To The Depressed Christian
I close my eyes, turn toward the back of the couch and curl my knees up to my chest.
Dont hang up, I cry softly into the phone. Im afraid to be alone.
My husbands coming home early. Todays one of the bad days.
If I admit my thoughts to someone, theyll think Im crazy. Am I going crazy?
No, youre not.
For me , depression came with the winter, though warning signs could be felt and seen much sooner. A born and bred Southern girl, Id gotten married, started a new job and moved across the country to Minnesota all within two weeks, and just in time for the cold.
I was tired. Really tired. I was edgy and emotional and anxious. I began noticing that I felt exactly like it looked outside gray and miserable. Numb. I sank further and further until finally breaking down one day at a work conference. I just could not go through the motions anymore. I felt like I was dying inside.
If youre in the thick of the dark and lonely place that is depression, I wish I could wrap my arms around you and cry with you, because I know how badly you hurt.
I am a Christian, but depression tempted me to distrust God. I was desperately seeking deliverance. He seemed to be withholding it from me.
Why will you not lift me out of this pit? Id cry. Are you not a deliverer? Why do the voices of despair sound so much louder than yours?
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Its Not A Works Fight Its A Focus Fight
Paul is reminding us that we have a WHOLE new identity, a new humanity always full of grace .
Because of this, we can fight to stay focused on the eternal security we already have,even in depression, anxiety, or any other challenge.
Its not a works fight, its a focus fight. Because a great identity-value focus always leads to new ways of living, not vice versa!
Paul follows up the call to fight the good fight by saying, Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.This means your true identity and grace in Christ are already within reach for any journey, condition, or circumstance. So, fight the good fight really means
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Youre already interconnected and lovingly secure in Christ! Dont give up or give in to anything contrary to what Christ has already fulfilled in you!
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Despite the condition , take hold of what you do have and rest in your new creation reality! Create life around that, not working to try to get it as if it were far off.
What Would Jesus Do About Depression
Jesus would want you to get help.
Depression is a common illness worldwide, with an estimated 3.8 percent of the population affected, including 5.0 percent among adults and 5.7 percent among adults older than 60. Approximately 280 million people in the world suffer from depression. Depression is different from the usual ebb and flow and short-lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life. Its a severe health condition, especially when recurrent and with moderate or severe intensity. Depression can cause the affected individual to suffer greatly and function poorly at work or school. At worst, depression can lead to suicide. Suicide is the leading cause of death for 15-29 year-olds.
Although there are known treatments for mental disorders, more than 75 percent of people in low- and middle-income countries dont receive treatment. Barriers to effective care include lack of resources, lack of trained healthcare providers, and social stigmas associated with mental disorders. In countries of all income levels, people who experience depression arent correctly diagnosed by doctors, and others who dont have the condition are often misdiagnosed and prescribed antidepressants.
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God Is Not Angry About Our Depression
Discouragement and depression are normal parts of being human. They can be triggered by the death of a loved one, illness, loss of a job or status, divorce, leaving home, or many other traumatic events. The Bible does not show God punishing his people for their sadness. Rather, he acts as a loving Father:
David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn-conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him.
God Is Close To Those Who Are Suffering
What is constant throughout Scripture is that God provides comfort to the suffering and meets the needs of the brokenhearted . His Word promises that those who are in the midst of suffering, whether experiencing death or depression, have the hope that everything is working together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose . It is outside of Gods character to senselessly torment those he loves . We know that the trials that we are experiencing on this earth, while difficult and uncomfortable, are for the testing of our faith , to produce endurance and character , and are never without purpose.
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Getting Professional Help For Depression
Depression is a a serious mental health disorder and the symptoms of depression can be debilitating. Depression can become a chronic problem that persists for years if left untreated. Even people who function at a high level in spite of feeling depressed, those who describe themselves as living with high functioning depression, can quickly find a depressive disorder getting the upper hand and negatively impacting their personal and professional life.
The sooner depression is treated, the better. It can be hard to take that first step and ask for help, but there are effective therapy options for depression which can lead to a significant reductions in the severity and duration of symptoms related to depression.
