Depression (Part 2)

I’m very tired,
The road I’m walking is narrow and winding.
The sky; dark and thick with clouds,
Swirling about my head, filling my mind with apprehension.
I seem to be going into a deep hole.
Why can’t I stop; going faster.
The light behind me is growing dim.
I’m going deeper! Deeper!
It’s getting cold, so very cold.
I’m all alone, so very lonely and frightened.
I’m here! The bottom, my strength gone.
I can go no further.
The silence is terrifying.
What has happen to me?
Why can’t I see a way out?
Will I ever be free.
…. Allura

Depression is possibly responsible for more pain and distress than any other affliction of mankind. Although it is difficult to define, the dictionary states it as an emotional condition, either neurotic or psychotic, characterized by feelings of hopelessness, inadequacy, gloominess, dejection, difficulty in thinking and concentration, and inactivity. Some neurotic depression is linked to wrong conduct or behavior and wrong reaction to such conduct. After a series of improper acts and subsequent faulty reactions, guilt and depression set in.

Both Christian and non- Christian may be victims of depression. Either is often concerned with only with feeling better. But this is not first in order of priority. Rather, they must seek the cause which may have contributed to their depression. Putting their life in order spiritually will eventually make them feel better.

Depression is sometimes referred to as the Common Cold of mental health. Everybody gets it at one time or another. For most people, depression, like the common cold runs a normal, short course and ends without need for special medical or therapeutic care.

Depression perhaps more than any other condition shows the marvelous and constant interplay in human beings between body, mind, spirit, will, genetic inheritance, social and religious environment and individual life story. All these factors woven together produce a profound depression in some people.

The term ‘depression’ is often used to describe a normal emotion that passes quickly. Everyone feels down, blue, or sad occasionally, but depression is a whole body illness, affecting the way a person eats, sleeps and feels about one’s self. It is not a passing sad  mood. People with major depression often feels sad, helpless, hopeless and irritable.  Although it is perfectly normal to experience these feelings occasionally, people suffering from clinical depression cannot simply snap out of it. It is the persistence and severity of these emotions that distinguishes clinical depression from normal mood changes.

The term ‘clinical depression’ means the depression is severe enough to require treatment. The types of clinical depression include major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder. Depression usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood. It is often not recognized and thus people who have it may suffer for years without proper diagnosis or treatment.

Although the exact mechanism that triggers depression is not known, a serious loss, chronic illness, difficult relationship or any unwelcome change in life patterns can trigger a depressive episode. It is also said that people with a family history of depression are generally at higher risk.

Problems and misfortunes are a part of life. Everyone experiences unhappiness and many become depressed, some temporarily when things don’t go as they would like. Experiences of failure commonly results in temporary feelings of worthlessness and self-blame, while personal loses cause feelings of sadness, disappointment and emptiness. Such feelings are normal, and they usually pass after a short time. This is not the cause  with depressive illness. Depression becomes an illness when such feelings becomes severe. Depression can change the way a person thinks and behaves and how the body functions.

Not everyone who is depressed experiences every symptom. Symptoms and their severity vary with each individual case of depression. The highest rates of depression disorders are found among those ages 24 – 44 and the rate of clinical depression for  women is about double that of men.

People with depression may suffer from any of the following symptoms:

• You feel sad or cry a lot and it doesn’t go away.

• You feel guilty for no reason, you feel like you’re no good, you’ve lost your confidence.

• Life seems meaningless or like nothing good is ever going to happen again. You have a negative attitude a lot of the time or it seems like you have no feelings.

• You don’t feel like doing a lot of the things you used to like; music, sports, being with friends, going out and you want to be left alone most of the time.

• It’s hard to make up your mind. You forget lots of things and it’s hard to concentrate.

• You get irritated often. Little things make you lose your temper, you over -react.

• Your sleep pattern changes, you start sleeping a lot more or you have trouble falling asleep at night, or you wake up really early most mornings and can’t get back to sleep.

• Your eating pattern changes; you’ve lost your appetite or you eat a lot more.

• Your feeling restless and tired most of the time.

• You think about death or feel like you’re dying or have thoughts about committing suicide.

