Depression
Do you or someone you know suffer from depression? This past Sunday at church, the pastor’s sermon spoke on depression. I thought I would share some points that spoke to me, share them through my lens, in the hopes that they may speak to you as well.
As humans living in a fallen world, we will have struggles. Sometimes when these struggles feel overwhelming, we can slip into sadness that doesn’t want to go away. Some people might also have a biological chemical imbalance which makes depression even more prevalent.
Depression tries to convince us that tomorrow will look just the same as today. It makes us want to isolate and stay “frozen”.
God understands
The interesting thing about depression is that God understands. Many of His “chosen” people struggled with it. In the Bible, He dedicated a whole book to it: Lamentations.
Lamentations captures the despair the Israelites experienced as a result of seeing the destruction of their city back in 586. Its a poetic book about people who forgot what it felt like to feel joy but knew what it felt like to suffer. The author of the book laments, focuses on God’s love and faithfulness and that God’s “compassions never fail. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
God also gave us the book of Psalms. Nearly one-third of this book provides a safe, biblical framework of how we can express our deepest struggles and sorrows while it guides us to have renewed hope and trust. When I am struggling and at a loss for words, I turn to this book often and claim many of David’s Psalms as my own.
God says It’s OK to not be OK. But instead of staying stuck there, we can turn to Him. We can use His Word when words fail us. He can bring people into our lives to help. But first, we need to acknowledge our emotions.
Acknowledge
Acknowledging our emotions is the first step. “What is concealed cannot be healed”. When we acknowledge our emotions, we remove the stigma. We name what we feel, whether its sadness, anger, fear, despair; naming feeling exposes it. When we expose it, we can’t hide in it. We actively decide to fight for joy.
Fight for joy
When we numb our pain, we numb everything, including joy. A dentist analogy was given. When the dentist needs to work on a tooth, he has to numb the whole area around the tooth; he can’t just numb the tooth. Similarly, when we use coping mechanisms that numb our pain and sadness, we numb any chance of having feelings of joy and happiness.
“Our feelings are real but they are not our complete story; they are not permanent.”
Take small steps, each day
When you wake up, say “God, I’m struggling but I know you’re going to help me.”
Levels of depression vary. For deep depression, maybe a small step is getting out of bed for five or ten minutes. You get out of bed, get dressed, brush your teeth, hair, whatever. If after the allotted time you need to go back to bed, go back to bed. Each day try to extend the time.
God will meet you where you are at, bring people into your life to help you move forward. Call a good friend. Don’t rule out seeking professional help. Sometimes a biological make up that causes depression can be remedied with medication.
Do not do depression alone. Isolation worsens the feelings.
Gratitude
As I mentioned above, depression loves to keep our thoughts on the negative. This will probably take effort, but consider having a notebook by your bed (or with you). When a negative thought enters your mind, write down something positive to counter act it. For example, maybe you have the thought “I’m so unlovable”. Write down “God made me and loves me” (read/google Psalm 139 if you don’t believe that). Minimally, say the positive thought out loud, although writing it (for me) helps it “stick”.
God is with you
Whether you believe in God or not, He knows and see you. “Depression would like your thoughts be on you and you alone. When we find God in the midst of our situation, our eyes focus on Him, on others”.
I believe God is in the details of our lives, and when we actively seek Him, we are able to see Him working in our lives more clearly (note, we may not always see it while we are in midst of it but almost always looking back we do). Regardless, keep on the lookout. When I have been in the pit and prayed for increased faith, to show me a sign of hope, He has always been faithful to answer that prayer.
Prayer
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. You came near when I called you and you said “Do not fear.” You took up my case and redeemed my life. By day the LORD directs His love, at night His song is with me. He is our help and our shield. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. (Psalm 42:11, Lamentations 3:22-23, 57-58, Psalm 42:8 Psalm 33:20,22)
