Some days it’s simply a win to get out of bed, to put our feet on the floor, to open our eyes. Dealing with mental health issues can be agonizing, dark, and lonely, so getting out of bed—doing the next thing—is an act of worship.

This is the point O. Alan Noble makes in his new book On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden & Gift of Living, published by IVP Press.

Even through battling depression or anxiety or any other mental ailment, Noble writes that the decisions we make still have a big impact:

It’s scary to realize that my every decision communicates to people around me something about the nature of God, the goodness of His creation and laws.

Our decisions—from minor ones like brushing our teeth to major ones like showing up for work—communicate what we believe about God. And it communicates even more when, despite our mental health issues, we continue to push forward by God’s grace even though the pain is unbearable.

Here’s more from Noble:

But of all our actions, very few speak louder about the nature of God, His goodness, His love for us, and the goodness of His creation than our choice to get out of bed each morning. Life will inevitably crush you, at one point or another, and your response to that suffering will testify to something.

Whatever you’re fighting—whether it’s clinical anxiety, depression, etc.—the choice to get out of bed, the choice to keep living, shows the watching world what you believe about the Lord. It shows that you believe He is good and worthy of worship even amid your mental health battles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was one of the best I’ve read in awhile. Noble masterfully displayed a warmth to his writing, while pressing in at times in a gracious way, all the while understanding people respond differently.

I highly recommend this short book.

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I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.