Tag Archives: ADHD

ADHD, Comeback

Making a Comeback

I’ll be honest. I have not been consistent with this devotional. Before I started posting again, my last post was almost three years ago. During that time I went through some life changes. Two of my kids got married, and one of them now has a kid and the other is pregnant. I experienced a couple of job changes and a season of unemployment. During the lockdown, I found myself without a job, stuck at home, and sitting on my backside most of the day playing video games. I slipped into a funk. I heard the phrase, “failure to thrive,” and that’s how I felt. I was just kind of there for a while. Existing. I’m not complaining or making excuses. That’s just how things were at the time, and I know I’m not alone in anything I experienced.

But the Lord is good and faithful. I have a good steady job and I am back to doing many of the things I did before the lockdown. And now, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve been doing with my life. I’m well into my middle years, and there are things I want to do…things I feel that the Lord is leading me to do. One of them is to bring back this blog. Despite my negligence, it is still getting visited. And while it’s not huge, the numbers tell me that there are ADHDers who need spiritual encouragement. Most of the sermons and Bible studies out there are aimed at neurotypical Christians. I want to encourage other ADHDers that Jesus loves us, understands us, and is on our side by sharing insights from the Bible that apply to us.

What about you? Have you had setbacks? Have you had failures? It’s not too late to make a comeback. If there one thing I know about ADHDers, it’s that we are a persistent lot. We may stumble, but we get up again, and again, and again. Don’t give up because God hasn’t given up on you.

While this verse doesn’t apply directly to what I just said, it is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. I hope you find it encouraging too.

Ecclesiates 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (NIV)

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ADHD, Plans, Uncategorized

No New Year’s Resolutions this Year

No New Year resolutions this year. Instead, I’m doing a plan. Plans are achievable, measurable, and have a due date. For me, I’m going to lose 1 pound a week for 30 weeks by keeping my total caloric intake to 1800 calories a day. I’m going to do that by keeping track of my calories in My Fitness App.

All of that external input, including seeing your calories in the app, recording your weight, using photographs of your weight loss (which no one but me, my wife, and God will ever see), are very important motivators to the ADHD brain. We need all that stimulus to keep our interest in our goals.

Also, for one more motivation, I’m going to figure out a reward to give myself, both little ones for losing a pound each week, and one large one for attaining my goal. Rewards are also an important motivator for the ADHD brain. It gives us something to look forward to and keeps our interest in our goals.

I believe everybody, especially ADHDers are hard-wired to be motivated by rewards. Even God will give us a reward in heaven for what we did and didn’t do (1 Cor 3:13-14 and many other verses).

A reward is external to the benefits of meeting a goal. Benefits of losing weight are lowering blood pressure, having more energy, and looking better in your summer clothes. A reward is buying yourself that dress or suit you’ve been looking at (probably best not to reward yourself with a chocolate binge).

There’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with meeting your goals. This may feel weird if you’ve grown up with authority figures who believed that an appropriate reward is to not get punished. But that is a horrible motivator, especially if you have ADHD.

So this year, do away with vague resolutions and give yourself some ADHD friendly goals.

Have an awesome and blessed new year.

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ADHD, Laziness, Tasks

When you feel like the lazy person in Proverbs

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ADHD isn’t the same as laziness. But when I’ve tried all day to accomplish something and just can’t stay focused, all the verses from Proverbs that talk about the lazy person come to mind. And try as I might, it’s hard to avoid comparing the inability to focus to the sin of laziness. After all, how are they different if the outcome is the same?

The difference is in the attitude your heart. ADHD is a disability. Laziness, however, is the attitude that you don’t care about a task, so you’re giving it a half-hearted effort. God knows your heart. He knows you’re fighting against your own brain to get the job done. So be encouraged that struggling to stay on task is not the same as laziness.

I have found that practical actions, such as writing my tasks down, breaking tasks into small chunks, and taking breaks go a long way to help me get the job done. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Keep up the good fight and leave the rest up to God. In context, the following verse refers to prayer more than staying on-task. But I think the principle is the same.