• A sudden loss of interest and personal hygiene

• Change to an alternative, uncharacteristic lifestyle.

• Loss of energy, always tired. Possible symptoms of physical pain.

• Sudden weight gain or loss.

• An inordinate number of marks, bruises or wounds on the body.

• A compulsion to do something to the point of excess.

• Procrastination of day to day tasks to the point of disrupting life style.

• Confusion, asking for advice when the answer seems apparent.

• Comments usually very negative, yet maybe masked as inappropriate humor.

• “I am worthless.”

• “There is no hope of change.”

• Defeat comments, “I never get a break.”

• “My luck will never change.”

• “God has deserted me.”

• “My life will change if only” – Blaming all the problems on someone or something.

We are the sum of what we experienced in life and our reactions to these experiences whether positive or negative. With depression there are some organic malfunctions that may trigger feelings of depression. Most symptoms and maladies defined as depression are the consequences of unbiblical habits and /or sinful reactions to circumstances and other people. Depression maybe experienced by anyone and must be dealt with from God’s perspective and not from your own or any other person’s philosophy. The depressed thinks that their problems and pain are unique, they feel that they are all alone and many times when first becoming depressed the symptoms of depression make them feel as though they are going crazy. They feel all alone in the mist of a supportive congregation at church or in the mist of their workplace or of a loving family.

Depression is not to be used as an excuse for you to live in an unbiblical manner. Even if you feel depressed, you are still to live biblically. Your thoughts, words, and actions are always to edify others and bring glory to God instead of just obeying God’s word when you  feel like it

John 15:8-12 (NCV)

You should produce much fruit and show that you are my followers, which brings glory to my Father.  I loved you as the Father loved me. Now remain in my love.  I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and I remain in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love.  I have told you these things so that you can have the same joy I have and so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy. “This is my command: Love each other as I have loved you.

James 1:22-25 (NCV)

Do what God’s teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves. Those who hear God’s teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a mirror. They see their faces and then go away and quickly forget what they looked like. But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God’s perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God’s teaching says. Those who do this will be made happy.

The way you feel and the way you view yourself, your relationships and circumstances are often indications of whether you are living to please yourself or living to please God. It is not the world or things of the world that should occupy our thoughts and time,  are you approaching life from God’s perspective, living and thinking God’s Word.  Fear, darkness, and depression reveals the absence of a loving God and neighbor.

Romans 14:17-18 (NCV)

In the kingdom of God, eating and drinking are not important. The important things are living right with God, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Anyone who serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God and will be accepted by other people.

1 John 4:18-21(NCV)

Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love drives out fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made perfect in the person who fears.  We love because God first loved us.  If people say, “I love God,” but hate their brothers or sisters, they  are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen.  And God gave us this command: Those who love God must also love their  brothers and sisters.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NCV)

Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And  God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

No matter how difficult any situation appears, the Lord Jesus Christ has overcome it. God will not allow anything into your life that is beyond His control or beyond your ability to handle it without sinning. Trials are for your good, they will bring out the power of God in your life when you respond biblically.

John 16:33 (NCV)

I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.

Romans 5:3-5 (NCV)

We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience.  And patience produces character, and character produces hope.  And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.

1 Corinthians 10:13

The only temptation that has come to you is that which everyone has. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it.

All the terrible things that are happening to you are but light afflictions. Look beyond the circumstances and see God in control, perfecting and maturing you for an eternal destiny.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NCV)

This makes you very happy, even though now for a short time different kinds of troubles may make you sad.   These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure. This purity of faith is worth more than gold, which can be proved to be pure by fire but will ruin. But the purity of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (NCV)

We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.  We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living.  We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed.  We carry the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies.

The psychic pain of depression is real, continues day after day, The pain is cumulative, ever present and without end. It effects your very being, your essence, your soul and you embrace death to end that which seems to have no end in life. The truth is the conscious depressed mind cannot from within, determine either the cause or know the cure of depression. Depression often is a chemical imbalance and the cause is yet unknown, which effects mood and emotions, over which the depressed has little or no control. The depressed want negative feed back. They seek, remember and rationalize the negative and forget or discount the positive. If forced upon them, the positive will anger and or hurt the depressed. They have evidence to the contrary, as the positive has left their life and they see no prospect of it ever returning. They may feel as though God has deserted them and that God does not answer their prayers.

