I got a chance yesterday to reflect on some things in my life, not that its spring break this week here at work and I have all this time free, but just a time maybe to check in - as the season of change is upon us. I look outward and I see many in my life going through hard times and today find them in hard places to be living. So many today, even our children are on anti depressant drugs because they are depressed or feel depressed for thousands of reasons. Many of us feel this way because of an intense energy output or season of change that we have had to endure but just can't seem to get there. Depression hits everyone, including me, at different points in our lives. Some of us due to a relationship conflict or a break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend or even a spouse. It could be because of a physical exhaustion due to over doing it with work, family, errands and school. Running all the time and you are exhausted. It could come after a huge disappointment in life. Did you know many pro athletes find themselves depressed and struggling even after winning the big game and the trophy is sitting on the mantel? All the years of work and labor and hard physical abuse is now over because they have the prize - now what? They experience that empty feeling that cannot be filled with anything earthly that they know of. Mothers who carry a child for 9 months and now have a baby who is healthy, happy and home in the nursery but cant figure out why they cant stop crying. Its an expectation that we have set too high and when we finally get there, we realize it doesn't make us happy and fulfilled. Its a huge disappointment and a let down.
Friends, life is not what we wanted it do be and how its turned out. We struggle not only with ourselves but with our families and friends and loved ones who are dear to us. I have learned the last year, which is a hard lesson to learn because I have spent hours praying and crying my heart out for you, that no amount of prayers lifted for any of us will do anything until God captures YOUR heart. If you are steadfast in unbelieving - no amount of evidence will ever change your mind.
Depression - its a bad place to be. Its a place you want to get off by yourself. Getting off by yourself is what a discouraged and depressed person LEAST needs but MOST wants. The last thing you need if your're depressed and having a pity party for yourself is someone showing up with cupcakes! Depression shuts out the thing we need the most - PEOPLE. People who love us, support us and encourage us and to give us a reality check in life. We need someone to come along side of us and say "Dude, WHAT are you doing?" You are not the only person in the world facing what you're facing today. There is MORE GRACE available to you if you would start moving yourself to a better place. People are a big part of that. What do they do when the prison wants to break a prisoner? Isolation cell - they are alone and by themselves - they go crazy in there if they are left too long.
I remember about a year ago someone close to me was going through a breakup and the days spent crying and heart breaking - thinking how can I go on? - I am worthless and not good for anyone. This person needed someone to come along side them and let them know they were not the only ones going through this; Someone cared; loved ones were praying for them -Together progress was made ~
Get involved loved ones, Get in a bible study, a small group or a church ministry - open yourself back up to your family and friends and from being isolated.
Evaluate yourself - do you have less friends than a year ago? Do you find your friends only on the Internet and not real {in person} friends? Are you pulling back instead of pushing forward?
When the phone rings does it make you mad knowing its a friend - a friend who you should be glad to hear from? Do you stay at home more and want to be alone. Is your worst nightmare if someone tried to find out what is wrong? You cant bring yourself to answer that question so how can you bring yourself to answer that question for someone else..... your thinking is stinking!!
Are you focusing on the negative in life? God is doing amazing things in your life right now if only you would see it - but you can't because you are focusing on the negative and on yourself.
God is not finished with you - with me - my family - my son - my pastor Jimmy - He is not finished with any of us. THANK GOD! We all have talents and gifts - we all learn things differently and in many ways - this is what makes the body of Christ - together WE are the body of Christ. We are not made to be alone........ Don't ever forget Gods provision for you. What God has done for you and what God is going to do for you.
We all have things in our lives that we all wished were different. The past is in the past so endure and put it in the past - press onward and forward. Being alone and in your isolation cell will only keep you there.
Blessed be Your name On the road marked with suffering Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say
BLESSED BE YOUR NAME ~
Its in both the good and hard times we should praise God and thank Him for what He has done and brought us through. If you don't know Jesus - than you don't know what I am saying. Those who do - we can all say at the end of the day - I AM SAVED - no matter what is going on in our lives.
I love you all and I am with you in this as well,
Randy~
Lord I pray for those in our lives who are struggling Lord and find themselves isolated and feeling like they have to fight this life by them selves. I pray for encouragement for these folks Lord and for courage to step out into the light and let people in - to help them, lift them in prayers and to motivate them to reach out. Lord more people than ever in this world are fighting disappointment's and spiritual lows - I pray Your voice will be heard and a touch by Your grace will capture their hearts today.
In Jesus name I pray,
AMEN~
1 comment:
I've been through some depressions in my life, and the worst was last year when I "lost" my sister Lois, Randy, your momma, Lonnie, your wife, and she was so much to many more people. It was several months even with me a Christian that I could just get around people without that sick feeling like I shouldn't be living with her not living. With a lot of prayer and some members of my family as well as my church family, I started to feel the nudging from God in my heart that she is more alive today that she has ever been. It is a daily struggle that God and I go through, you see, she was a very big part of my daily life, always talking on the phone and knowing where each other were, my very best friend in the whole world, the one that I could tell anything and everything to, the one that knew exactly how I felt, and the one that I knew would always be my family no matter what happened no matter how alone I felt. I miss her so bad and I daily fight that depressing feeling, it is only by the grace of God and the love of my husband, son, and you Randy whom I tell everyone I have adopted as my other son, that I make it. It is only by knowing where she is, that she is in Heaven and that she will meet me there one day when my time comes, knowing that she will meet her whole family there if each of us are willing to give our hearts to Jesus, she is happily waiting and watching for us. I like to think she, along with God, is watching "over" us down here.
Depression cannot be cured by pills, drinking, hiding or by any other method other than the love of God. I firmly believe that. HE is the only solution, HE is the only peace we will ever find in our hearts. It is the one thing we can look forward to that won't let us down. When my heart aches I look to my Saviour and get my strength from Him.
My calendar today says for March 8th "True joy comes from putting Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last." That says it all, I have to put behind me the way I feel and look to Jesus, and to help others along the way, that will take care of me, and the joy of the Lord will lead me home and hopefully I can show others the way.
I love you Randy, thank you for all you've done for me and all you've helped me since your momma went home to be with the Lord. We stood together before she went home, we stand together now, and we'll stand together one day with her when our time comes to meet our Lord.
And Lonnie, if you are reading this, I love you too, and Lois made me promise her about two weeks before she passed away that I would never give up on you, that I would always try to help you reach out to God so that you could be with her in Heaven when your time comes. I won't give up on you no more than she would have. I have never broken a promise to Lois. I've always been honest with you, I pray for you every day, some days all day long, that you will be reunited with Sis one day and that the whole family that she loved will be together again, that NONE of us will be missing, it was her last wish. She loved you very much, she loved us all very much, she was all about family, and her desire is that we all join her there one day. She is waiting for us, we can't let her down.
Heaven is a place of peace. I choose peace and Heaven over depression and Hell.
May God Bless Any and All that Reads This, and if you've never asked HIM into your heart, it is not too late, HE loves you and HE doesn't want anyone to be depressed, HE is there to save you and to bring peace into your life.
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