Matthew 7:7-8

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (NLT)

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ADHD, Procrastination, Rewards

Rewards

I blogged earlier about playing zombie games. I had to ask myself what I like about them. Was it the bodies splattering? Was it the flying guts? Actually, it was neither. I noticed those games all had several things in common. First, they give you goals to achieve. Second, as you achieve those goals, you are rewarded with things like upgrades, coins, or the privilege to move to a harder level. That combination is perfect for motivating the ADHD mind.
The next time you’re having trouble keeping on task, write down what it is you want to accomplish. What do you want to do? Read the Bible in a year? Complete that essay? Write a memo? Sell so many widgets? Write it down so that it is real to you. Next, write down what the reward will be. It can be a tangible reward (I’ll get an increased chance of promotion) or an intangible one (I’ll have a sense of accomplishment).
If you are going to do this to achieve your goals, I suggest you start off small, otherwise, you’ll get discouraged and start the whole procrastination cycle over again.
Phillipians 3:14 (NLT)
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

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Encouragement

Self Control and ADHD

If you have ADHD, you most likely feel that you don’t have much self control. If you are more prone to hyperactivity, sitting still for a length of time can be torture. If you are prone to inattentiveness (like me), trying to stay on-task can be a nightmare.

I’ve often wondered how the fruit of the spirit of self control works in the life of someone with ADHD. I read Galations 5:22-23 and wonder, where’s mine?

I think the answer is this. In spite of my brain working against me on a second-by-second basis, I manage to get through the day, do my job, survive. Maybe not as efficiently as someone else, but I get by. I suspect that self control is at work in me. Maybe, I even have more self-control than someone without ADHD. Most people don’t have their brains fighting them every step of the way. We do.

Galations 5:22-23 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is … self control.

Take stock of what you accomplish in spite of your ADHD. You’re not like most people. And what you get done is amazing. The Lord knows what you’re going through, and He’s on your side.

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Procrastination

Why I Procrastinate – Part 2

The second reason I procrastinate is usually because it’s a task I hate. If it’s something I despise, I have an extremely difficult time staying focused on the task. But while I can’t get myself to start tasks I hate, I can hyperfocus for hours on something that keeps my interest. So how do I get around it?

Luke 12:34
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Think of “interest” as a synonym for “heart.” We folks with ADD tend to follow our hearts wherever they lead us. So what I try to do is convince myself of the value of the task. I visualize the good that will come from completing the task and make that my treasure. And often, my heart (interest) follows. When there’s something you can’t get yourself to do, fix your heart on the reward for getting it done.

See you on Monday for the next devotional.

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Forgiveness, Regret

Regrets

This is on my heart this morning. As a person with ADHD,  I have a lot of regrets. I’ve said stupid things on impulse, words I can never take back. I’m tortured with thoughts of what could have been, had I only applied myself. Focused more.

Do you have regret? Are you suffering consequences for mistakes and sins from which you have long ago repented? Things you just can’t undo?

Take heart. The Lord is bigger than your mistakes.

Joel 2:25

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

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Procrastination

Why I Procrastinate – Part 1

Procrastination. It’s the bane of all who suffer ADHD.  I’ve found there’s two main reasons I put things off. The first is a feeling that I just can’t do it. I see the messy office, the stacks of to-do lists, piles of laundry, and feel overwhelmed. Powerless. And it’s easier to just walk away. But I’ve taken encouragement in this verse:

Phillipians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Read that verse in different versions. It means exactly what it says. When I feel like I just can’t tackle the paperwork, or anything,  I remind myself that I can rely on the strength of Christ.

We’ll talk about the second reason I procrastinate tomorrow.

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Encouragement

Tired of fighting your brain?

Having ADHD, I feel that I’m always fighting my brain just to get anything done. I get tired of keeping my eyes from following the latest shiny object. Distractability is a weakness I’m always fighting.

What’s your weakness? You’re not alone if you have one. Even the Apostle Paul had weaknesses. Take encouragement from this verse and let the Lord amaze you with what He can do despite, or even because of, your weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

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