I’m not okay.

It’s hard to say those words: I’m not okay.

These past few weeks have been hectic and tiresome and wearing for the soul: we’ve had some incredibly difficult spiritual battles come up and my heart is tired.

It’s exhausting caring for others who don’t care for their own spiritual well being. It’s exhausting hearing criticism from the people you love the most. It’s exhausting trying to forgive the ones who hurt you in the tender spots of your soul. It’s exhausting trying to motivate the apathetic, encourage the downtrodden, love the unlovely, and forgive those who choose to be ungrateful.

It’s exhausting realizing that much of what I feel stems from my old nemesis, pride and self-focus.

I’m not okay. But I also know others I know who are not okay right now.

So, what do you do when you’re not okay? How does a Christian “pull themselves up by the bootstraps?”

Anytime I think of this, I remember David who came home with his men one day to find all of their families and belongings stolen by raiders. As his men started to wail and cry for David’s death, the Bible tells us, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

So, maybe you’re with me today and you just aren’t okay. Or maybe today you feel fine but tomorrow you wake up and find you’re not okay. When it happens, remember that we can encourage ourselves in the Lord.

But what does that look like practically? For me, it always starts with the Psalms. When I’m feeling really low or really lonely or really upset and depressed, I start reading the Psalms. They remind me Who my God is, what He thinks of me, and how He wants to help the brokenhearted.

And so, my dear girl, I continue here with a list of the most encouraging verses I’ve found in the first 30 chapters of Psalms that help my anxious heart.

Psalms 1:1-2 — Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psalms 3:1-3 — Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalms 3:4-5 — I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

Psalms 4:1 — Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Psalms 4:3-5 — But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

Psalms 4:8 — I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalms 5:2-3 — Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalms 5:11-12 — But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalms 6:8-9 — Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.

Psalms 7:10 — My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

Psalms 8:3-5 — When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Psalms 9:1 —  I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Psalms 9:9-10 — The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Psalms 10:17-18 — Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Psalms 11:4 — The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Psalms 13:5-6 — But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

Psalms 16:8-9 — I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Psalms 16:11 — Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalms 17:6 — I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Psalms 18:2 — The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Psalms 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psalms 19:14 — Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalms 20:7 — Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

Psalms 21:2 — Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

Psalms 23:1 — The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalms 24:5 — He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalms 25:6 — Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Psalms 25:17-18 — The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.

Psalms 27:1 — The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalms 27:10 — When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Psalms 27:14 — Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Psalms 28:6-7 — Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalms 29:11 — The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalms 30:2 — O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

Psalms 30:11-12 — Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

We serve an incredibly God who hears us, supports us, saves us, protects us, loves us, fights for us, heals us, and acts as our safe place in hard times. He knows our anxious hearts, our deep hurts, our secret sadness and walks willingly through those emotions and trails with us. Even when we’re not okay, we can keep “Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you.”