Lets take a look at a few of the prophets:

MOSES:  

Exodus 18:12-22 (NCV)

Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, gave a whole burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. Aaron and all the older leaders of Israel came to Moses’ father-in-law to eat the holy meal together before God.  The next day Moses solved disagreements among the people, and the people stood around him from morning until night. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What is all this you are doing for the people? Why are you the only one to solve disagreements? All the people are standing around you from morning until night!”  Then Moses said to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me for God’s help in solving their disagreements.  When people have a disagreement, they come to me, and I decide who is right. I tell them God’s laws and teachings.” Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “You are not doing this right.  You and the people who come to you will get too tired. This is too much work for you; you can’t do it by yourself.  Now listen to me, and I will give you some advice. I want God to be with you. You must speak to God for the people and tell him about their disagreements.  Warn them about the laws and teachings, and teach them the right way to live and what they should do.  But choose some capable men from among the people-men who respect  God, who can be trusted, and who will not change their decisions for money. Make these men officers over the people, to rule over groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.  Let these officers solve the disagreements among the people all the time. They can bring the hard cases to you, but they can decide the simple cases themselves. That will make it easier for you, because they will share the work with you.

Numbers 11:10-16

Moses heard every family crying as they stood in the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses got upset. He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought me, your servant, this trouble?  What have I done wrong that you made me responsible for all these people?  I am not the father of all these people, and I didn’t give birth to them. So why do you make me carry them to the land you promised to our ancestors? Must I carry them in my arms as a nurse carries a baby? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep crying to me, ‘We want meat!’ I can’t take care of all these people alone. It is too much for me.  If you are going to continue doing this to me, then kill me now. If you care about me, put me to death, and then I won’t have any more troubles.” The Lord said to Moses, “Bring me seventy of Israel’s older leaders, men that you know are leaders among the people. Bring them to the Meeting Tent, and have them stand there with you.

JOSHUA:

Joshua 7:7-9 (NCV)

Then Joshua said, “Lord God, you brought our people across the Jordan River. Why did you bring us this far and then let the Amorites destroy us? We would have been happy to stay on the other side of the Jordan. Lord, there is nothing I can say now. Israel has been beaten by the enemy.  The Canaanites and all the other people in this country will hear about this and will surround and kill us all! Then what will you do for your own great name?”

And lets look at ;

THE DISCIPLES:

Luke 24:13-17 (NCV)

That same day two of Jesus’ followers were going to a town named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.  They were talking about everything that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and began walking with them,  but they were kept from recognizing him.  Then he said, “What are these things you are talking about while you walk?” The two followers stopped, looking very sad.

C.H. Spurgeon ; revered as last century’s greatest Baptist preacher, was so plagued by discouragement, depression, fatigue and illness that he tendered his registration thirty two times in thirty- nine years. Interestingly, he gradually discovered that such lows always seemed to precede new times of empowering for ministry.

A.M. Simpson; that highly respected Missionary Statesman, exceptional preacher and founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance – was yet another great achiever who was always susceptible to periods of despair. 
He stated; “ I don’t make excuses, having the disposition of a professional taster which  is nothing to boast about. Depression usually marks lost faith in the one with whom I have entrusted my future. It dishonors the one who floods my life with endless love and manipulates for good everything that touches me. When I’m low, however, the last thing I need is despondency about my despondency. Though we slide on a downer, that does not make us losers. A horde of spiritual giants have been on the slide before us and lived to excel”

If you are losing your life situation, if you cannot control your emotions, if you think that your situation is hopeless and will never improve, if you have suicidal thoughts, if nothing seems to give you joy anymore and you are constantly and oppressively sad, if you feel as though God has forsaken you and is punishing you, if you feel as though a black hole is sucking in all the good in your life or that a black cloud over your head follows you and causes disappointments, if you feel worthless and that you deserve to be punished, if you wake early in the morning for no apparent reason, if you think that all your problems are caused by other people or events you cannot control and that your situation can only improve if they change, if you have any one of these feelings or thoughts, then there is a good chance that you are depressed.

