I have heard so many people share about feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed and stuck overthinking. Over this past month we talked about building mental strength so we can face the challenges of life and not be overwhelmed. You can review this series here.

We talked about 4 principles to build mental strength:

1. REST & SABBATH. Our mind is a muscle that we overwork. We tend veg out and watch shows or scroll social media. That can be physical rest but it's not real mental rest. Real rest in found in Sabbath. It's creating margins in our life for God. A mind governs by the Spirit is life and peace.
2. LET GOD SHAPE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT YOURSELF. We all have a inner playlist. A soundtrack of past experiences. It's often shaped by past mistakes or what others have said about us. It can lead to a victim mentality, but if we are in Christ, we are victors and more than conquerors. In God's eyes, we are loved, valued, and part of His family. Seeing our lives from that perspective can give us mental strength because if God is for us, who can be against us.
3. CHALLENGE YOURSELF AND DO HARD THINGS. It takes resistance to build strength. That is true for our muscles and our minds. Don't bail, take the easy way out, or revert back to old ways when life gets hard. If face the trials with faith, it builds perseverance, character and hope. When we experience God's faithfulness, it gives us the confidence to face the trials the next time.
4. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. We can't always trust of our thoughts. We need a filter of friends to encourage each other and build up each other. 

Here's a worksheet to help you build your mental strength. Download it here.