When You Can't Go On

This is the first step. Pray. Pray even if you do not believe. Pray even if you have no contact. Pray even if you have never prayed before. Pray even if you don't want to pray. Pray even if you don't know how to pray. Pray every minute. Put your life in continuous prayer mode. Pray when you hurt. Pray when you feel good. Pray when you think you can't. Pray in pain. Pray in exasperation. Pray even if you think praying is a joke. Pray when you think praying won't do anything.

Imagine Jesus is holding your heart in His hands. Imagine you are taking a walk with Jesus in a beautiful garden. You just imagined reality.

Say the word "God" or "Jesus" in your mind and listen for the echo or bounce back. Keep repeating this step until you hear the echo. Keep repeating until repeating is a habit. You won't hear an echo of sound. You will hear an echo in your heart.

Repeat the following prayer as many times as you can: Precious Lord Jesus, please show me how much you love me. I am in a terrible place. Bring me your light so I can see my way to get out of this darkness. I believe you are with me. I love you. Amen.

Make a slushy or pop sickle out of your favorite soft drink. Remember if you try to freeze soda pop in the can, you will get a fizz up when you open the can.

Remember it is OK to cry. Crying vents you out and gets rid of emotional poison.

Eat some pretzels or popcorn or both. Only eat one kernel or one pretzel.

Chew some chewing gum or bubble gum. Only chew half a piece.

Feed a bird or animal out of your hand. (Better to use your own pet for this one because some birds/animals have a habit of biting).

Draw a stick figure on a piece of lunch meat.

Take a fork and stab your lunch meat.

Roast one-half a marshmallow and eat it. (Let it cool so you don't burn yourself.)

Count one blessing.

Move an inch. You don't have to move a foot, a yard, a mile, or sail to the moon. Just move an inch. Then move another inch.

Fly a kite, or a paper airplane, or a balsa wood airplane.

Give someone a gift. The gift can be meaningless, but give a gift. Don't let the person who receives the gift know who you are.

Wait three days. Then wait another three days.

What is the goofiest thing you have ever done?

What was your favorite TV show 4.3 years ago.

Does anyone in the world need you? Be careful to answer. Everyone has a place in the world. Everyone has a job to do every day of their life. Even if you live alone and never see anyone, the fact you might be praying for someone or thinking about someone is of critical importance to the world. Remember, the people who are in worse shape than you are need you. Just because others don't know you is meaningless.

Help someone but never let them know who you are. Repeat this step three times. If possible, keep repeating this step for as long as you are alive.

Play with a toy not being used by a child. Play with a toy from your childhood if possible.

Defeat the darkness: As bad as things are right now, turn the other cheek. You have the power. Use your power especially when you think you cannot go on.

Defeat the darkness: Refuse to lose. Refuse to knuckle under. Refuse to give up.

Defeat the darkness: What is your daily goal? If you do not have a daily goal you must make or find a goal. If you do not have a daily goal then making or finding a daily goal is your daily goal.

Defeat the darkness: Can you see your daily goal? If you cannot see your daily goal then you must find or draw a picture of your daily goal.

Defeat the darkness: Make an hourly or daily progress chart. Check off the chart when you make progress.

Defeat the darkness: In this darkness, who is friend and foe? Who inhabits the darkness to make you suffer? Who is the creator of light? Which of these entities do you want to spend more time with?

Defeat the darkness: Are you sure you really can't go on? Can you take just one step?

You may be suffering from depression. Get professional help from your doctor, clergyman, or counselor. Depression is not to be fooled with. Do the right thing and get help. Get the help now.

When you are certain you cannot go on perhaps you are thinking your issue is or was beyond human ability to fix. You may be right about the "beyond human" part. When we need help beyond our human ability, there is a way to obtain the beyond-human-ability help we need. God is our helper not our hurter. God is beyond our human abilities. When you cannot go on, go to God...even in a small way. Talk to Him. He knows more about you than all the people of the earth combined. He knows what you do and don't do. He knows about your failures and your triumphs. He knows about your every moment since before you were born. He knows about your regrets. God can do a miracle in your life if He wants to do a miracle. If God does not do a miracle to get you moving or keep you moving, then He knows you have what it takes to move forward without His intervention.

Praying was the first step. Praying is also the last step. Pray continually, without ceasing. While you are praying, go on.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

This message was presented in March, 2013 as the Virtual Church message in Shepherd's Care Ministries virtual church site at http://www.shepherdscare.net