Overcoming Depression

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”  ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭13:30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

But he himself (Elijah) went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers! Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat.  1 Kings 19:4,5 NKJV

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  Psalms 13:5 NIV

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭28:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭32:10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:17-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:23-24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.  He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see what He has done and be amazed.  They will put their trust in the Lord. Psalms 40:1-3 NLT

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!”  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭40:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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

All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭64:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭73:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭73:26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalms 112:7 NKJV

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119:71‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.  ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

-Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (sing praise to God in order to overcome depression).  

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:19-23, 31-33 NIV

But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Luke 24:21 NKJV

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  ‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  ‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  ‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9 NIV

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 NIV – The peace of God will also transcend circumstances

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  ‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:16-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  ‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.  ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭5:6-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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Devotionals

Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32:25-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Comments by Kevin Mallery: Wrestle with God and do not let go until you receive the blessing of healing. We may walk away with a limp, but we will get our blessing.

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30 Comments by Kevin Mallery: If we focus on the giants long enough, we’ll get scared and will not be able to overcome.  If we trust in God’s word: all things are possible. 

But he himself (Elijah) went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers! Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat.  1 Kings 19:4,5 NKJV Comments by Kevin Mallery: We must take initiative against depression.  We should read and study God’s words, and sing praises to Him! 

I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.  Psalms 6:6 NKJV Comments by David Jeremiah: Depression is no longer a symptom of the few. Almost everyone has struggled with, or knows someone who has struggled with, depression. While the causes vary, the pain of those affected is real and overwhelming. Thankfully, in the Bible, we discover we are not alone. Rachel and Hannah, inconsolable, cried out to God for a child. Jonah ran from God and then sat in a depressed stupor when God decided to save the city through his preaching. Peter wept bitterly when he denied Christ. Both Moses and Elijah stood on the Mount of Transfiguration with the Lord and later, in a deep depression, prayed that they might die. Even Jesus was sorrowful and wept. When depressed, the turbulent winds and waves of our emotions threaten to pull us under. Our eyes see the storm and forget about the One who is with us. Like Peter when he began to sink, we can cry out to God. He is with us. If your heart is heavy or discouraged, remember that God is “close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalms 34:18, NIV). You are not alone. God understands you and will remain with you through the storm. 

Psalm 73. Comments by Anonymous Author: Cry out to the Lord with an honest prayer from the heart, ask Him to show you why you are going through this.  Perhaps there is something you need to learn in order to help others.  Reading through the Psalms can yield enlightening insights regarding what constitutes a godly prayer life. As we read these lines from God’s inspired Psalter we might expect lofty and refined theological ideas encased in polished and pietistic lyrics. Instead, we often encounter the raw emotions of frustrated saints and the unvarnished honesty of disgruntled followers of Yahweh. That is not only the pattern of their prayers; it is the exhortation regarding prayer from the Psalms. “Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us” David sings (Psalm 62:8). But lest you think this is permission to dump your negative thoughts on God and leave, or turn your prayer life into one gripe session after the next, you need to carefully notice how these raw emotions find their resolve within the prayers themselves. Psalm 73 is a classic example. The frustrations of Asaph are honest and bitter. After enviously observing the advancement of those who compromise and the promotion of those who arrogantly cheat, he exclaims “in vain have I kept my heart clean” (Psalm 73:13). But note that it is in prayer that Asaph also finds perspective and the abolition of his “foolish” feelings (Psalm 73:22). And after lingering in prayer he concludes: “it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge” (Psalm 73:28). So be honest with God. Pour out your heart to our compassionate King. But don’t leave quickly.  Ponder His character, His truth and His promises. Linger in prayer and see how God can radically change your heart and mind. 

It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learn Your statutes.  Psalms 119:71 Problems and Perspective, Comments by David Jeremiah: You and your friend have been close for years–never a cross word between you. But suddenly, you find yourself reacting with harsh, impatient words. Where did that come from? And your friend looks at you with a puzzled expression as if asking the same thing. If you will look beneath the problem, you will find a new perspective. Perhaps there’s a wound that needs healing, a jealousy that needs confessing, or a resentment in need of repentance.  Problems in life are tools in the Holy Spirit’s hands to reveal things to us we might never have otherwise considered–truth about God, about others, and especially about ourselves. If we respond to the perspective God allows us to see, we can come out the other side more mature. Remember the problem Paul had that he asked God to take away–and God said “No”? Paul saw something new: God’s grace is sufficient–so much so that he began opening his arms to problems in order to experience more grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). The next time you experience a problem, pray for perspective–and open your heart to embrace what God reveals. 

But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. (Luke 24:21 NKJV). Comments by Kevin Mallery: Spiritual dejection leads to hopelessness, but we should always remain hope-filled.

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Prayer

God I’m going into the deep.  I’m in way over my head and I can’t breathe here without you.  I need you to be my all in all.  Be my everything.  I fear You, fear being without You.

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Quotes

“Christian belief and a downcast countenance are not appropriate companions.”  – John Thomson Faris

“From the depth of sin and sadness to the heights of joy and gladness Jesus lifted me.” – Julia H. Johnston, hymnist

“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” – C. S. Lewis

“Gratitude develops faith. The surest path out of a slump is marked by the road sign ‘thank you, God.’” – Max Lucado 

“God can’t change anything in our lives until we get tired of living that way.  We need to say to ourselves ‘I will NOT live with a depressed attitude.’” – Kevin Mallery

“Don’t focus on yourself, concentrate on helping others.” – Kevin Mallery

“Focus your thoughts on God and His goodness.” – Kevin Mallery

“Something good is going to happen to me today.” – Kevin Mallery

“Focus on staying hopeful, faithful & positive.” – Kevin Mallery

“What is my depression meant to teach me, Lord?” – Kevin Mallery

“I can overcome depression by going through it with You, LORD.” – Kevin Mallery

“I must remain thankful during difficult times.” – Kevin Mallery

“Repent from the sin of looking inward and focusing on yourself.  You should not feel condemned about this sin, just convicted, turn from it and turn to God.” – Kevin Mallery

“Don’t dwell on the trial: dwell on the victory that’s right ahead, and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.” – Kevin Mallery

“Have faith in His words of healing.” – Kevin Mallery

“Whatever happens in your flesh (depression), your spirit and the Holy Spirit supersede it, you are MORE than a conqueror with the Lord.” – Kevin Mallery

“When going through periods of depression or anxiety, circle a date on the calendar that is six months out, and remember that all things pass and time changes everything. Trust God when you’re in dark times because of what you have seen in the light.  Make your petition that God will take care of this season and get you through this season of life, and bathe your petition in praise for what He has done for you in the past.” – Larry Osborne

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