I am going to step away from the Indiana Jones theme today... and I know some of you are saying it is about time!! It is about time I leveled with you about the Bible's take on depression.
I have been kind of depressed recently. I don't know if it is missing my kids, lack of finances, work burnout, disillusionment with my life, or all the above. All I know is I am not the first, and won't be the last, to deal with this.
I am depressed... but I am in good company. The great Winston Churchill called depression "the black dog that hounded my steps." Many great singers and songwriters have suffered from depression-- I think it is part of songwriting inspiration.... Going to the Bible, Elijah was depressed-- and he was taken to Heaven without dying!! Remember what he said in the Kings-- "I alone stand before you, and they are trying to take my life." But do you remember God's answer (and I paraphrase)... "Not so fast, big boy!! I have 7,000 men hiding in a cave who have never bowed the knee to Baal." So much for Elijah's self-importance...
Jeremiah was depressed-- he was the "weeping prophet." Jeremiah-- in a famous Scripture reference-- uttered... "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked...who can know it?" Not many remember God answered in the next verse "I can!!!" He said "I the Lord know the hearts of men." So in the words of that great spiritual prophet Cher... God basically told both of them"Snap out of it!!" He wants you to know the same. You may be depressed... you may see your future as a purple haze (apologies to Prince); the only light in the tunnel you see is an oncoming 5:15; but take hope in this... Depression is an emotion-- love is a fact!! God loves you-- if you received Him, he gave you power (read that: the right) to be a son of God-- and not just to you, but to ALL who believe on His Name!!
So if you are depressed today, take heart... the Heart of God. Know no one can EVER pluck you out of the hand of Jesus, or the hand of God. John 10:28 and 29 say so. We have ETERNAL life through Him... remember that when you are depressed... and know that same God has your life, well-being and future in His hands.
Never forget... Jesus was oppressed to give eternal life to the depressed. He wants to help you today... He loves you-- let Him prove it!!
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May not be what you want to hear, but when we are depressed it is usually because we have our eyes on ourselves. We need to keep our eyes on Christ...and also reach out to others. There is ALWAYS someone else who has it worse than you do.
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts!!
I agree with Kara. I also want to say that when you're depressed, don't be afraid to reach out and let someone know what's going on with you. "Choose wisely." If I cn borrow that phrase from the previous blog. Preferably someone who is plugged in with God and can help lift you out of that deep dark place. So many times I believe the enemy keeps us trapped thinking that we're the only ones that have ever felt this way or that no one else really wants to hear it. That is a lie! God placed us in the body of Christ for a reason. We need each other. Great share, Tom!
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