Hope in God
Psalms 42:11 NLT
It is thick and all-consuming. It encompasses every fabric of your being. It swallows you whole
until you are left without hope. Or so it seems that way. Depression. That
overwhelming, pervasive, deep, sadness that just won’t go away, won’t
relent. Depression is a liar that attempts to rob you of hope and joy. The good news is that situations
change. There is hope. There is hope in God.
Depression has visited
me numerous times. It has lingered and left me depleted of vitality. I remember
thinking if I would remain in such a dismal state. I was spiritually bankrupt,
not having any desire to pray or read my Bible. I would just stay in my room in the dark. I am
grateful that God did not give up on me, and that He saw me and offered me comfort.
I am grateful for the prayers of the saints and for the examples in scripture of faithful
followers suffering through depression. One such example is the prophet, Elijah. In I Kings 19, Elijah encountered fear
and depression after a gigantic spiritual victory. Elijah feared for his life
for the wicked queen, Jezebel wanted to destroy him. Elijah was vexed of spirit
and prayed that he might die. He then went to sleep. But then God sent an angel
who ministered to Elijah. The angel baked some bread and encouraged Elijah to
eat! So, Elijah ate and then went back
to sleep. The angel of the Lord then encouraged Elijah to eat some more or else
the journey ahead would be too much for him. Elijah obeyed, ate some more, and was revived to the point where he was strengthened for forty days and forty
nights.
Physical Aspect- I love that this account is in the Bible. It shows how to deal with depression. Notice
that God does not say to Elijah, “You have to pray more”. "You have to read your Bible
more.” Of course, prayer and Bible Study are wonderful and necessary. But God
dealt with the physical aspect first. He got Elijah some freshly baked sustenance
and encouraged him to eat. Elijah then took a nap. This tells me that when we
are feeling depressed, it is important to take care of our physical man. It is
important to ensure that we are taking care of our personal hygiene, eating
properly, and getting enough rest.
Spiritual Aspect- Why
am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will
praise him again— my Savior and my God! Psalms 42:11 NLT
It is essential to remember
that there is hope. There is an old adage that says- Once there is life, there
is hope.” I would like to change that saying to Once there is God, there is
hope. God is the one Person who will
not disappoint, and who will never let us down. Let us hope in God, the one completely trustworthy Source. He can revitalize our parched hearts and
give us joy. All we have to do is ask Him. When we are depressed, let us rely on our personal
relationship with God. God is the one that will sustain us. God is the One who
will carry us through.
There are some scriptures
that I love. They are taken from John
10:27-28. They say: my sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow
me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me. No one can snatch us away
from Jesus’ hand. He is always pursuing us and rescuing us. We are safe in His
arms.
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