Depression by Lane Jordan Burday
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD (Psalm 40:2-3)
The older I get, the more I see people of all ages, races, and financial statuses talk about being depressed.
I believe it’s part of the end times we live in, because there is so much confusion, war, and misery for people all over the world. We rarely spend time in nature, with each other, or just relaxing in this beautiful world God has made for us. We spend too much time looking at our ‘problems’ rather than focusing on God.
We seem to be constantly worrying and being anxious about so many things that we have no control over, which leads to self-pity.
Sely-pity is a bottomless pit because once you start this slide, you can get deeper into it, and depression is the next step.
Our only hope is to look up and see that God is with us! He promises never to leave us! When we focus on God, in trust, we will begin to see our circumstances in a different light. God is always holding our hands and will pull us up out of the deep darkness.
I love this verse: “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence” (Psalm 42:5).
It may sound like I’m just giving you rote answers, but I promise that the times I have been depressed, the only thing that got me out of it was my dear Lord. Deep down, I knew that He was on His throne, He was in control, and worrying was a sin. God is greater than anything that comes our way, though at the time it may seem insurmountable.
And I so understand. But if you are in a dark place now, please look up to Jesus. Ask Him to bring you out of the pit – for He can! And never forget this promise:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Deuteronomy 31:6).
God is with you in the pit. So do all you can to look for Him and let Him restore you.
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Our new devotional book, Treasure, is a great way to receive encouragement in the mornings. Treasure was just named the “Best Christian Non-Fiction Book” by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and is up for two more awards! Gifts from God! If you have not purchased Treasure, it is not too late. Lane Jordan Burday and Lisa Burkhardt Worley, along with the POP Team, combined their talents to write the book, which is full of wonderful inspiration. You will be inspired by the messages, and receive daily treasure as God will speak to you through His Holy Spirit. To buy Treasure just click on the Amazon link that takes you directly to the page. https://tinyurl.com/2uj9sn5x.