Depression

Depression what is it you ask? Isn't it just being sad you say; no there is more to depression? Depression isn't just feeling down or sad which everyone has experienced in their life at one time or another.  One can experience feeling down or sad due to many different things like a death of a loved one, job loss, a divorce or separation. But that is not the same with depression it is a serious medical illness which is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Depression doesn't just go away, but it can be treated. If left untreated it can last for month’s even years. Depression isn't always easy to recognize but it does have certain signs and symptoms.

Here are the Signs of Depression:

• Loss of interest in things you normally enjoy.
• Feeling down, depressed, irritable, or hopeless. (In children or teens, this may be irritable mood.)
• Thoughts that life isn't worth living or that you would be better off dead.
• Feeling worthless or guilty.
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
• Unexplained decrease or increase in appetite. (Gained or lost 5 percent of your body weight during the last month.)
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
• Feeling tired a lot of the time; having less energy
• Your feelings are interfering with your ability to work or take care of your daily responsibilities.
• Feeling restless, unable to sit still, or unusually slow in movement or action.

Depression isn't a weakness or flaw, and a depressed person can't just "snap out of it" like people tells them to do. I have heard this many times "snap out of it," I am sure like any depressed person we all would love to just "snap out of it". 

As we fight our struggles everyday against depression we are always wondering how long this bout of depression will last this time. Psalm 13:2 states this very thing..."How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" Satan always tries to bring us down because he knows this is one thing we struggle with. But Jesus understands what we go through; while he was in Gethsemane he's speaking to his disciples in Matthew 26:38...Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow, because he knew what the Father was asking him to do. The Father was asking Jesus to lay his life down for us. You see Jesus understands that is why when we ask him to carry and comfort us he is there. When we are having a hard time and not sure how to get out the depths of depression that is when we need to get quiet before the Lord and let him be our counselor and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 tells us to...Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 

Remember it says in Psalm 46:1 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.' He is there when we need him; so trust him at all times and he will take care of you during this period. 

From experience I know what others that have depression go through. Oh wait let me guess you haven't told anyone you have this thing called depression because you aren't sure how they would treat you. Yes, I was there too very few knew that I had depression because I didn't want anyone to know. So you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, you are feeling weighed down. I know that struggle you are feeling; in fact I was fighting that very thing for the past several months. I just couldn't figure out why I was feeling that way. This past Sunday a gentleman shared a verse that the Lord had laid on his heart. This verse I had heard many times before it was Isaiah 61:3, but he said to focus on this part of the verse...the oil of gladness instead of mourning; and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. He said there are several people here this morning that you feel like you are weighed down by a blanket covering you; god wants you to focus on this part of the verse. Let's just say no one at church knew I had been feeling this way, because I was putting on a front only I knew. I was prayed for and God comforted me when I needed him the most He lifted the depression I was feeling off of me. 

Remember Satan wants to bring you down and God wants to lift you out of the mire clay and set your feet on solid rock. So are you ready to let Jesus be your counselor and comfort you in your troubles and time of need today. Sit quietly and let the Lord that understands and knows all be your counselor and comforter today.