| If a person is depressed, is he just supposed | | | | team--football, basketball, whatever sport we |
| to let Jesus fight this battle? | | | | play--and the team wins, the players go |
| | | | around and congratulate each other and |
| What is depression? The act of being | | | | compliment each other on what a good job each |
| depressed, which Webster's Dictionary defines | | | | did. That's praise. |
| as being pressed down, dejected, dispirited. | | | | |
| | | | When we praise God, we are telling Him what a |
| What causes us to be that way? A bad grade | | | | good job He is doing. We pick out specific |
| in school, a missed promotion at work, a | | | | things we can congratulate Him about. When we |
| spouse leaving us, abuse in our home when we | | | | don't feel like it, that's when we should to |
| were younger, someone dying or an illness. | | | | do it the most. This is call the sacrifice |
| | | | of praise. |
| There are so many reasons that we might be | | | | |
| depressed--pressed down, dejected, | | | | We can sing our praises, write our praises, |
| dispirited. | | | | maybe even paint our praises as long as they |
| | | | come from our heart. |
| I know I have been depressed on and off for | | | | |
| most of my life. I can trace it back to the | | | | Praise is the antidote to the spirit of |
| physical and verbal abuse that took place in | | | | heaviness. When we begin to praise God one |
| my home. | | | | step at a time, our lives change. We need to |
| | | | praise our way out of depression. Praise our |
| I have always felt sad, or as if I didn't | | | | way to a miracle. Praise our way to a |
| belong, as if I was an alien from another | | | | breakthrough, a turn-around. |
| planet, who had been dropped here on Earth to | | | | |
| be raised by humans. | | | | Praise is the number one way to combat |
| | | | depression, but it is not the only way. |
| To some extent, everyone has gone through | | | | |
| depression at one time or another, especially | | | | In our lives there will be times and seasons |
| as a teenager. | | | | of trouble, but our God has overcome the |
| | | | world (John 16:33). We have to put our trust |
| I've heard from some well-meaning people that | | | | totally and completely in our God (Proverbs |
| Christians cannot be depressed. | | | | 3:5-6) and what He has done for us. |
| | | | |
| Christians are human beings like the rest of | | | | We have to trust that God is in control and |
| us. They go through failures and | | | | that He will do what He said He would, that |
| disappointments, ups and downs, in life just | | | | He will turn everything that happens in our |
| like everyone else. They become depressed | | | | life around for our good (Romans 8:28). |
| too. | | | | |
| | | | We have to put our trust in God rather than |
| Let's take a look at the Prophet Elijah. A | | | | the news papers or in the news broadcasts or |
| mighty man of God. He had initiated a | | | | in what the President says. We must choose |
| contest with the prophets of a false god Baal | | | | to trust God in everything we do. |
| to see whose divine power could bring down | | | | |
| fire--Baal or the One True God. Of course, | | | | One of the solutions God has expressed to me |
| our One True God won (I Kings 18)! | | | | is to cast my cares (I Peter 5:7). We were |
| | | | never designed to carry the heavy load that |
| Elijah, probably feeling victorious and | | | | we endure. |
| vindicated, soon learned that the wicked | | | | |
| Queen Jezebel sought to kill him. Elijah ran | | | | God is more than willing to carry our cares, |
| and hid from her under a juniper tree (I | | | | our worries, our fears. He is just waiting |
| Kings 19). He felt very pressed down, | | | | for us to hand them over to Him. |
| dejected and dispirited. He felt sorry for | | | | |
| himself and complained to God, as many of us | | | | God is like a bank. We have to entrust the |
| do. | | | | bank with our money before they will take |
| | | | charge of it and keep it safe. Unlike a |
| God wasn't moved by his complaining. Nor is | | | | bank, though, we must check our cares in but |
| He moved by ours. Yes, we should bring our | | | | not withdraw them. Instead we must exchange |
| problems to God, but we cross a fine line | | | | our currency of cares for His currency of |
| when we complain and try to get God to do | | | | sufficiency and provision (II Corinthians |
| things our way instead of taking our | | | | 12:9, Philippians 4:19). |
| problems to God and letting Him handle them. | | | | |
| | | | If needed, it is fine to go to a counselor or |
| Complaining involves a lot of questions and | | | | psychologist. We should try to retain one |
| commentary. Taking our problems to God | | | | who is a Believer. Someone who believes in |
| involves reporting the facts of our situation | | | | the ways of God. |
| to God, and as my mother says, "Exchanging | | | | |
| our facts for God's Truth." | | | | Depression can be caused by a chemical |
| | | | imbalance. Some require medication. Some |
| When we are complaining, we aren't interested | | | | require a professional. |
| in truth or facts. Rather we are focused on | | | | |
| the way we feel. We are listening to our | | | | Either way, though, it is well within the |
| emotions. | | | | right of every Believer to believe God has |
| | | | already healed our depression in the |
| What does the Bible say about depression? | | | | spiritual realm. Therefore it is within our |
| | | | right to stand on the promises of God |
| The Bible speaks of being broken-hearted | | | | concerning the healing of our body and mind |
| (Isaiah 61:1) and having a spirit of | | | | (I Peter 2:24, II Timothy 1:7). |
| heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). It says that God | | | | |
| gives us the garment of praise for the spirit | | | | When we stand on His Word, believing He will |
| of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). | | | | do what He said He will do (Mark 9:23), He |
| | | | will come through for us in our time of need. |
| Now what is praise? When we are on a | | | | He will give us the breakthrough we need. |