The War Room

My church has what we call The War Room. It is a place of prayer and solace. A place to take your troubles and triumphs to God. The first Wednesday I came to church during my latest mental health struggle I sat in the sanctuary. Last week I had to come on Thursday. Thursday, at our church, is a work day. Volunteers from the congregation assist in work needing done around the church. The sanctuary was going to be vacuumed.

The War Room was suggested to me. I am sitting there now. I have been for the past hour. I have prayed and sat in quiet solitude in between those prayers.

I am writing this post to explain how important this, or any, War Room is. I have found more peace in this room than I thought I was going to. Even more so this week. Not because someone came in to change a garbage can, not knowing I was in here, but because in my transformation in faith that I have been going through (and attempting delve into head first) I have realized the importance of prayer. Not everyone prays the same. I love walking at night and speaking out loud to God as though we are having a conversation. In the War Room I feel a little differently. I still talk to him, it not in the same way as on my walk.
A War Room for anyone is important to have. Whether it be for your faith or for your illness or one you use to go to God to help with said illness. The room that is my church’s War Room has served many purposes over the years. As a child I had Sunday School in it for a time. This is the most important use it could be used for: a War Room for anyone that seeks God’s help and wisdom.

I realize that everyone reading this does not have the same beliefs as I do. I hope you’re still reading. I have a few points to this post.

The War Room is a place I will continue to visit. To go to while I am on the mend and after. I felt somewhat tired when I left there last week. Today (I left about 10 minutes ago), I feel absolutely exhausted. When I realized how tired I was getting towards the end I couldn’t decide what to make of it. I finally figured it out. Prayer is strong. It’s a powerful thing. Taking my worries- my struggles- to God… Ones that I have been facing and asking Him for help… He lifts a weight off of your shoulders. I will be able to go home for at least a nap; and sleep has been a hot commodity lately as it hasn’t been coming easily, if at all most of the time. He heard me; and He listened.

Okay… for those of you that do not share my believes and/or my faith…

When struggling with a mental illness we all have war rooms of our own. Right? Whether it be our homes where we feel safe or a car where you feel you have complete control as to where you’re going. Those are just two examples. It may be the park, your backyard, a museum, a library…

What about the offices of our mental health providers? The office of my therapist and psychiatrist had the waiting room area painted. Yellow. Bright yellow. The chairs have changed, pictures are in different locations… Well, the week before my therapist told me her office was being painted. Seeing the colors of the area outside of it had be a little worried to go in to our next appointment. Thankfully it’s the same color it was and simply received a fresh coat of paint. Those are our war rooms as well. We go into them to determine the best strategy for battling the war in our heads. It isn’t always a pretty conversation, but those are the ones that require the most listening and plan of action.

We could also have our own personal war rooms that we carry with us each day that aren’t rooms or locations at all. Aren’t those just as important? My art journal is one of those. It helps me work through things time and again (I’ll have to do a post on art therapy. I love it!). I have a little Altoid tin that I have painted and turned into an anxiety toolbox. It has items in there that calm me. The cross I where around my neck. I have found myself holding it more and more. I left the house without putting it on and felt bare the other day.
War Rooms. The one I have found the most peace in is one that’s sole purpose is conversing with God. Or you it may be something different. Finding a place to go to when you need a plan of attack brings hope and relief.