Do you find yourself going about in a daze?
Nothing seems to cheer you up?
Have you been diagnosed as clinically depressed?
Your friends don't want to be around you because you are depressing?
Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. The Psalmist says (Psalm 34:1-2), "let the praises of the Lord continually be in my mouth." A merry heart is good like a medicine.
When Jesus is the Lord of our life we have nothing to be seriously depressed about. No matter how bad our life might seem at times, we have the assurance that we have been bought with the blood of Jesus Christ.
We serve a God who is good, faithful and worthy of trust. The question is "Are we?"
There is nothing good in and of itself except God. We can be down when we look at our lives and see all of our failures and disappointments; yet, these are not reasons to be depressed. Sometimes we may go through a season of deep contemplation and reflection on our lives, but this is not depression. We can acknowledge that our fleshly nature is a sinful nature. We will sin, make mistakes, and do wrong; therefore, the answer is not in feeling sorry for ourselves, but in repenting of our sins and letting Jesus be our source of joy.
Psalm 42:11 "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God."
Sometimes depression can be linked to chemical imbalances; in this case medical treatment may help. Generally, depression is due to our own nature and getting our eyes off of the wonderful work that Jesus has done for us. You can be a Christian and be depressed; don't let anyone tell you that you are not.
The National Counseling Center has a 1-800-759-0700 number. Volunteers are standing by to provide prayer, scriptural guidance and literature for people who call this line. The counselors will listen to you, pray with you and offer encouraging words.
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