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Do You Want To Get Well?
John 5:7-9 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no
one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to
get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." |
If the answer is "yes" in response to this question regarding depression, there are several
commitments that have to be made. Ten are listed here.
1. Commit to a
full recovery.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51;10,12 ) |
Be willing to humble myself and to
seek the help I need from God and others.
Be willing to face the truth and to
walk in the light.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Heb 13:8) |
2. Commit to
prayer.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6,7 ) |
Human effort alone is not enough.
Trust God and submit to Him and His ways.
Seek an answer through Godly counsel
and the assistance of others.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mat 6:33 ) |
How to pray: (an example of what to include):
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. (Psa 139:23 ) |
3. Commit to
an intimate relationship with God.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11: 28-30 ) |
I need the presence of God
in my life first. I need Jesus.
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. ( Heb 10:22-25) |
I need to be born again. It will~
| Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.( James 4:7 ) |
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7 ) |
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Rom 8:16 ) |
I need to do a fierce moral
inventory to "clean house" and to make room for Jesus to reign in His temple.
(Severe cases require assistance of
a Godly encourager.)
4. Commit
myself as a child of God.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. ( 1 John 3:1-3 ) |
Knowing who God is and who I am in
Christ are the two most essential beliefs that enable me to live a victorious
life.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:13 ) |
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:12-13 ) |
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Pet 1:4 ) |
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- (John 1:12 ) |
If the devil wanted to discourage
me, all he would have to do is to get me to believe a lie about who God is and
who I am in Christ. Negative self-talk only fuels satan's forces in the battle
for the mind. All depressed
people wrestle with their thoughts.
I must take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ
" The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." (2 Cor 10:4) |
and choose to think on what is
true.
" Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.(Phil 4:8). |
Here is an example of
David doing this very thing as he is overcoming his depression.
"But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me." (Psa 13:5 -6) |
The immediate result of
being filled with the spirit is to give
thanks, to sing, and to make melody in my heart.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:18 -20)
|
Flooding my home with Christian songs is an active way to do this.
5. Commit my
body to Christ.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. (Rom 12:1 ) |
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Cor 6:19-20 ) |
Depression affects the body, soul
and spirit.
There may be a physical cause
for the depression. Problems with the thyroid,
hormones, blood sugar, and the pituitary gland are only a few of the causes of
depression. Often we forget to have these
things checked out first! Once we do, and if we find it is not a physical
cause, it is important to denounce all lies and to choose the truth!
6. Commit to
renewing my mind.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2 NIV) |
"Learned helplessness" can
be unlearned. I can overcome the father of lies by
choosing the truth.
There is a difference between
winning the spiritual battle for my mind and
the long-term growth process of renewing my mind.
Revelation is needed to
overcome the father of lies. This is
Christ's desire for us.
"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:13-17) |
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 ) |
I have to actively work to
sustain a renewed life.
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. (Psa 119:15-16 ) |
7. Commit
myself to good behavior.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil 4:9 ) |
It's true that I have to grow out
of a lifestyle depression -and it does take time.
But it doesn't take time to change
behavior.
"but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Gen 4:5-7) |
It is possible to
behave my way into a good feeling!
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:17 ) |
8. Commit to
meaningful relationships.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb 10:24-25) |
A major symptom of
depression is withdrawal from meaningful relationships.
I need to be in contact with the right people, and to restore any relationships
I am avoiding because of my "behavior" or "attitude."
"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God--I say this to your shame."(1 Cor 15:33-34 )
"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Mat 5:23 -24) |
9. Commit to
overcome every loss.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ. (Phil 3:7-8 NIV) |
First, I must identify and understand every loss.
Then, separate the concrete from the abstract losses.
Abstract losses relate deeply to who I am and why I am here.
Next, I must separate real, imagined, and threatened losses.
Then, I can see where I tend to convert imagined or threatened losses into real losses.
Imagined losses are distortions of reality. They are based on suspicions or lies or presumptions.
"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice." (Prov 13:10 ) |
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Pet 5:7-8 ) |
"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear ; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. " (1 Peter 3: 13-17) |
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Phil 1:21 ) |
Face the reality of the loss.
Develop a biblical perspective of the loss.
Suffering reveals who I am. Each subsequent loss deepens that reality, perfects my
character, and prepares me for a greater ministry.
Renew my mind to the truth of who I really am.
Will I choose to remain a victim?
I am not a product of my past. I am a new creation in Christ.
For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. (2 Cor 4:11 ) ~~~~~ "And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Heb 12: 9-11) |
10. Commit to exchange my ashes for His beauty.
For this section, I want to share a story:
Once I held in my tightly clenched fist...ashes. Ashes from a burn inflicted upon my childhood body. These were ashes I did not ask for. The scar was forced on me. And for 17 years the fire smoldered. I kept my fist closed in secret, hating those ashes, yet unwilling to release them. I wasn't even sure if I could. I was not convinced it was worth it. They caused me to mar the things I touched and leave black marks everywhere---or so it seemed. I tried to undo it all, but the marks were always there to prove to me I couldn't. I really couldn't. But God could! How sweetly the Holy Spirit spoke to me in my tearful despair. He whispered, "I want to give you beauty for your ashes, the oil of joy for your mourning and the garment of praise for your spirit of heaviness." I had never heard of or imagined a trade such as this! Beauty??? For My ashes??? My sadly stained memory for the healing in His Word? My soot-like dreams for His songs in the night? My helpless and hurting emotions for His ever constant peace?? How could I be so stubborn as to refuse an offer such as this? So willingly, yet in slow motion and yes, while sobbing, I opened my bent fingers and let the ashes drop to the ground. In silence, I heard the wind blow them away. Away from me....forever. ~~~~~~~~~~ I am now able to place my open hands gently around the fist of another hurting soul and say with confidence, "Let them go. There really is beauty beyond your comprehension. Go ahead - trust Him. His beauty for your ashes."
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