DepressionIntroduction
When we are not well there are things that we can do to help ourselves. However if you have a medical condition we recommend that you see your GP. This section offers some self help.
Signs
There are many kinds and a wide range of degrees but sadly depression is very common in the western world. One could trot off some statistics but they're depressing. It's not something that one can overcome alone; indeed not wanting others to be involved may be a symptom itself. Conversely having a few signs does not indicate depression, it might mean that one is not up to scratch due to an illness or poor diet. However with most of the signs apparent there may be something along the lines of depression underlying. It may be that these signs have been subtly increasing for some considerable time:
Helping Ourselves
Again your GP should be able recognise and help you with a programme –be aware there is unlikely to be any instant fix -it will be a process. Helping ourselves to change will require willpower –compare with giving up smoking. Sadly those of us who get depressed don’t always feel that willpower is within, but stepping forward will lead to stepping out, one day. I’ve had it acutely and done this. Consider some practical ways alleviate the symptoms:
Often depression is caused by suppression –suppression of feelings like guilt or unforgiveness. Remember there are two kinds or guilt –true guilt and false guilt. The first, which is caused by our wrong doing, can be forgiven by Jesus –take it to Him (Luke5v24). The second comes about because we have perhaps learned to be guilty in some situations –perhaps parents have been this way to us but also Satan is the accuser of the bretheren (Rev12v10). Refute him –turn from him and he will turn from you.
Forgive. Sounds easy but to most this is a real hard one –that’s why I’ve left it until last. The previous helps are just sticking plasters, but this is the healer. Unforgiveness binds us (Matt6v15). Who do you hold a grudge against ? Keep forgiving them every day until you don’t even think of them anymore. But if you do forgive them again. Holding a grudge will hurt YOU –it will never hurt the person you hold it against. Nobody is saying that what they did was right but you are releasing your anger. Vengeance is mine says the Lord. So hand it over to Him that sees every heart and judges every motive. Unorgiveness is so important that even though The Lord’s Prayer is short it makes special mention that we should forgive those who trespass against us. As we are asking for things daily it implies that we should keep a short record against others and forgive everyone we can think of –daily.
God Helping Us
The Old Testament. Is it so old that it’s irrelevant today ? We often think that we’re not savages, like them, anymore. In the good Old Testament we can read of the poorest and the wealthiest people on earth at that time. Like the Queen of Sheba -yet even she piled presents on Solomon (Moses son) because even she was so impressed with his wisdom. Solomon’s workmen were greatest artisans ever. The Jews were the wisest people ever -many were good with their wisdom and many were not. So how can that help us? At this time you probably need wisdom and there’s a lot of wisdom throughout the Old Testament. Start with what you know: the early chapters of Genesis perhaps. You'll be surprised that you'll probably know nearly all the events of the whole book but not the detail; not the why did God act like this to so and so. The next book is Exodus. The Ten Commandments are there in Chapter 20 but before that is the story of how the Israelites came out of slavery. We can be in slavery sometimes. Indeed Peter warned that we will become slaves to whatever masters us, smoking, drugs, sex, money, unforgiveness, etc, etc, etc anything can master us if we let it. So how do we get out of any of those? It takes a bit of wisdom; a bit of discipline -that is keeping our secret promises. Keep reading. You'll go through all those amazing miracles in the most under-rated book of Numbers. Then you get to the Psalms. Oh those books of honesty and comfort. Followed by the hard realities of the Proverbs. Don't read them all at once -they'll do your brain in. If you do read too many the Bible has always got a way to regain your balance. Look at Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 "There is a time for everything and a season...."
Those who have children sometimes have to speak to them in simplified language. Can you accept that we are God's children? He, who is cleverer than us, speaks to us figuratively. He's not to be mocked though -He can tell when we are doing that -which is most of the time if we are honest. He always helps those who will listen. He helped me. When all my hope was totally gone He showed me the bit about the land. When God talks about the land in certain contexts He means the whole of a person or their situation figuratively, not just physical ground. We all know that God is there but when we have relied upon ourselves so much we don’t always know what He wants us to do because we've been relying on ourselves for too long. He showed me this promise about the result of turning from evil to Him:
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered
Tell God Your Woes. What a promise from God ! Just do it ! And it’s not difficult for us to play our part. God promises to help us to keep it up (Psalm 19). The Bible asks us to be respectful of God all the time to the point of being fearful of Him. But are we? Don’t we mock His words because they are so simple ? Aren’t we contemptuous of them ? Surely we should respect God in heaven when He asks us to do something. He’s really a brilliant God. A loving God. How He loves us so much.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Cast all your cares upon Him that loved you first..
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Take glimpse at Psalm 65 and you’ll know what it means by the phrase: joy abundantly.
God Always Helps Read this wholesome material -let it flow through your tired bones. Tell God your woes. Keep on telling Him. But do make a habit of forgiving those that sin against you. It's a harsh fact of life that you can't have one without the other. Release is a two way street. You'll remain a slave until your bad habits are gone. God is interested in what is in your heart. Your heart is the well-spring of life. It is alive now and can be far, far more alive. Throw out the sour decay of earthly hurt -I'm upset with that person and this person and... instead clean out the filth -store for yourself treasures in heaven -kindness, generosity, selflessness, brotherly kindness (don't forget to forgive him -there's usually several weeks'worth of forgiving there !)
The more well you are the more you'll be able to help other people which will help you ..and so on and so on. Get into fellowship with good characters. Psalms tells us that iron sharpens iron -what do you think that means ?
Answers won’t be instant because most issues can be instantly solved -you wouldn't be reading this if it was easy. But God will be in your life in a new way. God knows YOU rather well. He's been watching you. And He wants to take you on a journey. A healing journey. I'm still on it. If you really stick with Him then you will find peace on earth where you will feel good will to ALL men (and women) all of the time.
That's a promise.
Come to St James if you like. But whatever happens...
Bless you.
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