Where Does The Bible Talk About Depression
The psalms are rife with depression. Most of the psalms are thought to have been written by King David, who penned many of them during extremely low periods in his life.
So my spirit grows faint within me my heart within me is dismayed, he writes in , and then a few lines later, Answer me quickly, Lord my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit .
Other references appear in 1 Samuel 16-20 ).
And the entire book of Lamentations is a poetic expression of the Hebrews deep, unabashed depression after the fall of Jerusalem, with no hope of redemption or rescue.
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Fight From Secure Rest Vs Fighting To Achieve More Freedom
The context of this scripture is not a position of a mental or emotional failure or having to muster up more will, more strength, more faith because you are weak.
Instead,the apostle Paul is reminding us of our permanent security, not letting the world around us interpret who we are who were not and trying to follow those false exhausting patterns – formulas.
Paul is basically saying,
A Guide For Walking Through Suffering
Depression is best thought of as a form of suffering. It is mental and emotional pain and difficulty just as a physical illness or injury presents us with physical pain and difficulty. But the good news is that the Bible as A LOT to say about suffering. In fact, the Bible offers a full manual on how to think about suffering, how to walk through a life of suffering, and how God views suffering. All of this speaks to the person walking the road of depression.
The Bible tells us, for instance, that God is with us in suffering. It tells us that God never leaves us nor forsakes us . It tells us that God is always present with us, not just as a companion, but as a shepherd guarding us and guiding us through the valley of the shadow of death . It tells us that the God of peace is eager for us to call out to Him in the midst of suffering, with all prayer and supplication .
The Bible declares that God is sovereign over suffering, it is never out of His control, and that He uses suffering to draw us near to Him and shape us to be more in His image . The Bible even tells us to rejoice in our sufferings because they are the means by which God works . Joy and depression seem like oil and waterbut Scripture calls us to find hope and joy because of our suffering, even the suffering of depression.
3. The Bible puts us in a story that ends in hope.
He who calls you is faithful he will surely do it.
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God Will Strengthen You And Uphold You
fear not, for I am with you be not dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand .
In your depression, you feel like you cant hang on to God. Like your weak and helpless, unable to do anything. Sometimes you cant even get out of bed. The last thing you feel is spiritual.
Good news! You dont have to hold on to God because he is holding to you. When you fall, he will uphold you with his righteous right hand. When you are weak, he will strengthen you. Even if you dont have assurance of your salvation, you can be assured that God has a firm hold on you.
The reality is, you ARE weak, youre just feeling it more acutely now. Take comfort from these Bible verses for depression, because God loves to sustain the weak. Gods grace is sufficient for you, even in these deep, dark times.
Principle #: My Anxiety Reflects My View Of God
Tim Keller writes, Worry is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong. How we respond to lifes trouble reflects how we view God and whether we trust how He has acted towards us. Jesus makes the case that our worry really stems from a heart of unbelief that God is acting in a good way towards us. To those who doubt the provision and power of God to do whats best, Jesus gives a gentle rebuke, O you of little faith.
How often we become distracted when we fear the future and take matters into our own hands. We seek to control our destiny and focus our attention on what we want most. We dont trust God to provide or to keep us safe. We start to think 10 steps down the road and bring tomorrows problems into today. Jesus reminded us that worry accomplishes very little and distracts us from being present in our lives today.
In our counseling office, we see this all the time. When dealing with death, divorce, dysfunction, and distance in relationships, we can extrapolate all kinds of negative outcomes. Focusing on the possible outcome stems from a heart that ultimately desires to be in control. Rather than trusting a good God, it really is a heart of pride. Tim Keller reminds us, however, it takes pride to be anxious. . . . I am not wise enough to know how my life should go. Do we trust God with our future so we can stay present in our today?
Action step: God calls me to overcome anxiety by keeping my focus on His faithfulness.
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How Do We Respond
Mental illness can affect any of us. Whether a pastor, Sunday school teacher, or faithful churchgoer, the suspected struggle of mental illness should not be a source of shame or be kept hidden. The Church should be a place of safety and community, where those who are struggling can be honest, ask people to rally around them in prayer, and be assisted in seeking professional help.
