Word for Today, Mon, 29 Jul 2002, Dealing with depression

#1 · July 29, 2002, 9:41 am

Quote from Forum Archives on July 29, 2002, 9:41 am
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Have you ever felt depressed? I certainly have. There have been
times in my life that the circumstances surrounding me have seemed so
overwhelming that I was a lot like Job. I didn't think that I could
take any more. I despaired life, was afraid to die, and I simply did
not know what to do. (See the message below for info. about Job).

I know that I prayed in those days, but I'm pretty sure, as I look
back, that I did not fully rely on God as I faced my circumstances.
But finally, in the depths of my despair, I cried out to God, He heard
my cry, He answered me, He restored my mental health and He gave me a
new hope.

I've not experienced such a dramatic turn of events before or after,
but one thing I've learned: I needn't wait until I am at the end of my
wits and the end of my choices before I turn to God and completely
rely on Him.

This past year has been a difficult one for my family. It has taken a
lot out of all of us. I lost my full time job last June and I've been
looking for a permanent job ever since. I've managed to gain a few
freelance writing assignments, and it looks like I now have at least a
part time product support position, but things continue to be
difficult for us.

Unlike past times, I've been able to face my disappointments head on.
It's not like I haven't had any rough moments. There is tension in
the air quite often. But there is always hope. I've had a personal
experience where the Spirit of God has personally brought my spirit
out of the deepest pit.

I still get down, I have some emotional peaks and valleys. But I've
learned something. I neither allow the peaks to get too extreme, nor
the valleys get too deep. My life has been sustained, marked,
redeemed, and renewed by the Christ that we talk about all the time.
For me, the realization, not only of my personal salvation, but of
God's interest and care for my well being is something I've
experienced, I know it, I believe it, and I desire to share it with
others.

I believe that the kind of relationship I have with my Lord is the
kind of relationship that is available to anyone who earnestly seeks
it. For me, knowing that God has a plan for my life makes all the
difference between having a hope and allowing the discouraging events
of the day to overwhelm me. I still get discouraged from time to
time, but that discouragement is temporary, not something I need to
hold onto any longer, but merely an indication that something is not
right.

Today, when I get that discouraging feeling, it is a reminder not to
despair, rather, it is a reminder that I have an appointment to
quietly, privately, and personally converse with my Savior.

Have you had your own private appointment with your Savior today?

Lord,

I continue to be amazed as I think about the transforming power of
Your love. To think that I can be deeply loved, fully accepted, and
completely forgiven of the offenses that I have committed against You,
in spite of their severity, is more than I can fathom, particularly
when I realize the price that was paid for my deeds - the sacrifice of
Christ on the Cross of Calvary! Though one side of me cries to think
that's what it took to pay the price for the things that I've done, I
am forever grateful to You that You came to seek me, find me, love me,
and change me, marking me as Yours --- forever.

I desire to think of You throughout the day, and ask that You fill me
continually with Your Spirit. Forgive me for the ways I fall short,
Lord, and lead me continually back into Your Presence, that I may
experience the joy of living in Your Spirit.

I also continue to pray that You would help me to be a genuine
encouragement to others, and that I may also be encouraged by others.
May we be one in the common hope that we find complete in Christ. I
ask each of these things humbly in Christ's Name. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

From: "ChristianNet" <christiannet@frater.net>
To: "Word for Today" <wft@frater.net>
Subject: [WFT] Tue 30 Jul 02 - Dealing with depression
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2002 10:16:55 +0100

WORD FOR TODAY by Bob Gass
30 Jul 2002

Dealing with depression

" Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression... "
Proverbs 12 : 25 (NKJ)

Long-term depression drains your energy, distorts your reality,
assaults your faith and affects everybody around you. One in five of
us suffers from it. It's responsible for more workplace absenteeism
than diabetes and heart disease. Poor health can cause it, not to
mention your surroundings; also stress, fear, loneliness, guilt and
anger. And it's no modern-day disease either; it affected Bible
characters too.

(1) David experienced it because of unconfessed sin. Listen: "I
am... severely broken... my strength fails... My loved
ones... stand... afar off" (Psalm 38:8-11 NKJ).

(2) Job got so depressed about his financial, personal and family
losses that he cursed the day he was born. (Job 3:1-3).

(3) When Jezebel threatened Elijah, he went through the 'H.A.L.T.'
syndrome. He was Hungry; he stopped eating. Angry; he got mad at God
and the world. Lonely; he left his servant and went off by himself.
Tired; he collapsed.

But God had a prescription. He: (a) changed his diet (b) told him to
rest (c) let him know he wasn't alone

(d) sent an angel to minister to him. Those are still the steps out
of depression!

David said, "... the Lord... brought me up out of a horrible pit..."
(Psalm 40:1-2 NKJ) and He can bring you out of your depression too!
Don't isolate yourself and don't be ashamed to get help from your
pastor, a trusted friend or a good counsellor. And remember, addictive
behaviour and destructive relationships will only make things
worse. The moment Elijah heard God's voice, he began 'getting it
together'. With God's help, you can too!

Printed copies of "The Word for Today" are available free from UCB,
PO Box 255, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8YY, England. <www.ucb.co.uk>

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
As a gift to the body of Christ, permission is given to churches and
Christian organisations to copy up to a maximum of 52 daily excerpts
per year. Such excerpts must acknowledge: The Word for Today as the
source, give the UCB address and inform that free issues of the
daily devotional are available.

--

The email version of Word for Today is posted by ChristianNet.

ChristianNet is not funded by any denomination or organisation.