Most people know what it is like to be depressed. It is a condition into which most people slide from time to time, and it is not a pleasant experience, no one enjoys it.Some of us get depressed only once in a while. Others of us are always fighting depression. To us emotional ups and downs are a way of life.

There are many factors which can contribute to depression. Some of these involve chemical imbalance. Others of us equipped with an emotional makeup which seems to make depression come easy. Perhaps our  upbringing and environment trained us to more easily slip into depression. But whatever the cause, depression is no laughing matter. It is a paralyzing condition which can effect all we do. It can, in time, become nothing less than an emotional prison from which there is no escape.

Gladly, depression is not something Christians need to accept. It has definite causes and definite solutions. It is certainly NOT something which is too hard for God.

Depression is a condition from which we can find freedom in Jesus Christ. Depression strikes people of all ages, back rounds, life styles and nationalities. It is estimated about 17.6 million people in the United States alone suffer from depression at any given time, and that up to 25% of all women and up to 12% of all men will experience a major depression at sometime in their lives.

It is often asked, “Is depression recognizable;” sometimes;  in addition to the symptoms of depression, many depressed people may also complain of physical problems. For example, someone might have chronic aches and pains that just can’t be explained, such as persistent headaches, backaches or stomach aches.

Depressed people may also complain of digestive problems such as dry mouth or constipation, and some people even experience unexplained pain in different parts of the body. Being constantly worried, anxious or irritable are also possible signs of depression.

Finding help for depression is not an easy task. The research one does and the decisions one  make at this point in time will have a profound and lasting effect on their health and well being  for the rest of their life. The very symptoms of depression makes it difficult to discriminate between what makes one feel better in the short term and what will have a lasting therapeutic effect for the long term.

In our sometimes frantic search to end the terrible pain of depression we tend to latch on to causes and solutions which may not have a basis in reality as much as there is a basis in our desperate need for relief. Many of us want a miracle to cure us, where the mystical therapist does their special thing and suddenly we are cured or we pray for divine intervention, or all we need to do is pop a pill and everything is instantly OK, but seldom does it happen that way.

Depression in many ways can be viewed the same as the addictive process, where the very thing we feel we need or want most is the very same thing that is most harmful to us.

If our mind, because of the depression, works against our seeking help, and works against our being able to discriminate between what will be helpful and that which will do us more harm, then how are we going to be able to make decisions which will end this unrelenting pain? The answer is, most of us cannot.

The truth is our depressed mind does not give us good counsel, our depressed mind seeks to relieve the pain by whatever means as long as it makes us feel better, without regard to the long term consequences and without regard to what will eventually end the depression.

If we allow our depression to dictate what is and what is not therapeutic we run the distinct risk of worsening our depression , ending the depression will become more and more difficult. The root issue behind depression is that life isn’t going the way you want it to go, so become unhappy, infact you have a sense of hopelessness – a hopelessness that tells you that things will never change.

For those who suffer from chronic depression, this condition is not because they are having a bad day. Or necessarily the result of some truly terrible tragedy. It is a condition learned and practiced until it has become automatic. It is a pattern which governs them.

Once again the root issue behind depression; “I am not getting my own way!” My own way, does not necessarily need to be sinful, in the sense of open rebellion. It is easy to get depressed, for instance, if something good doesn’t happen that should have happened, or if something really bad happens.

We all get depressed  from time to time – not because we demanded this or that – but because we wished for the right thing. And it didn’t work out.

It is also a fact that some people don’t get depressed when they don’t get their own way.  They get bitter or angry. There are even some people who remains happy. All of these reactions are possible for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Depression, then is really only one of many possible patterns we may have in this old creation. Thus, the principles of bondage which keeps us in depression, and the principle of freedom to get us out, not only apply to depression, but apply to any other bondage we may have in this life.