When we encounter people who suffer with mental illness, we should be hesitant to provide our opinion on what the source is or how it should be solved. This issue and human beings are complex. Heath Lambert said it best: Caring for people means being alert to physical problems that require medical treatments and spiritual problems that require Christ and his Word.
Most of us are not mental health experts, so we should stick to what we do know: God is good, loves us, and does not forsake his people. Pray with those who are struggling within your church. Treat them as fellow image-bearers. Encourage them to seek professional and medical help, if need be. Be available. Walk with them, shouldering one anothers burdens in order to fulfill the law of Christ . Only then will we love as Christ loved and care well for those who are hurting.
Austin Maddox
Nothing Can Separate You From God
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from Gods love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrownot even the powers of hell can separate us from Gods love. No power in the sky above or in the earth belowindeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Experiencing frequent episodes of deep depression can make you feel very bleak and hopeless. You may struggle with low self-worth and that can make you feel like youre not deserving of Gods love. When you feel that way, the logical next step is to feel cut off from God, out of a self-imposed feeling of unworthiness.
Romans 8:38-39 is the perfect counter to those fears that youre forever separated from God by your depression. Nothing can separate you from God. Feeling separated from God is a cruel trick of the depressed brain that can be combatted by meditating on this verse.
God loves you exactly as you are. He doesnt judge you for your depression. He loves you and is brokenhearted when His children are suffering. Instead of fearing separation, draw closer to God in your depression so that you can experience His comfort and love.
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Even Jesus Himself Was Deeply Anguished Over What Lay Before Him
He knew what was to come. He knew that God had called him to a journey of great suffering, he knew what must happen in order for us to live truly free. Our Savior and Lord was willing to pay the price on our behalf, but it wasnt an easy road. Isaiah prophesied that Christ would beâa man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.âIsaiah 53:3
We can be assured, that in whatever we face, Jesus understands our weakness and suffering, our greatest times of temptation and despair, because he too traveled that road, yet without sin.
In the garden, through the night, Jesus prayed, all alone, calling out to His Father, asking Him for another way:
And He said to them, âMy soul is deeply grieved to the point of death remain here and keep watch.â And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. And He was saying, âAbba! Father! All things are possible for You remove this cup from Me yet not what I will, but what You will.’â
The Bible says that so great was his anguish, that he sweat drops of blood.Luke 22:44
Whats true about all of these stories and many others is this: God was with them. Close. Near.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.Ps. 34:18
He cared.
Using Essential Oils For Depression
Essential oils are finally reaching the mainstream, and with good reason. They are often immediately effective, highly concentrated, shelf stable, easy to administer, pleasant to use, generally have less side effects, and they are generally safe if used with common sense according to safe practice guidelines. There are many essential oils and blends may be helpful for relieving depression symptoms.
Here are a few of the most important essential oils to help with feelings of depression:
1. Rosemary Essential Oil Rosemary has been shown to help both stress response and clinical depression when inhaled or diffused. It not only demonstrates anti-depressive effects within two weeks when inhaled for as little as 30 minutes daily, it also shows promising neuro-protective activitymeaning it helps to protect your brain neurons from harm.
Many people use smaller amounts of rosemary for daily use homemade lotions, or in diffuser blends as an aid to help bring mental clarity and focus.
2. Lavender Essential Oil Lavender is renowned for its anti-anxiety properties and ability to calm and relax you. If your depression has been impacting your sleep habits, this might be a beneficial essential oil for you to use in the evening. Its another essential oil with studies showing its ability to lessen symptoms of depression.
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Recognizing The Warning Signs Of Suicide
The following signs may mean someone is at risk for suicide. The risk of suicide is greater if a behavior is new or has increased and if it seems related to a painful event, loss, or change. All threats or talk of suicide should be taken seriously. If you or someone you know exhibits any of these signs, seek help as soon as possible.
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves
- Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious or agitated behaving recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Extreme mood swings