Here are probably the top 3 reasons why you may be feeling sad and a little something you can do about it. All healing begins, first, with understanding the motives. Anything else merely pushes the issue, but doesn’t solve it. As a pastor and counselor for over 15 years, I’ve had ample opportunity to examine depression as time after time people have sat in my workplace fighting to conquer this mountain in their own lives.
What is happening?
So, first, allow me to unequivocally state that although I really do believe that depression is influenced by our physical or psychological condition, it’s primarily a religious issue. Depression, therefore, must be handled from a religious perspective if you have any hopes of conquering it. Again, this isn’t to say that your physical and psychological condition do not affect it-it does. Just like driving your vehicle will affect the state of your engine. But driving more carefully doesn’t correct any damage already done to the engine. After all, depression is not a disease. It isn’t something that you can catch such as the flu or the cold. It’s a spiritual condition.
So, what are a few of the primary reasons for depression? Confident men and women are rarely depressed. But if you do not believe in yourself, in your own price, in your own skills, or on your own position in life, the chances are you’ll experience some level of depression. I know that in our very best state we’re altogether sinful. Yet that doesn’t preclude God from loving us. It doesn’t excuse us from His grace, love, or mercy. It doesn’t isolate us from a strategy where God plans to utilize us greatly for His will.
Keep in mind
Our faults and failures don’t mean we’re unworthy or void of significance. Within the existence of God and with His help, we could do and accomplish wonderful things! John 14:12- Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. Yet when we start to believe that we’re useless we’re inviting depression. Don’t ever believe you’re useless. God created you. I don’t think God created something unworthy. It could take a little searching, but I guarantee, you can discover a rich life with amazing purpose and significance in your own God given ability! Loneliness and rejection are terrific contributors to depression. Acceptance is a human need. Most of us want to feel accepted.
But either because of divorce, abandonment, or rejection from our social peers you may now end up in the throes of depression. To increase the harm, depression will often make you retreat into yourself and prevent other folks. The more you avoid people the more you’ll feel rejected, which in turn will cause you to want to prevent people even more. It’s a barbarous cycle-a deadly cycle. You have to decide you’re going to be a part of other people’s lives to be able to break from your depressed funk. God did not make us to take care of isolation well. We are in need of people.
Did you know?
We are in need of relationships. Some may believe they could do without people, but to place it straight, you will find areas of the lives which will never truly develop. There’ll be essential ingredients for pleasure which they won’t ever realize. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10- Two are better than one; since they have a great reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. A growing number of individuals are seeking counsel for anxiety and panic attacks.
Fear
Fear is a spiritual matter. It can be born from a lack of self-confidence and rejection, but the more we dread the more miserable we become. 2 Timothy 1:7- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Whether it’s the fear of death, the fear of people, or the fear of our own insecurities, fear is a driving force behind melancholy. Fear, interestingly enough, is often caused by perspective. Your comprehension of the situation and environment often breeds the fear that you have. Fear is seldom based on reality. Fearing what other folks think of you, for example, is usually an exercise in futility. You can’t possibly understand what everybody is thinking all of the time. The fear of death is due to a misconception. Death is not an end; it’s a beginning. If you’re a believer in God and Jesus Christ, passing harbors no sting for you. Again, it’s all perspective.
Conclusion
Facing your fears is vital to overcoming them. To accomplish this, you will need inspiration. You will need to be inspired. When I’m facing one of my own anxieties, I often read biographies of both women and men who faced similar experiences. Their struggles inspire me. Preaching inspires me. My Bible inspires me. Having loving people around me. Fear, according to 1 John 4:18, is cast out by love. There’s no greater inspiration than knowing someone loves you. If you do not feel anybody does, incorporate yourself into the lives of those around you and you’ll quickly feel loved yourself. Love others and they’ll love you. It is why I love God-because He loved me first.