Depression

Are you depressed? What is weighing you down? Causing you to toss and turn at night?

Depression is a feeling, an emotion that comes from thoughts that weigh you down. It’s external pressure from the outside coming into your heart that is weighing you down. To conquer depression, you have to deal with what you’re thinking about. If you are going to deal with how you feel, you first have to deal with how you think. You are a sum total of your thoughts. What are you thinking? These negative thoughts enter your heart and weigh you down. They cause you to release chemicals into your body that make you physically sick. It all starts with EXPOSURE. What are you exposing yourself to the most of the time?

We live in a generation that does not put God first. We put everything before Him. We keep trying to replace God with something or somebody and it's not working. Christ is the healer of your emotional situations but you are not trusting Him. When are you going to let God be enough? If you feel depressed, change your thoughts. You change your thoughts by changing what you are exposing yourself to. Your life, good or bad, is the result of your exposure.

Proverbs 12:25 NKJV says, "Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” Worry is negative meditation on the wrong things. Cast that worry on God.

Causes of depression:

1) Sorrow. Most people who are depressed have experienced some sort of trauma that is causing the sorrow. Psalm 40:1-3 (NLT) says, “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair…He set my feet on solid ground…He has given me a new song to sing…"

2) Disappointment or unfulfilled expectations. What you expected to happen didn’t happen. Psalm 3:3, “But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” We need to make sure that we have the right motives for what we do, not because we are expecting people to do or act the way we want them to. When dealing with people, expect nothing and appreciate everything.

3) Rejection. The Feeling of not being accepted. An issue of self worth. Feeling of not feeling accepted or worthy. If you’re trying to build your self worth on others' opinions of you and your performance, you will live depressed. Their opinion and acceptance cannot govern your self worth. Your self worth has to be based on what God says about you. Rejection can get you to a point where you start rejecting yourself before people reject you. This usually comes from some sort of trauma. You feel like people are rejecting you when they are not. You must learn to build yourself up by speaking what God says about you.  The most powerful possession you have is your mouth loaded with the Word of God. Psalm 3:3 says, “God is our shield and the lifter up of our head.”

4) Dead religious traditions. Psalm 42:11 says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” If you are depressed every time you come home from church, it means you are under dead, legalistic tradition. It is bondage. It’s not about what YOU are doing or what you’re not doing. Jesus came to deliver us from dead works. You can’t earn it. It’s a gift. His grace is sufficient. You can complain or you can praise. There is power in praise.

5) Illnesses. Many people need to be delivered from depression so they can be healed in their bodies. A lot of what is wrong with us physically is a result of what’s in our soul. You can’t be full of stress, anger and bitterness and feel good.

How do you deal with depression?

In everything give thanks!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in ALL circumstances, for this is God’s will for you.” IN everything we are to give thanks!” While you are IN the middle of your mess, give God thanks!!! God is trying to show us something here. One of the major ways to deal with depression is through GRATITUDE. You are not going feel like doing it. There is an authority God has given you through giving thanks to Him. Find something to give thanks for in the midst of it. Spend your time thanking Him for things you haven’t even seen yet. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) says don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. Have you talked to God about what you need? Whatever you’re worrying about tell Him what you need and then start thanking Him for handling it. This keeps you out of worry and takes you into peace.

3 ways to practice thankfulness in everyday life:

1) Thank and praise God for everything in your life. Start in bed before you get up. Set your thermostat with thanksgiving. Hebrews 13:15 says, “By Him we offer the sacrifice of praise. continually. Open your mouth and thank Him, praise Him!

2) Don’t allow yourself to complain about anything. Ask the Lord to guard your mouth. When you complain, you remain. When you praise, you are raised.

3) Don’t compare yourself with others. Don’t wish that your life was different. God’s plans for you are good. You can’t have an attitude of gratitude when you compare yourself with someone else. Comparison is the thief of joy.

The Lord wants you to be content at ALL times in ALL situations...during the high and the lows of life. 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “But Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Contentment is a mind that is at ease. A place of satisfaction. The apostle Paul wrote this to Timothy. He was in a dark prison cell when he wrote it. Think about it... the guy who said to be at ease was in a dark prison cell waiting for execution. There is something powerful about living a living a life of contentment during hard times that will make the difference in your life.

