I've been looking for encouraging scriptures to meditate on. I'm feeling really discouraged today. My mom has been trying to motivate me. She's trying to be encouraging but every time she says "Nobody's going to care of you" it feels like life is being sucked right out of me. I know I need to get a job (I need to do a lot of things). I desperately want to be able of care myself. I definitely don't want to be the kind of person that mooches and takes advantage of family. I feel so paralyzed. Why do I struggle with simple stuff? I wish I was the kind of person that's ambitious who takes initiative but I feel so lost. I try set small goals but whenever I try to imagine my future there's nothing there. It's blank so it's like I don't have one. And I don't know what I supposed to or where I'm supposed go.
I could have written your post a few years ago.
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (bold mine, Psalms 46:10, 1984 NIV)
It took about 20 years of the Lord working on me for me to get this.
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, 1984 NIV)
Do the best you can to be generous to God (v. 18). Do not neglect Bible study, prayer, or obedience, if you can. At the very least you can talk to him as you go about your day.
It is confusing that we need to (1) recognize that God has caused or allowed us to be experiencing darkness, (2) we should be fighting the darkness, and (3) be accepting of God's will.
I think the first thing to nail down is that God doesn't expect you to do anything he hasn't prepared you for. However, due to the effects of sin we can get into situations where there is no good solution. However, even in those circumstances, God will help us.
God created us with limitations. Coming to understand and accept your limitations is a huge weight off one's shoulders (this happens for a lot of people age 50+; it takes that long to learn what not to fight).
Unless your parents have had severe depression, they will never understand what you are experiencing. Don't expect them to. Rather consider how your explanations can appear more credible to them. They can learn to recognize you are doing the best you can.
Read Matthew 6:25-34. You don't need to worry about the future. You need only focus on today. Leave everything else to God. It's hard enough to deal with "today" already, isn't it?
Read Psalms 17:6-8 and Psalm 91 (there's a lot more like this which you can Google, such as
Who am I in Christ,
God's love for me scripture,
bible verses god will take care of me, and so on).
If you are doing anything at all seriously to seek God's help for your situation, and not sinning, then you can be confident that you are where God wants you for the time being, and that he will take care of you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27, 1984 NIV)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. (John 14:1, 1984 NIV)