PMS and What to Do About It

Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters, writers of the well-loved Girltalk blog, are assisting us with the practical struggles of life once again, this time by tackling the topic of hormones. Whether it’s PMS, post-partum, or menopause, these girls recently shared their personal experiences and the truth of God’s word humbly and wisely. Carolyn writes,

There are few times I feel less spiritual than when I face physical and hormonal challenges such as PMS and (now) menopause. I feel tired and irritable, my sin sometimes spilling over onto those around me.

My strategy has often been to try and wait it out. ‘Once this is over’, I tell myself, ‘then I’ll get back to making progress in the Christian life.’ I forget that I am smack in the middle of God’s plan for my life! God has ordained these hormonal days along with all the others! Menopause isn’t simply a trial to get through. It’s an opportunity for testing faith and spiritual growth.

The Girltalkers go on to explain that hormonal days and seasons, while medically real, are not too big for God’s grace. We can learn to “handle these feelings instead of letting them handle us” and we’re offered some valuable tips including:

· How to plan ahead for these seasons of temptation

· What to read when experiencing hormonal challenges

· How to create a list of verses and quotes to be weapons in the fight

· What music to listen to

· How to simplify your life and prioritize your chores

· And even medical advice from Christian physicians

But the fighting of these battles isn’t just a pragmatic exercise; it’s a spiritual one as well, as explained in D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ “Spiritual Depression”:

“Avoid the mistake of concentrating overmuch on your feelings...Above all, avoid the terrible error of making them central. If you put them there you are of necessity doomed to be unhappy because you are not following the order that God himself has ordained...After all, what we have in the Bible is Truth; it is not an emotional stimulus, it is not something primarily concerned to give us a joyful experience. It is primarily Truth, and Truth is addressed to the mind, God’s supreme gift to man; and it is as we apprehend and submit ourselves to truth that the feelings follow.”

Yes, feelings can follow truth, even though they so desperately want to lead! And the author of that truth is both the Great Physician and the Wonderful Counselor.

Nicole summarizes by reminding us that, “…the hormones may be raging, our feelings may fluctuate and our body may have worn out. But God’s grace—that comes to us because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross—is real... And it is more powerful than any out-of-whack hormones in our body. It is, as God told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, ‘sufficient for you.’”

To read these excellent posts in their entirety, click here, and let’s get these hormones on the leash where they belong!