Dealing with Depression and Discouragement

Psalm 43:5 –Part 1

 

Pastor (Mrs.) Christy Ogbeide

BBA and MA(Counseling)

 

Depression is feeling of emptiness, which is triggered by the loss of something important like opportunities, loved one, jobs, good health, finance or being abandoned by some important persons such as friends, relatives, members or loved ones.  Depression can lead to hopelessness and discouragement.  Some of the characteristic of depression: Powerlessness, discouragement, gloomy attitudes and frequent sadness.  Physical symptoms include insomnia, lack of appetite, and loss of energy, hypochondria, loss of interest in appearance, work, and relationships. Other symptoms are: isolations, negative thought patterns, feeling of guilt, self-pity, self-hatred, not measuring up to expectations, meaninglessness of life, constant sense of shortcomings and past failures, ideation’s of death and/or suicide.    In the Bible depression is referred to as “countenance being cast down.” Psalm 43:5 says that, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”

    Sometimes in life like Elijah and Jonah we struggle with depression.  Elijah felt that he had stood alone for God against Ahab and Jezebel who had led the people to reject the Lord and worship Baal.  1 Kings 19, Jezebel threatened his life, and the prophet ran away and hid himself in the wilderness, and asked God to take his life. Due to fear, the prophet was attacked with depression and all that he could think about was death.

    God sometimes intentionally abandons us so we do not become self-sufficient and self-satisfied.   Psalm 30:7, “You, LORD was my friend, and you made me strong as a mighty mountain.  But when you hid your face, I was crushed.”  This resulted to depression for David, but fortunately it drove Him closer to God and not away from God.   Feelings sense of depression should bring us closer to God and to depend on Him.  There are times we feel that God may have forgotten us, but actually, He needs our constant relationship and attention during this time.  God promised that He will never leave nor forsake us. (Hebrew 13:5)  He will be with us to the end.  (Matthew 28:20)

    Are you feeling depressed right now thinking that God has forsaken you?  Are the challenges, yokes too heavy to bear and carry; please do not think of giving up and never let the thought of suicide or running away from God materialize in your mind.  Just cry out to God and follow His Fatherly instructions.  God is willing to minister to your needs at any time.  He is ready to comfort and help you through the trouble times.  God sent good food through a bird to feed Elijah during his time of depression and made him experience his divine presence on Mount Sinai and gave him Elisha as a helper.   God will help you and take care of you.

 

Ways to deal with Depression:

1. Obedient to God. Seek God first and all other things will be added unto you.  

Matthew 6:33

2.  Avoid unholy environment that is not of God.

3.  See yourself the way God sees you through His promises in the Holy Bible and read it loud.   Reprogram your negative, self-pity way of thinking and replace it with positive confession of the word of God.  “I can do all things through Christ, who strenghteneth me.”  (Phil. 4:13, Psalm 62)

4.   Stir up yourself to praise God loud, with great enthusiasm and violently.  It will

surely drive away depression.  Let your praises be heard and known. Think of the

the goodness of God and see where He has brought you from and shout a loud Alleluia.

(a)  Give God sacrifice of praise, Hebrew 13:15, Psalm 150

(b) Work in the Lord’s vineyard, do not be a stranger in the things of the Lord. Get

yourself occupied and get busy for the Lord in your Church or ministries. Promotion comes in serving the Lord.  

(c)  Connect to people that believes in you and thinks positive; they will encourage you and not kill your vision or downgrade you.  (d)  Go for a walk and exercise (like I do); take time out of your self made schedule to admire the flowers and God creatures.  Take time to smell the roses and admire the sun; set time to relax.  It will change the depressive chemical balance in the brain according to researchers.  

(e)  Put your trust and faith in God; remember that nothing is too hard for God to do for you, if you are patient, persistence, exercise self-control and Be Encouraged. To be continued by the Grace of God.