Email: christiannet@frater.net
Fax (US): 1 530 325 6040
Fax (UK): 44 (0)870 133 0807
WWW: www.christiannet.frater.net

To subscribe to this list, send an email message to
maiser@frater.net, placing the following in the first
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SUB WFT

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better
health.yahoo.com

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

Have you ever felt depressed? I certainly have. There have been
times in my life that the circumstances surrounding me have seemed so
overwhelming that I was a lot like Job. I didn't think that I could
take any more. I despaired life, was afraid to die, and I simply did
not know what to do. (See the message below for info. about Job).

I know that I prayed in those days, but I'm pretty sure, as I look
back, that I did not fully rely on God as I faced my circumstances.
But finally, in the depths of my despair, I cried out to God, He heard
my cry, He answered me, He restored my mental health and He gave me a
new hope.

I've not experienced such a dramatic turn of events before or after,
but one thing I've learned: I needn't wait until I am at the end of my
wits and the end of my choices before I turn to God and completely
rely on Him.

This past year has been a difficult one for my family. It has taken a
lot out of all of us. I lost my full time job last June and I've been
looking for a permanent job ever since. I've managed to gain a few
freelance writing assignments, and it looks like I now have at least a
part time product support position, but things continue to be
difficult for us.

Unlike past times, I've been able to face my disappointments head on.
It's not like I haven't had any rough moments. There is tension in
the air quite often. But there is always hope. I've had a personal
experience where the Spirit of God has personally brought my spirit
out of the deepest pit.

I still get down, I have some emotional peaks and valleys. But I've
learned something. I neither allow the peaks to get too extreme, nor
the valleys get too deep. My life has been sustained, marked,
redeemed, and renewed by the Christ that we talk about all the time.
For me, the realization, not only of my personal salvation, but of
God's interest and care for my well being is something I've
experienced, I know it, I believe it, and I desire to share it with
others.

I believe that the kind of relationship I have with my Lord is the
kind of relationship that is available to anyone who earnestly seeks
it. For me, knowing that God has a plan for my life makes all the
difference between having a hope and allowing the discouraging events
of the day to overwhelm me. I still get discouraged from time to
time, but that discouragement is temporary, not something I need to
hold onto any longer, but merely an indication that something is not
right.

Today, when I get that discouraging feeling, it is a reminder not to
despair, rather, it is a reminder that I have an appointment to
quietly, privately, and personally converse with my Savior.

Have you had your own private appointment with your Savior today?

Lord,

I continue to be amazed as I think about the transforming power of
Your love. To think that I can be deeply loved, fully accepted, and
completely forgiven of the offenses that I have committed against You,
in spite of their severity, is more than I can fathom, particularly
when I realize the price that was paid for my deeds - the sacrifice of
Christ on the Cross of Calvary! Though one side of me cries to think
that's what it took to pay the price for the things that I've done, I
am forever grateful to You that You came to seek me, find me, love me,
and change me, marking me as Yours --- forever.

I desire to think of You throughout the day, and ask that You fill me
continually with Your Spirit. Forgive me for the ways I fall short,
Lord, and lead me continually back into Your Presence, that I may
experience the joy of living in Your Spirit.

I also continue to pray that You would help me to be a genuine
encouragement to others, and that I may also be encouraged by others.
May we be one in the common hope that we find complete in Christ. I
ask each of these things humbly in Christ's Name. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

From: "ChristianNet" <christiannet@frater.net>
To: "Word for Today" <wft@frater.net>
Subject: [WFT] Tue 30 Jul 02 - Dealing with depression
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2002 10:16:55 +0100

WORD FOR TODAY by Bob Gass
30 Jul 2002

Dealing with depression

" Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression... "
Proverbs 12 : 25 (NKJ)

Long-term depression drains your energy, distorts your reality,
assaults your faith and affects everybody around you. One in five of
us suffers from it. It's responsible for more workplace absenteeism
than diabetes and heart disease. Poor health can cause it, not to
mention your surroundings; also stress, fear, loneliness, guilt and
anger. And it's no modern-day disease either; it affected Bible
characters too.

(1) David experienced it because of unconfessed sin. Listen: "I
am... severely broken... my strength fails... My loved
ones... stand... afar off" (Psalm 38:8-11 NKJ).

(2) Job got so depressed about his financial, personal and family
losses that he cursed the day he was born. (Job 3:1-3).

(3) When Jezebel threatened Elijah, he went through the 'H.A.L.T.'
syndrome. He was Hungry; he stopped eating. Angry; he got mad at God
and the world. Lonely; he left his servant and went off by himself.
Tired; he collapsed.

But God had a prescription. He: (a) changed his diet (b) told him to
rest (c) let him know he wasn't alone

(d) sent an angel to minister to him. Those are still the steps out
of depression!

David said, "... the Lord... brought me up out of a horrible pit..."
(Psalm 40:1-2 NKJ) and He can bring you out of your depression too!
Don't isolate yourself and don't be ashamed to get help from your
pastor, a trusted friend or a good counsellor. And remember, addictive
behaviour and destructive relationships will only make things
worse. The moment Elijah heard God's voice, he began 'getting it
together'. With God's help, you can too!

Printed copies of "The Word for Today" are available free from UCB,
PO Box 255, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8YY, England. <http://www.ucb.co.uk>

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
As a gift to the body of Christ, permission is given to churches and
Christian organisations to copy up to a maximum of 52 daily excerpts
per year. Such excerpts must acknowledge: The Word for Today as the
source, give the UCB address and inform that free issues of the
daily devotional are available.

The email version of Word for Today is posted by ChristianNet.

ChristianNet is not funded by any denomination or organisation.

Email: christiannet@frater.net
Fax (US): 1 530 325 6040
Fax (UK): 44 (0)870 133 0807
WWW: http://www.christiannet.frater.net

To subscribe to this list, send an email message to
maiser@frater.net, placing the following in the first
line of the message body:
SUB WFT

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better
health.yahoo.com