“And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.“ (Revelation 12:11)

Recently, I have these urges to hurt myself. “A little cut won’t kill me.” A few days ago, I was staring at my arms for the longest time until I heard a whisper remind me that Christ bled for me.

I grabbed a marker and proceeded to write “He bled for you” across my arm. The urge somewhat subsided, so I drew a bunch of flowers until it disappeared. The Bible doesn’t lie when it says He shows us a way out of our temptations.

I had to look myself in the mirror and tell me that Christ died for me because He loves me. He paid it all for me. Sometimes you have to preach the Gospel to yourself. If I don’t fully believe it, how should I expect others to?

The next morning, I told Him that I felt like I was slipping through the hole from His nail-pierced hands. The thoughts in my head and emotions have been all too much for me.

In the softest whisper I heard Him say, “It wasn’t my hands that were pierced, but my wrists. My wrists were slit so that you wouldn’t have to slit yours. You are safe still in my hands. I am carrying you through this and I will never let you go.”

The truth is, if I was going to hurt myself, I would have done it a long time ago. But I haven’t & I won’t.

The truth is, I might feel beat, but this will not beat me.

The truth is, my war with anxiety, depression, & suicidal thoughts was finished on the cross before it ever began several years ago.