Power

Carrying on from the previous post, this post is about where to get courage against despair. I am no counsellor or therapist; I write from personal experience. I have also come to learn from research that many share similar opinions as I do which have helped them as well. 

Depression causes one to feel alone in the dark; the cloak of gloom never lifts and it traps you from seeing anything in life as good, enjoyable, dependable or worth it. For many, there is a heavy feeling of shame and worthlessness and that you have nothing to offer this world. It is really difficult to go through this nearly every day and some have tried to find freedom by ending their own lives.

My interactions with people who have made suicide attempts have showed me that many regret the decision. I heard of one man who jumped off a bridge and survived. But his thoughts when he let go of the railings were “What have I done?”, “I don’t want to die”. Each of us have a fighting spirit that wants to live, that hopes to see a colourful day, that hopes to overcome the terrible force of depression.

So, we need to fight on.

In the battle against despondency, the right ammunition and tactics are essential. The power to fight must come from a source that works against the crashing waves of depression. Like a lone sailor who has been out too long at sea, the bleakness of the vast sea may cause one to lose their vigour. There is little to be hopeful for, until you see the shores of land ahead. But supplies of sustenance (physical and emotional) run low during lengthy spells at sea, and so one cannot trust in oneself alone to get to dry land. You need help and you must cry out. It is your signal. This cry is the first step to rescue.

The will to live is always a good place to start; however, self-will can only get you so far, someone needs to give you a helping hand. Despondency gives you nothing to hold on to, nothing to believe in and nothing to hope for. It says there is no way out of the sinkhole. That is why one needs a power that is bigger than oneself, that is bigger than us and that is not conquered by the darkness, to pull you out of the sink hole.

Hope deferred does make the heart sick. Sometimes we get dejected because others fail on keeping their promise. And because we all need something to hold on to, something we can place our hope in, we need promises that overrule the limits of this world and the constraints that stop those we trust(ed) from fulfilling their promise.

I know of a man who once had the people he loved fail him. David, a prolific writer, pours out his heart in the Book of Psalms in the Bible. He eloquently expresses his struggles in Psalm 42v5:

“Why are you sad, O my soul? Why have you become troubled within me?”

Life had dealt him a hard blow. There are many of his psalms that speak of the dejection he faced and how he felt: Psalm 6v6 he says, “I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping”

Some of us can relate with his situation. The sadness feels long-drawn, shedding tears every night.

There was something that kept David going though, something he hoped for. In Psalm 13, he starts out complaining about his helpless state but the end of that psalm takes a new spin. He says. “My heart shall rejoice in your salvation, I have trusted in your steadfast love”. How can a man who speaks of dejection and helpless make a quick switch to speaking of joy, almost in the same breath?

In whose steadfast love does David trust in? In God’s. God is the steadfast anchor we need when the waves of depression and sorrow crash over us. David here gives us a model for combating discouragement. In Psalm 73:26, he states “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Holding on to God’s promises kept him through his depression. God’s promises are the promises that transcend the limits of this world. David has someone to put his trust and that someone is a God that does not fail. David did not “believe in himself” as many are told to do when they are dejected. The flesh (the strength of our bodies) and heart (our mind and emotions) do fail. We are fragile creatures. No, he believed in someone with a power that does not falter. The power to fight depression does not lie in us, we cannot do it on our own. We must remember as David did that all power belongs to God (Psalm 62:11).

The presence of the Lord is what we need in the valley. When we walk in the valleys, the valleys of the shadow of death, we will not be afraid, because God has promised to be with us forever. God’s promises are fulfilled when we believe in Him and abide in Christ His Son.

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

Love,

FeyVored

I am glad to announce that there is a new movie that addresses this topic in great depth! It is called The Exit Movie (http://www.theexitmovie.com/) and will be showing on Youtube (for free!) soon! Please watch it.

And if you or anyone you know is fighting through depression and suicidal ideations, please ask for prayer and counselling. This is not a battle to be fought alone.

Also, here is a link to a list of helplines that you could contact for help wherever you are in the world.

Seek Christ with all your heart, and He shall be found. He promised this to us