The suggestion that the root issue behind depression is not getting ‘my way’ in life is easy to prove. Simply ask: “Am I ever depressed because things DO go my way? When my will is satisfied, when my agenda is fulfilled, when my desires are brought to pass, does this depress me?”  Of course not! When things go my way, I’m not depressed at all, or I’m not as depressed as much. Depression, therefore, is hardly the result of things going my way. It is the result of them NOT going my way.

But it is here that we must be clear about something. Depression is not caused by the way life treats us. No, it is caused by the way we treat life. In other words, our emotions and spiritual conditions is not caused by what life does to us. It is caused by how we choose to react to life.

None of us desire to be depressed. Yet we have developed our patterns of the flesh. Maybe we grew up in a family and were provided a certain example. Maybe we were born with a certain temperament, and over the course of our childhood, we unconsciously and without malice, developed a pattern of expression and self-assertion. None of us ever sat down and plotted out our pattern of the flesh. No one ever chooses to be a depressed person. We simply become what we are because we were lost and without God in the old creation. 

Looking at depression from a clinical point of view, certainly the most important indicator that one needs therapy is if they are having suicidal thoughts. This is especially true if they have begun to think that there is no other option left and that suicide is the only way to end this pain. If they have formulated a plan and how and when they will kill themselves, they should be urge to seek help, NOW!

Encourage them to get to a local hospital as soon as possible, if the crisis is severe call a crisis help line and let them know, and help them through the crisis.

Suicidal thoughts and depression are episodic, in that one will have periods which are worse than at other times, but the intense feelings will abate if they give themselves time and seek help. If they are no longer able to control their periods of despair, and if it seems that their life situation is no longer under control and they are entirely at the mercy of someone else, if their interpersonal relationships are falling apart there is a good chance that the depression is beginning to take control of their motions and it is taking control of their life situation. If they do not make a decision to intervene and seek counseling the depression will worsen and to regain control will be difficult .

Sometime they may have the feeling that they are going crazy. This is not an uncommon thought when a person first experiences the symptoms of depression. Without defining what the term ‘crazy’ means, a

person who is actually going crazy probably does not have a complete realization of what is happening to them and will most likely blame their problems on someone or something other than themselves. They many times think that they are sane and it is the rest of the world that has gone crazy. The automatic thought; ‘I think I am going crazy,” arises due to a reaction to the symptoms of depression.  The confusion, the loss of memory, the anger, he despair, the ups and downs, and the loss of central of one’s emotions, all are perplexing when they first become depressed. The feeling that they are loosing their mind happens as the depression begins to take control, it is also a very good indication that intervention is needed and that it is time to seek therapy.

Many begin to consider the need for therapy only when there is a crisis or when life has come to a point where we are no longer in control, or there are strong suicidal urges. Yet depression does not have to reach a crisis stage before one seeks therapy. One has to recognize the warning signs of depression so that they begin to work on healing before the depression reaches a crisis stage. This allows one to be able to recognize they are depressed and use improved self help methods to avert a crisis and heal one’s self.

Types of therapies will range all the way from someone with a lay back – I’m your best friend attitude, using simplistic relaxation excises and or ineffective tranquilizers, and a counseling technique taken directly from their psych. 234 class used on every patient who walk through their doors. At the other extreme you have the drug only therapist who thinks most depression is genetic, that we have no control and that environment has no effect, their approach is lacking empathy, and they are arrogant, ( I know more than you.  I have more education than you. I am smarter than you, therefore I know what is best – do as I say.) Somewhere between these two extremes we should be able to find a therapist who can help them to overcome depression.

In view of the fact that God knows all about us and He does not blame us for it. We did not create the mess into which we were born. We did not commit the original sin nor did we ever decide we liked it. We were born into it without giving our permission.

What then is our responsibility?  To surrender to God. In other words, we are not responsible for being born in Adam, but we are responsible, once we see the truth, for being born again in Christ. Once we see the way out of any sin, or any condition of  the flesh, we have to realize that we are responsible for allowing God to deliver us from it. No longer should we plead ignorance.

Lets look at salvation – God never blames us for being born into Adam, He never says it is our fault for lack of salvation. But He does say; “Here is salvation in Christ.” “Here is your way out.” But if we refuse, we come under the judgment of God. It is precisely what John says:

John 3:16-19 (NCV)

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. People who believe in God’s Son are not judged guilty. Those who do not believe have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in God’s one and only Son.  They are judged by this fact: The Light has come into the world, but they did not want light. They wanted darkness, because they were doing evil things.

