Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

Depression and suicide has hit our extended family and friends in the last month. Really. It is heartbreaking to live through and watch the survivors try to piece their lives back together. Are you hearing many more stories about depression and how common it is especially during the holidays? I certainly am!  If you are someone who struggles with depression ( I do!) and even thoughts of ending your own life, don't give up! Read on, be encouraged, and get the help you need.

Thanks to men such as Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, discussion about male depression is not as uncommon as it used to be.  Thankfully. Wintertime is always a season where this sense of overwhelming sadness is triggered in me. This gets worse especially after the holidays when everything goes back to normal, and Spring seems oh so far away. That said, I have a slight understanding of the ups and downs that can accompany the feeling of things not being 100% "right". There is hope!

Although it's less so than in years past, I have been constantly amazed by the general reluctance of the society and sometimes even the faith community to discuss this very common human condition. Yet, I have read two very interesting pieces in the New Testament where both the great Apostle Paul and even Jesus himself struggled with despair. Imagine that! Here's a quote from Paul written to the church in Corinth.

"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we even despised of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened what we might not rely on ourselves, but on God,who raises the dead" (II Corinthians 1:8-9).

Jesus' words are even more important here, as He is God in the flesh: In the garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion, he says to Peter, James and John, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death" (Matthew 26:38). Is this not shocking to realize the Son of God and also Christianity's greatest evangelist felt with despair? 

How much more direct and descriptive can that be?

Personally speaking, it's taken me years to accept the fluctuations that come in life. I've been trained in the Southern California mindset of "Always sunny and free all the time". But life is not like that- which is why I am also so against the prosperity teachers that can populate the Christian airwaves and bookstores. Your best life ever? It includes pain, suffering and sorrow. These form our character and help put our priorities into focus us.

It is possible to manage life's ups and downs when dealing with depression. One of the few things I have discovered: First, stay as far away from sin as possible! Instead of looking toward the things that will seem to meet my needs in the moment or distract me from my pain but ultimately keep me addicted, I will ask God for strength to avoid them. The truth is giving in to them only adds  to my problems by doing things I know will cause me to be more deeply depressed later. Be it too much food or alcohol, drugs, illicit sex, gambling, the internet, shopping etc, the actions which numb our pain can also be the very ones that keep us captive instead of free.

Secondly, when my need feels great, when I am sad, or even when I am just craving what I know is ultimately destructive, I am training myself to see that as my clue that I need more peaceful alone time with my heavenly father. Time for quiet reflection, prayer, worship, and reading my Bible will bring me back to a peaceful place if I discipline myself to engage in these essential activities. I've made the decision that my life belongs to Jesus, so I can go right to Him when I know He can and will show tender care for me. He always meets me when I need Him. He never turns away regardless of what I am feeling or what I have done.

Third, develop a pattern of choosing to have a thankful heart. It is a challenge in our culture that continuously tells us we need more to be satisfied. (Isn't that the core message of any advertising?) The next trip, the next purchase, the next relationship will not take away the pain. In fact, they may add to it! Everything we own owns us to some degree, either by the financial investment to purchase it or the time it takes to maintain it. I am so blessed by God! Yet, how often do I long for more of everything and not be grateful for my life. It will never be perfect or free from want or conflict, so I might as well be as joyful, thankful and at peace as I can be. Thankfulness brings hope and a very needed reminder that things do not always stay hard or without the chance for change.

Tears ago, there was a brief season of a few months where I even took  antidepressants on the advice of my doctor. That helped balance me out when I need it. Others need them as a long term part of their lives. If that's you, please consider it. God uses doctors to heal, too! This includes counselors and leaders in the faith community. Keep that in consideration if you struggle.

When all else fails- WAIT. Stop. Rest. Get help. Sleep. Do not take any action to hurt yourself or others. Wait for a new day. I know that when the pain is deep and the depression is overwhelming, everything else in our lives gets blocked from our view. 

A friend sent me this (below). I think you'll find it VERY helpful:

"The Beloved Romans 1:7- 

“To all those in Rome who are loved [beloved] by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." 

Paul says that the saints in Rome, those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ to save their souls, are loved by God, or more acurately, they are The Beloved. This word beloved is more accurate because it is in the present tense and never ending. Revealing the love from God towards His children. The first 9 uses of this Word in the New Testament is used of how the Father loved Jesus His Son. This should give us insight into how God loves you!    God's Love for His Kids is Unchanging    Unconditional and Unselfish. 

Remember this encouraging and uplifting Truth when you do not feel like the Beloved of God. Pick up the shield of faith that stops the firey missles of the enemy and speak the Truth of God out of your mouth, as the Sword of the Spirit like David did; "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? (Then preach this exhortation to your soul) Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." 

Father God, You are Present, never leaving me, never forsaking me. Help me to preach the gospel to myself over and over again today, elevating You in my heart and allowing Your Presence to rise in my mind, so that I walk with You morning noon and night, in Jesus name amen ACTION: Be-loved."

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God is faithful as we continue to look to Him for hope and strength. In fact, God so loved YOU that He sent Jesus to earth to die in your place. The baby in the manger grew up to be God's perfect and complete sacrifice for the sins of all who believe in Him. May my disclosure and insights help give you who struggle some ideas about how to live life well in the midst of difficulty.

