News broke at 7 PM
yesterday that comedian and actor, Robin Williams, died, a suicide. One of the reporters mused, “He had
everything; money, fame, family … what happened?” Williams openly admitted his struggles with
addictions. After 20 years of sobriety, he started abusing alcohol again 5
years ago and his second marriage ended. He regained his sobriety, but friends
reported a man who was broken, ashamed, and depressed.
Depression is a much misunderstood
illness. It is much more than being
sad! True depression steals the future
and leaves a dark hole of despair. It can creep up on a person as a result of
past choices and experiences, but it can also show up when there is an
unexplained shift in brain chemistry.
What can we do to
minimize our vulnerability to depression?
1. Stay rested! Exhaustion- emotional, spiritual, and/or
physical-- can push us to the edge. Rest
is not just a good night’s sleep. It is being networked, having people who
share life, and trusting God. There are times in every one of our lives when
problems come like a storm. Wherever we look, we see problem waiting to be
solved. Trying to carry that kind of
load alone can crush us from the inside out and depression can creep in.
Actively create times of rest.
2. Stay right with
God! Guilt
is a toxin in our lives. If we sin, and we all do, God prescribes this remedy -
repentance and confession. (Psalm 51) David, the poet-king, got it right. "When I refused to confess my sin, my
body wasted away, and I groaned all day long." (Psalm 32:3, NLT) Watch out for perfectionism, trying to
everything right all the time. That is a
trap. But, when God’s Spirit speaks, when your conscience is active,
respond.
3. Know yourself.
Do not ignore major changes in your mood. Our brain chemistry can get scrambled. These complex bodies produce too
much of this, not enough of that, and our thoughts can become confused. Yes,
Christian, it happens to people of faith, too! If you are finding yourself with dark
thoughts, unable to find your way to the Light of His Presence, do not let
shame control you. Find a faithful friend. Talk with a counselor. Seek your
Pastor’s advice. Where necessary, use the gift God gives us with medicine! Thank the Lord, we are blessed with physicians
who can work with us to restore the balance.
4. Deal with anger
before it turns into consuming rage. People will disappoint us. Unfair circumstances
will overtake us. Rejection is part of life, sadly. Anger, like guilt, is one
of those emotions that many Christians find unacceptable so they refuse to
admit they are upset. They cover their
anger with polite words, Bible quotations, or even songs. But, anger does not go away when ignored. It
simmers and can finally boil over into rage that can feed irrational or self-destructive
thoughts. Suicide is sometimes the ultimate 'get even' choice. That's why the
Word tells us to settle our issues so the Devil cannot find a foothold in our
life! "Go ahead and be angry. You do
well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay
angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in
your life." (Ephesians 4:26-27, The Message)
Depression often
has a spiritual dimension, too. "The
Devil prowls looking for prey," Peter tells us. The enemy's goal is
our destruction. If he can rob us of hope, keep us from experiencing love,
cause us to live in shame and/or guilt, he accomplishes his mission.
There is JOY in
serving Jesus, but that joy is sometimes delayed! Yes, there will be suffering
in the lives of the best of Christians. Peter wrote those who are being chased
by the darkness of despair. He says, "Dear
friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if
something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—because these
trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward you
will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all
the world." (1 Peter 4:12-13)
In this broken
world, suffering is all too common. We cannot escape it, but we can stand up in
the times of trial. "So then, those
who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful
Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19 NIV) God did
not design us to be alone, to try to serve Him by ourselves, to manage life
like the Lone Ranger. IF you're in God's waiting room seeking healing from
depression, ask a friend to wait with you, to pray with you - until the joy
returns. REACH OUT and tell somebody how
much you're hurting! Don't try to wrestle the demons of despair alone. Gather
prayer partners who will gently embrace you with their love and point you in
the direction of someone who can help you choose life.
Most of us will
never experience the depth of despair or rage that makes suicide a considerable
option, but we will have friends, even people of deep faith in the Lord, who
do. We must be our brother's keeper.
Be proactive in listening when you are with your friends. Care enough to ask
the hard questions, but gentle and loving so that you will invite those who are
suffering from despair to share their heart.
Our word from the Word
comes from Psalm 73. This song is about
a man who lost hope.
Life turned upside down, nothing made sense. He despaired of life until he turned to the sanctuary of God’s Presence.
Life turned upside down, nothing made sense. He despaired of life until he turned to the sanctuary of God’s Presence.
Spend some time meditating
on this passage. It’s a beauty!
"When I tried to understand all this, it
was oppressive to me
‘till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I
understood their final destiny. …
When my heart was grieved and my spirit
embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute
beast before you.
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my
right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward
you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God
is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
(Psalm 73:16-17,
21-26, NIV)
________________
Stand By Me
When the storms of life are raging, stand by me!
When the storms of life are raging, stand by me!
When the world is pounding me,
Like a ship upon the sea,
Lord, who rules the wind and water, stand by me.
In the midst of tribulation, stand by me.
In the midst of tribulation, stand by me.
When the hosts of hell assail,
And my strength begins to fail,
Lord, who never lost a battle, stand by me.
In the midst of faults and failures, stand by me.
In the midst of faults and failures, stand by me.
When I've done the best I can,
And my friends misunderstand,
Lord, who knows all about me, stand by me.
Charles Albert
Tindley
© Words: Public Domain
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