What to do with depression....

Did you know what 300 million people around the world suffer with depression? That's a lot! It is estimated that 15% of all adults will experience depression at some point in their lifetime.

So are you depressed? :) I hope not! It is very easy to get depressed, especially when we start looking down at our problems instead of looking to Jesus. Let's learn today some keys for overcoming depression!

Psalms 43:5 says, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God."

Here David is saying, Why are you depressed? Why are you troubled? Then he gives the answer for depression - hope in God. Hope changes everything! Instead of focusing on the negative things of life, hope make us focus on the positive things that can and will come to us as we look to Jesus. That's the First Key - Hope in God.

This Day with God, page 305 says, "In the night season I was conversing with you. I was saying to you, . . . "Do not give way to depression, but let the comforting influence of the Holy Spirit be welcomed into your heart, to give you comfort and peace."

Isn't it so easy to give way to depression? When things start going wrong, how easy it is to give in to depression and feeling sorry for ourselves.... We need to make a positive choice not to give in to depression. That's a choice! God gives us freedom to choose what we think about and what feelings will control us. Depression doesn't have to control us and make us miserable and sad! We can choose not to be depressed!

That's the Second Key - Choose not to yield to depressing feelings.

"I am praying that the Lord will reveal Himself to you as a personal Comforter. The eyes of the soul must be kept open, in order to recognize the great mercies of our heavenly Father. Jesus is a bright and shining light. Let Him reflect His bright beams into the heart and mind. Do not forget thanksgiving. 'Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me' (Ps. 50:23). Look to Him, and lay before Him all your necessities. Is anything too hard for the Lord? He is the Great Physician. He can heal soul and body, and He would have you take hold of Him in faith. He fully understands the needs of your case. He is a very present help in every time of need. And He is pleased when we show our gratitude to Him."

Many times we get depressed because we feel like we need help that we are not getting or God isn't answering our prayers in the time or way we think He should. But God knows what's best for us! We can't see the future and all the things that God sees. Remember what Romans 8:28 says? "All things work together for good to them that love God..." So God knows our needs and He will help us in our need and it might not be the way we expect!

That's the Third Key - Surrender to Jesus and His plan for your life. If we are praying to be more like Jesus, He will place us in circumstances that will test our characters and as long as we look to Him, we will become more like Jesus through that situation. But we must keep our eyes upon Jesus and choose to think and act only in harmony with His will. He doesn't want us to be depressed! And if we focus our eyes upon Him, we will NOT be depressed either!

There's the Fourth Key - Look to Jesus, not yourself. Isaiah 45:22 says, "Look unto Me and be ye saved...." So as we look to Jesus and keep our eyes upon Him, we don't need to fall into depression! That's the good news! :)

"Christ is the light of the world. 'Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings' (Mal. 4:2). Let the light of His peace shine into your soul. He has a tender care for you, and you should praise Him with heart and soul and voice. You can please Him by manifesting a cheerful spirit. Let not one cloud of despondency or dissatisfaction hide from you the sunshine of His presence."

Darkness cannot exist where there is light. Since Jesus is the light and there is no darkness in Him, if I have Jesus in my heart, darkness and depression cannot exist in my heart! That's why we need to let His sunshine into our hearts to chase away the negative, upset, miserable feelings. And one way of keeping away those despondent feelings is to sing! That's the Fifth Key - Sing! If we would remember this more often, it would help us not to be depressed! You can't sing songs of praise to the Lord and be depressed at the same time! It doesn't work that way! :)

"It is in recognizing His light that you will conquer. You may increase in faith, by exercising the voice in speaking forth the praises of God. To the heart that recognizes Him is the promise, 'I am . . . the bright and morning star' (Rev. 22:16).

And another important element of overcoming depression is by encouraging others! Look for someone else who is worse off than yourself and seek to bring sunshine and joy to their life! 

Depression leads us to focus on ourselves and have self-pity for our trials and problems of life. We don't want to think about anyone besides ourselves, but as we look for other people to encourage and make happy, our own depression will vanish! That's our Sixth Key - Encourage someone else!

"If you would obtain precious victories, face the light that emanates from the Sun of Righteousness. Talk hope and faith and thanksgiving to God. Be cheerful, hopeful in Christ. Educate yourself to praise Him. This is a great remedy for diseases of the soul and of the body. 'I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God' (Ps. 42:11; Ps. 43:5).

That's our Seventh Key - Choose to be thankful. Being grateful and happy is not something that comes naturally to us. We must choose to do so! But as we choose to think positive, grateful, happy thoughts, depression ceases to make us troubled anymore. What a simple remedy for depression found in this simple devotional reading!

Let's review:

Key #1 - Hope in God.

Key #2 - Choose not to yield to depressing feelings.

Key #3 - Surrender to Jesus and His plan for your life.

Key #4 - Look to Jesus, not yourself.

Key #5 - Sing!

Key #6 - Encourage someone else!

Key #7 - Choose to be thankful.

We can be happy, grateful, praising Christians! Let's follow these 7 keys and avoid depression as if it's the plague! :)