God’s will is for us to practice thankfulness. There are a lot of benefits that come from being thankful and having a gracious attitude:

Reduces depression

Will get you a promotion at work

Will improve your self esteem.

Will increase your energy.

Will help you to develop a strong immune system.

Will decrease blood pressure.

Will increase sleep patterns

Reduces anxiety and and helps you cope with stress

Will reduce negative emotions such as envy, hatred and anger.

Will help you to become more likable

Will increase feelings of well being

Will increase productivity in your life.

Do you want peace in your heart?  Be thankful. Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Psalm 106:1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” If you’ve ever experienced any good in your life it is GOD!  We’ve all tasted His goodness and we must remember His goodness and give THANKS to HIM! We need to start praising and thanking God for His goodness! His goodness is about to multiply. His goodness causes man to repent. God will bring you out and up. Your thanksgiving is causing God to turn things around in your life.

It is important for you to understand that YOU are in control of your heart. You choose what goes into your eye and ear gates. What you believe is what you allow in your heart. Where are you spending your time? What are you exposing yourself to? What are you watching? Who are you listening to? What are some of the things you have chosen to believe that do not align with God’s Word? Do you believe that Jesus wants to heal you? Do you believe He wants you to thrive in your relationships and in your finances?

Keys to free yourself from depression:

1) Depression cannot stay when you hold onto God’s Word and God’s promises. You must make a decision to not let your heart be troubled. When depression comes up, respond with the Word. This is the fight we are in as Christians. The key is to stay in the Word.  Many times I have had to HEAR my way out of the pit, filling my ears with messages on grace.

2) Speak TO your problem and not ABOUT it. When you talk to it, you release your authority over it. You flip the switch. Mark 11:23 says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” It’s time to attack depression!!! Speak TO it not about it! Tell it to be thou removed! Have you spoken to it? WE have the authority to speak to our bodies, our lack, our problems. “Depression you must leave!!! I cast you into the sea. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! Body you are healthy, lack you have no authority here.” SPEAK TO IT!!! When the pain shows up speak to it!

3) If there is something missing in your life, ASK God for it. Once you ask, start thanking Him for it.  John 16:24 says, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” What are you lacking? Have you asked God for it? He tells you to ASK and you shall receive it. Grace makes, faith takes. It’s important to understand that what we’re asking for must be within the boundaries of grace and not in self centeredness. When you ask are your motives right?

More Tips:

Get to the root of it.  

Get your mind off of yourself and your problems. Ask God who you can bless.

Talk to yourself. David encouraged himself in the Lord.

When you are suffering from depression, go to your Bible. The Bible is your medicine cabinet. You have to get in the Word so the Word can get into you. Take 2 or 3 scriptures a day on worry and stress and SAY them out loud several times a day. The depression will be replaced by peace.

Correct sleep patterns.

Gratitude. Count your blessings. Each morning say 3 things you are thankful  for. Keep a Gratitude journal. Even If you have a chemical imbalance this will help.

Work through your problems. Like David confront your problems. Don’t avoid them. The Lord is with you and will help you overcome them. People are trying to avoid emotional pain. You can move through it.

The brain wants to go negative, therefore you have to renew your mind daily with God’s Word.

Strengthen your relationship with the Lord. Put your faith in Him and hold onto His promises. He will give you peace. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Exercise. Take a walk. Is great for your mental state.

We will all have bad days while living on this earth and there are times when we will all have to battle depression. But the good news is that there is nothing wrong with us that the Word of God can’t fix. The Bible is our spiritual medicine chest. It’s medicine for your soul. Refills are unlimited and prescription costs are free. You don’t have to stay brokenhearted. Let go of the pain. Give it to God. You may have a reason to feel sorry for yourself but not a right to stay there because God will heal you. You have no problem that God can’t easily solve but you have to love the Word. You must feed, meditate and speak it. You can’t be depressed and have right thoughts.  It’s not what happens to us that makes us depressed it’s HOW we respond to it. Often times the deeper your depression, the bigger your calling. You are destined to do something great for God. You have a high calling, your life is precious to God.

In ALL things give THANKS!

Love, Sherry :-)