Written by Kat W.
Dear Friend,
This week I felt lead to share about the freedom you can have from the darkness that is depression. Depression is very real and so many people, even Christians, go through it. It can cause us to feel isolated, alone, and hopeless…like everything around us is falling apart.
Satan uses depression to distract, and steal from us the very things that Jesus died on the cross for us to have. God’s intention for mankind was us to be in perfect relationship with Him. When we are so close to Him, we start reflecting His characteristics. All that God wants to give us is His love and for us to love Him in return.
Depression is disconnection and isolation from God. Its main purpose is to steal a person’s freedom. Satan seeks to fill our minds with darkness and hopelessness and it brings us down emotionally. However, God wants to help us live free from depression. He wants to fill us with His joy, hope and expectation of good things for our lives.
In order to be free from depression, you have to be willing to give it to God. Only when we are truly willing to fully let go of our pain, past, and hurts to God, then, and only then can God begin to start healing and us.
How can it be that easy?
We tend to zoom in and look at things up close. All it takes is for us to take a step back to get a clear view of the big picture. With depression, we are looking inwardly at ourselves and what we are going through, instead of seeing things from God’s eyes.
I am someone who struggled with depression for most of my life. The way I would describe that season of my life is total selfishness. The only person I cared about was me and what I was going through and what I was feeling. As long as I was “happy” I was good, and it didn’t matter how I got to feel happy. There is a huge difference between Joy and happiness that I will go more deeply in next week. Happiness is a temporary feeling and joy is a gift from God that only He can give. I was seeking for happiness in everything but God. It was only until I realized my selfishness that I wanted to change. I started to do everything I could to serve. When I looked at what was going on around me I saw for the first time my problems were not this big hopeless mess. God showed me how big He is and how little everything else is. Understanding His sovereignty and Holiness, gave me hope. I was able to surrender and allow God to begin the work in me to heal me of my brokenness. I was a very broken girl that God gently picked up, saw her for who He created her to be, and started placing brand new pieces back into her restoring her, and redeeming her making her whole again in Him.
Depression is an addiction. That’s why people struggle with it, they continue to fall back to what’s familiar and comfortable. When depression comes, what we feel like doing is giving up. However, the way we respond to depression makes all the difference. 1 Peter 5:8-9 says to resist the devil. It’s so important to resist the feeling of depression immediately, because the longer we allow it to remain, the harder it is to resist!
I realize that depression may be the result of a physical or chemical imbalance, and I don’t want to overlook these. However, for a great number of people, depression is a spiritual issue and the Bible gives us great instructions on how to fight it.
Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always delight, gladden yourselves in Him; again I say, Rejoice!”
Praising the Lord in the midst of our pain is the greatest thing we can do. Why? Because when we choose to fix our attention on God and rejoice in the good things He has done, we make Him bigger than our problems. The more time you spend reading and thinking about His Word, the more it gets inside of you and begins to change you from the inside out. We can’t control all of our circumstances, and we will never be completely free from experiencing pain or disappointment, but we don’t have to let what happens yesterday or today ruin tomorrow. We have a choice. We can actually turn things around by making a decision to let go of the situations that caused discouragement and depression, and move toward the good things God has planned for our future. Depression doesn’t have to rule your life. No matter what you’re going through, God is ready and willing to help you take your pain and turn it into something great.
Pray This Prayer if You Want Freedom:
Father God, I ask that you come into every area of my heart and heal me from my brokenness. Forgive me for not looking to you to complete me, but for every moment I spent searching for my completeness in the world.
Help me from myself and help me see my life through your eyes, because I know that in you there is love, there is peace, there is joy, and there is light. I come against feeling sad and depressed and I ask that you fill me with your joy, Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.
If you prayed this prayer or need more prayer or even help, please contact us at info@ISIKABLA.com. My team and I would love to pray with you!