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written by Richard Thomas October 23, 2001 Is it possible for God's people to be depressed? Let's look at some examples from scripture. In 1 Kings 19:3 we find Elijah running for his life not long after the slaughter of the priests of Baal. Verse 4 finds him wanting to die. All of this after being "... very zealous for the LORD..." [ 1 Kings 19:10, 14 ] Another champion for the LORD was Jonah. After God allowed him to become fish food, Jonah's attention was directed to continue the task of preaching repentance to a people he hated. To add insult to injury (in Jonah's eyes) God looked upon the hearts of the people, saw the tears of sincerity in Nineveh and forgave them. This really irritated Jonah to the point of death. [ Jonah 4:8 ] What was the root of depression for Elijah and Jonah? It was self. The four letter word that causes us to turn our eyes away from the source of every good and perfect gift. Self is what will rob us of the lesson on the mountain top. It is during the mountain top experiences we find our hearts in our throat. Then it's down the otherside into the demon possessed valley to walk in the shadow of death. It is during our walk through the furnace of affliction, in the valley, that our metal is tested. When we pass the test, we are taken to a even high mountain top experience. What we gather on top of the mountain is what will see us through the deepest valley. In each valley, if we have ears to hear, will be the still small voice. [ 1 Kings 19:12b ] Depression is not listed as a fruit of the Spirit. [ Galatians 5:22 ] There is no room for depression when the Spirit of God has His perfect way. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would abide (take up residence) in the heart of the believer.[ John 14:16-17 ] Some translations give the Holy Spirit the title - Comforter or Helper. Regardless of the translation, the description is of someone that will pick you up when you stumble or fall. A friend that will take you aside and tell you ( O, so gently ) when you've done wrong. A compass that points toward Jesus Christ, always. If you are feeling depressed. There can be several reasons. Quite often it is a result of a nutrient poor diet. For several years I went through a period of depression. I didn't know why. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I was saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Comforter pointed me in the direction of diet. Once I discovered what was missing in my diet. My depression began to dissipate. If you are interested in what caused the turn around click here. I just felt better because for the first time in my life my diet was balanced. For the first time in my life I was eating highly nutritious food. I finally had energy and stamina I never had before. I've heard and talked to professionals that counsel people with depression. A popular treatment is to get the patient to volunteer at a convalescent hostpital or a rescue mission. Or a community food drive for the poor and needy. The prescription is to get the patient's eyes off of self and focus on a much bigger world. God's remedy for the children of Israel was to "Look (turn) to me and be saved..."[ Isaiah 45:22 ] This is echoed throughout scritpure from Genesis to Revelations. Once we see Jesus, we can never be the same, again. Christians should be the happiest people on Earth. Instead, much of the Christian world has become a funeral march. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say rejoice." [ Phillippians 4:4 ] How can anyone be depressed when they are rejoicing? Sure, the news from the world can be depressing. Jesus comforted His disciples by saying "...be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." [John 16:33 ] The cure for depression is in Jesus Christ.
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Christian inspired thought... [Advent] [Jonah] [Noah] [Sermon] [Church Supplies] [Sunday School Supplies] [Believer's Priority] [Priority 2] [Priority 3] [Priority 4] [Priority 5] [Terrorism] [The Trinity] [Praying Like Jabez] [The Lucifer Match] [Lenten Season] [The Great Commission] [The Love of Saint Patrick] [He is Risen] [The Gift of Saint Nicholas] [The Heart of Saint Valentine] [The Promise of Heaven] [Accuracy and Reliability of Scripture] [Abandonment to God] [War and Peace] [Collectible Framed Art] [Prescritption for spiritual Dehydration] [Deep Devotional Authors] ........ Inspired by God
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![296413: Laughing in the Dark: A Comedian"s Journey Through Depression, Hardcover](http://ag.christianbook.com/g/product/2/296413.gif "296413: Laughing in the Dark: A Comedian"s Journey Through Depression, Hardcover")
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