If we can read this passage with out getting lost in the familiarity of it, we would see that it is plainly telling us that this is condemnation: That light has come into the world, but men instead love darkness. We would see that it tells us that God sent His Son into the world NOT to condemn the world, but to offer this light and salvation. It is only when we knowingly reject the Truth, in favor of our will, our evil deeds, that are without excuse.

When the thoughts like life isn’t worth living takes over our thinking, obviously the evil one, is behind it. Depression surprisingly resists all attempts to break free, including prayer, praise and rebuking satan. One has to realize how to counter-attack by refusing to believe the lies coming into your mind.

Simple logic affirms that if a loving God created us in His image, He must have been motivated by a longing to share His joys with us. Isn’t that the very nature of love? He must have given us life so that He can shower us with His love and blessings. Scripture reveals with brutal frankness that life can be unpleasant at times, just read the book of Job. But since a good, loving God has the final say, life, when viewed in its entirety, must be worth living, no matter how hard that might be to believe when you can see only a fragment of it.

So when one is depressed, they have to learn how to prepare themselves for battle by thanking and praising God for the life He has given us, and for the unimaginable joys He must have stored up for us. And whenever the temptation to depression returns, they have plenty of ammunition to fight the deception, such as remembering Job in the Bible, who wished he had never been born, only because in the midst of his trial he had no idea of the great blessings God was preparing for him.

It sounds ridiculously simple, and yet it can turn one’s life around. You might not always feel on top of the world, we are often not responsible for our feelings, but we are responsible for our beliefs. If we choose to believe the right things, despite what you presently see and feel. What really matters however is not elusive feelings but what one believes, because in the long term, it is the beliefs we cling to when everything seems to say the opposite, that ends up affecting both one’s actions and relationship with our wonderful Lord.

It is NOT always easy believing that God really loves you. Sometimes we don’t even love ourselves most of the time, and we would have thought we would be more willing to make allowances for imperfections and stupidity than would a flawless God. Some might even say, “It’s not easy believing in a heaven I have never seen.”  “It’s not easy trying to imagine joys that could possibly compensate all I am presently going through.” But faith is all God ask of us. John was right . Faith is the victory.

1 John 5:4(NCV)

Because everyone who is a child of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world-our faith.

Psalm 42:5 (NCV)

Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I should put my hope in God and keep praising him, my Savior and my God.

This refrain found  twice in this Psalm, flies in the face of the slave mentality that the evil one tries to foster within us. We need no longer act like helpless victims of emotions and circumstances. We can choose to have hope. But note that we are set free not by positive thinking – mere human effort- but by looking to Jesus, Our  Wonderful Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NCV)

So that I would not become too proud of the wonderful things that were shown to me, a painful physical problem was given to me. This problem was a messenger from Satan, sent to beat me and keep me from being too proud.  I begged the Lord three times to take this problem away from me. But he said tome, “My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.” So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ’s power can live in me.  For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong.

Ephesians 5:20 (NCV)

Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NCV)

We have around us many people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.  Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne.

Revelation 12:11(NVC)

And our brothers and sisters defeated him by the blood of the Lamb’s death and by the message they preached. They did not love their lives so much that they were afraid of death.

Do not be bitter about your conditions, thank God for your circumstances or physical condition that you cannot correct. But correct all deficiencies in your life that hinder you from serving Him and others. Biblical self-evaluation is necessary in every area of our life which includes our actions, our relationship with others, our words and our thoughts life, As we obey God’s Word in all areas of our life, we will receive His Blessings.

1 Corinthians 11:31(NCV)

But if we judged ourselves in the right way, God would not judge us.

Ephesians 4:29 (NCV)

When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need-words that will help others become  stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.

James 1:25 25 (NCV)

But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God’s perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God’s teaching says. Those who do this will be made happy.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech

©2004 Ozell M. Borden
For Personal Use Only.  Any commercial use or publication without authorization is strictly prohibited.