Totally Nude Workout

Working out in the nude could be a very exciting experience! A famous gym in New York, Hanson Fitness, is offering work out sessions for all men, all women, and a special class designed for both sexes. But this is certainly nothing new. I always work out naked- and so do you:

"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."  (Hebrews 4:13)

Finding Hope and Peace in the Struggle

Sometimes life is just hard! People disappoint us. Our leaders fail us. We may not understand why God allows something to happen in our lives. We disappoint ourselves- which may be the hardest to deal with of all!

As always, God provides insightful truth and encouragement for us in His Word. The Apostle Paul had to address a struggling church in Corinth, a city known for great trade, immense wealth, and one filled with all kinds of evil and debauchery. His encouragement to that church is just as valid today for those who seek to follow Jesus with their whole hearts.

Take a look at 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Here, the Apostle Paul is speaking to believers who were living in a world much like ours. Any and every sin was becoming acceptable. Evil was called good and good evil. People were living for the moment and forgetting eternity existed. Believers were persecuted and were a minority. It often seemed as if the world was winning the war, and the church was dying. 

But remember, God will always be on the side of those who seek Him- even if we do not understand what He allows.

My friends and I have traveled quite a bit of the world, and we've seen real followers of Christ suffer for what they believe, enduring shame and scorn for being different than their people. Some of them are outcasts within their own families for belonging to Jesus. Many have husbands or wives who are not believers, and they suffer because of that. Some of them give up important and lucrative jobs in order to travel and share the Good News of Jesus, living on faith, trusting God to provide in ways we cannot even imagine. Enduring beatings or being placed in jail because of what they believe, they continue on because of the amazing gift of life through their Lord. It's like reading the book of Acts, how the followers of Jesus lived after He was ascended into Heaven before He one day returns to judge the earth and reward those who have given their lives to Him.

These people are the overlooked, the ignored, the forgotten… but they are not overlooked by God.

Wherever you live on this earth, if you are one who calls yourself Christian and have devoted your life to pleasing Him, be assured you are not forgotten! Let's read that again:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

It's easy to say "Don't lose heart", and it's even easy to read it, but the question remains, how do we practically live it out?

The answer is actually found in the next few verses that follow:

“Inwardly, we are being renewed day by day."  What does this really mean? The Bible tells is two very important truths about who we are, just two chapters apart. In the same letter to the same church in Corinth, Paul tells followers of Jesus that 

1- We are a new creation in Him. God has washed away the past, forgiven us for our sin against Him, and He made us brand new. (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

2- God places his own Holy Spirit within us, and we are being transformed into the image of Jesus. This means we are becoming more like him the longer we continue to follow Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18) These two truths take place simultaneously.

What does this look like? What is the evidence of this happening in our lives? Our priorities change. We begin to love us He loves. We serve others. We take risks as He leads. In other words, we serve Him as not  only our Savior but as one who gives us direction in how He wants us to live. All this is a result of His great love for us and the sacrifice He made, dying on the cross for our sin, paying a price we could not pay.

How else can we not lose heart as we endure the struggles in this life? We can keep focused on the riches we have in Jesus now!

• Forgiveness for our sin and The Gift of Eternal Life
• Freedom in Christ- which no man can take away!
• Family in Christ   
• Hope and comfort while we live in this world- and promise for our future!

We also have all the fruit of God's Holy Spirit because He lives inside of each believer in Jesus. This means we have  Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Not only do we have this fruit, we also have The Power of the Holy Spirit and the gifts He gives us to do the work He's called us to do! (I Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4). We don't just get his comforting presence (which we all need- 2 Corinthians 1:1-4) but His Power working through us.

We are rich in faith as we watch God work right in front of our eyes!

There's one more way we can endure hard times, and it may be the most difficult one of our advantages, but it is the most powerful: We must stay focused on the end of the story.

If you’re older, you will understand what I’m about to say. If you’re younger, evaluate my words in the context of Scripture.

Our time on earth goes by so fast- especially when compared to eternity!  So, here's what I recommend as a practical application:

•    Be wise, and keep an eternal focus.
•      Please God at all costs before pleasing men. He is the One you must answer to.
•     Love deeply, and draw people to God. Continue to encourage one another.
•     Know that you are loved by God, and He will not fail you!

What will we have in the future? We look at the end of time and discover that God wins- and so do we!

Look at the Bible's Book of Revelation 21:1-5:

There's a new Heaven and a new Earth: The Apostle John's Vision

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

No more tears, death, crying, mourning, or pain. He who overcomes the hardships of life will inherit all this.

We endure until the end- not just for our rewards but to please God!

Do you ever wonder if it's ok to ask God about your future? When reading Matthew 19:27-30, we discover that even Jesus' disciples, his future leaders, would question him about what would happen to them.

 

"Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first."

There you have it! Even though we face difficulties in this life, we don't have to lose heart. God is on our side! We are new in Christ Jesus- brand new! We are forgiven for our sin against God and each other. We have freedom and life. God's Spirit lives in us to bring comfort, joy, and power to live out life in victory in spite of what happens. And we have a hope for the future- an eternity with Jesus without tears, pain, or suffering. Isn't that alone worth considering His claims to be God in the flesh?