourself! Refuse to make your struggle your identity! You are created amazing! Declare truths over yourself out loud on a daily basis. If you are unsure of your value or identity, check out these blog posts: Stolen Identity and Worth by Birth.

Do what you can in the natural and then ask God to put His SUPER on the natural!

• Understand that the Name of Jesus is above EVERY name! Jesus above every label, diagnosis, emotion, and trauma! The promises of God are true and sure. If God is for us, who (or what) can be against us? He is greater in us than any label on us. Check out: Ephesians 1:18-23, Philippians 2:9, Romans 8:31-35, I John 4:4. Let this song be your declaration: I Speak Jesus.
• Hide the Word of God in your heart, place it on your fridge, play it in your car… The Truth of God’s Word will help you deal and defeat what life has sent your way.

Is overcoming a life-challenge easy? Of course not! Rarely is anything worthwhile accomplished without effort. But is it worth it? YES! Not only will you grow in strength and wisdom, but your successful journey will serve to inspire others. Go ahead and name your challenge and then tell it to shut-up and sit down! You are an Overcomer!

Live Loved

PS: If this blog post encouraged or challenged you, please share on social media! Blessings!