14 Nov, 2007
Do You Ever Feel Like Fainting?
Check out a Psalm about passing out!
Why Do People Faint?
Fainting is pretty common in teens. The good news is that most of the time it's not a sign of something serious. Here are some of the reasons why teens faint:
- Physical triggers. Getting too hot or being in a crowded, poorly ventilated setting are common causes of fainting in teens. People can also faint after exercising too much or working out in excessive heat and not drinking enough fluids (so the body becomes dehydrated). Fainting can also be triggered by other causes of dehydration, as well as hunger or exhaustion. Sometimes just standing for a very long time or getting up too quickly after sitting or lying down can lead someone to faint.
- Emotional stress. Emotions like fright, pain, anxiety, or shock can affect the body's nervous system, causing blood pressure to drop. This is the reason why people faint when something frightens or horrifies them, like the sight of blood.
- Hyperventilation. A person who is hyperventilating is taking fast breaths, which causes carbon dioxide (CO2) to decrease in the blood. This can make a person faint. People who are extremely stressed out, in shock, or have certain anxiety disorders may faint as a result of hyperventilation.
- Low blood sugar. The brain depends on a constant supply of sugar from the blood to work properly and keep a person awake. People who are taking insulin shots or other medications for diabetes can develop low blood sugar and pass out if they take too much medicine or don't eat enough. Sometimes people without diabetes who are starving themselves (as with crash dieting) can drop their blood sugar low enough to faint.
- Eating disorders. People with anorexia or bulimia may faint for a number of reasons, including dehydration, low blood sugar, and changes in blood pressure or circulation caused by starvation, vomiting, or overexercising.
photo courtesy images.google.com & story kidshealth.org/teen, 11/13/07
Psalm 84:1-2
My Soul Longs for the Courts of the Lord
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God. (ESV)
What does today’s God's Story scripture teach us about being in the presence of God?
Talk about being blown away, overwhelmed, going bonkers (insert your own words here), the psalmist is experiencing all of this and probably more!
When you read the context, you get the sense that the writer (inspired by God’s Holy Spirit) can’t wait to get away from the rat (or camel) race to meet God inside His Holy
The words “heart and flesh” are another way to describe one’s whole being. This psalmist was focused on “the greatest commandment”. He loved God with all of his heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-38). Overcome with desire to be in God’s presence brought him his greatest joy. He felt like fainting just to think about it!
There's lots of reasons why people faint. Did you notice that God's presence was not listed in the article on teen health?
Maybe we should feel like fainting when we realize….that the God of the universe is always present and will someday crown us with the victory that comes with knowing Christ as Savior!
How can we connect today’s God’s Story scripture to our story?
- Remember that you don’t have you go somewhere (like His holy temple of history or a church building today) to meet God. His presence through the power of His Holy Spirit dwells in you, if you are a genuine Christ follower. You don’t have to go in a “dwelling place” of the LORD. Set aside time every day from the business of life to realize that you are in God’s presence. Read, study, pray, meditate on His Truth. Let the joy of being in His presence overwhelm you. (Actual fainting isn’t necessary to prove God’s love for you or that He is present with you. You can take Him at His Word!)
- But! Remember that it is essential for you to be involved in a local church that believes the entire Bible is true and that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. You will find authentic joy (which is different from emotional happiness) in the teaching of Scripture, praying with others, worshipping together, and building relationships in the family of God.
- Pray right now ....Loving Heavenly Father, thank you that through Jesus forgiving me and coming into my life, you are present with me all the time. I confess the many times that I forget or ignore your presence. I want your Spirit to overwhelm me with the fact that You, the God of the Universe, are dwelling in my life. I praise you that some day Jesus will bring me home to live with you forever. I can’t even imagine that moment when you will place Christ’s crown of victory on my head and…
How can you connect today's story and your story and God’s story scripture to others?
- The most important thing is for each of us to abide in Christ daily. This is another way to say that we are living in and applying the presence of Christ in us. Then the connecting of the 3 Stories will be natural, because Jesus will be leading the way.
- Use the health article about fainting as a conversation starter with someone who is currently in your storysphere. Ask him or her if they have ever fainted? Have they ever been so caught up in “the moment’ that they felt like fainting? Have they ever been overwhelmed with thoughts about God? Be ready to share some of your story.
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