Is there hope for the depressed Christian?

So many people are getting depressed these days, it seems. The state of the economy, the rate of unemployment, the scarcity of natural resources, the lack of food, clothing and shelter for many, dashed hopes, broken dreams, frightening encounters...the cause of depression is many and varied. Yet many Christians are afraid to admit they feel depressed at times. They feel they dare not breathe a word of this to family and friends, less they be deemed an outcast, or somehow unworthy or unfit for their calling. So when I read these words of comfort penned by Charles Swindoll, they resonated with me so I am sharing them with you. It is my sincere hope that God will keep you safe until the storm passes by [Leila Rose-Gordon].

November 28, 2011
Words of Comfort
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 3:1–26
In the early l960s when a Christian suffered from a depression that resulted in Job's kind of thinking and candid admission, you never said so publicly. You swallowed your sorrow. The first book I read on this subject, covering emotional turmoil and mental illness among Christians, was considered heresy by most of my evangelical friends.
The pervasive opinion then was simple: Christians didn't have breakdowns. Furthermore, you certainly didn't stay depressed! You know what term was used to describe those who struggled with deep depression in the early and mid-sixties? "Nervous." "He's got a nervous problem." Or simply, "She's nervous." And if you ever, God help you, had to be hospitalized due to your "nervous" disorder, there just wasn't a Christian word for it. I repeat, you didn't tell a soul. Shame upon shame that you didn't trust the Lord through your struggle and find Him faithful to help you "get over" your depression.
I remember being told by a seminary prof, who talked to us about assisting families with funerals, that if you did funerals for those who had committed suicide and the deceased was a Christian, we were never to mention that fact. Frankly, it didn't sound right then, and it doesn't sound right today. Shame-based counsel never sounds right because it isn't right! And I didn't know enough to know that Job 3 was in the book back then. Had I known, I would have said, "Hey, what about Job?"
I want to write to you who are reading these lines who may be in the pit, struggling to find your way back. It's possible that things have gotten so dark that you need a competent Christian psychologist (or psychiatrist) to help you find your way. The most intelligent thing you can do is locate one and go. In fact, go as long as you need to go. Make sure that the counselor really does know the Lord Jesus and is truly competent, able to provide the direction you need so you can work your way through your maze of misery. And, I would add, "God bless you for every hour you spend finding your way out of the hole that you have been in. There is hope. Our faithful God will see you through."

Excerpted from Charles R. Swindoll, Great Days with the Great Lives(Nashville: W Publishing Group, 2005). Copyright © 2005 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

ASK GOD FOR MIRACLES...

Recently I have been asking God for miracles. I am so intoxicated by His response that I don't think I can stop asking, now that I have started. It is so easy to ask Him for the mundane, so easy to settle for an ordinary humdrum existence, so easy to ask Him for less.

We do not challenge Him. Why? Do we fear that He cannot deliver, or do we think we are being presumptious? Well, I decided to ask for miracles after one of my pastor friends challenged us during worship to ask God for the seemingly impossible. That seemed easy enough-I had quite a few seeming impossibilities at the time. Things that I just did not think God could possibly work out in my life.

So I started with the first one. Less than four months passed before God worked out that first miracle. To this day I can hardly believe, although the facts stare me in the face. I am just astounded at the mighty God that we serve.

Well, you guessed it. I eagerly took out all my broken dreams and started to lay them before the Lord, one by one. And you know something? God has brought me sermons that have changed my perspective on life completely. My attitude has changed. I have grown in Christ in leaps and bounds. God achieved in a few weeks what I felt had not been achieved in years.

Why was that? It is as if I finally gave Him the keys to my heart. It was as if in challenging Him to do the impossible in my life I had said "Lord, I am giving you the authority to lead me." Strangely enough I really thought I had been saying that to Him all along. But it seems it was mainly lip service. In my heart of hearts there was doubt. Doubt that He would do it for ME.

Sure I had seen Him work for others, But ME? Now, that was a different story. One day the thought came to me so forcefully I jumped to my feet. The thought was so disturbing-that I had accused God of descrimination. Oh yes, I was telling God I was not good enough for some of His blessings, while others somehow had merited His favor.

Shame filled me when I realized that I had quietly harbored such thoughts about my heavenly father. God, who I knew was too big, too grand, too noble for such loathsome behavior, nonetheless had been weighed in the balance and was found wanting-by me. I was almost blown away by the nerve of the person who could think such things-and it was ME!

Luckily I did not stay there and wallow in self-pity over my arrogance. Quickly, I asked for forgiveness and assured God that I knew He was able to do more than I could ever ask or think. I hastened to tell Him that I was aware that Jesus had died for ME! That was the ultimate price and anything else He was willing to do for me was really secondary. A piece of cake, really.

Well, a lot has happened since then. I have acquired HOLY BOLDNESS. Things have CHANGED in my life. I have it going ON! Step aside world, here I come, in the name of Jesus.

And why did I write this blogpost? For you out there who might have been trapped into negative thinking for years. You too can claim God's promises. They are yours too! Why not prove Him today? THINK BIG! You have absolutely nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Enjoy the journey called LIFE. I am certainly enjoying mine.

PEACE!

Leila Rose-Gordon
11-11-11

Facing fears, weaknesses, and challenges

I have been learning to face my fears, weaknesses,  and challenges head on, as it were, and also to be honest about them. From experience I realize that new situations do not seem as frightening when we step out and face the challenge.  As a result my weaknesses especially are becoming strengths.

Sometimes a slight shift or change in what is normal can create inner turmoil.

Sometimes we do not even understand the reason or reasons for our discomfort. But when we step forward we overcome our inhibitions and our comfort zone widens. As a result our confidence grows.

God will  never let us go into a situation or a challenge alone. Remember Psalm 23:4:-Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I certainly hope for you today will be the beginning of great things as you too step out and face the fears, weaknesses,  and challenges that confront you. 

Leila Rose-Gordon