Peace of Mind 3 – The Complete Truth about the Depression Battle

Peace of Mind

I want to tell you about a friend of mine.

I have a friend who is a great person. I don’t know anyone who does not like being around my friend.

Nice, warm, personable, knowledgeable, generous, encouraging and fun.

My friend is someone who is great at ministry and Bible study. They have helped many people with their faith questions by talking one on one.

My friend is great at greeting people. They are the perfect person to put at the front door because of the energy the put into meeting each person.

 

The people who meet my friend would have no idea that they had to make a conscience choice just to get out of bed. And while you may see their smile and energy, you may not realize that they gave you all the energy they had and sometimes they have to go straight home and lay down in order to recover.

The outside – a big friendly smile
The inside – feelings of sadness, darkness, and at times hopelessness.

 

The outside – “why can’t I be more like them?”

The inside – scars and history of battling suicidal thoughts. Years of struggle.

 

My friend is struggling with depression.

Depression

 

For someone who hasn’t experienced depression, they may be dismissive.  They may offer suggestions like…

• Stop worrying so much
• Cheer up
• Pray more
• Have faith
• Shake it off

 

Depression is not just discouragement or sadness.

Depression can be a LACK of feeling, motivation, and hope.

Depression is able to take away the joy of doing your favorite activities.  Imagine the activity that you are always down for doing… pickleball, hiking, Pokémon-go with the kids, watching a good movie… imagine not wanting to do your favorite activity and you aren’t even sure why.  This is a sign of depression.

You might describe depression as – feeling a little off, I’m in a funk, I just don’t feel like it today.

 

Today we are talking about depression.

STATS

• Over 300 million are battling depression worldwide (WHO, 2017)
• The median age of depression is 32 years old.
• 8.7% of women and 5.3% of men have depression.
• Nearly 50% of those diagnosed with depression also have an anxiety disorder.
• Although treatable, 35% of adults receive no treatment for their depression.

 

Church should be safest place to talk about depression.

The Church does not have a history of being a safe place to talk about depression.

Instead, many feel misunderstood, judged, ashamed, and guilty.

When someone has the bravery to bring up their struggle they are often met with a dismissive tone.

 

If we are at a connect group and someone shares that they

Pain in their body – We suggest they see a Physician.
A broken bone — We suggest they go to a Surgeon.

Yet if someone says they are battling depression — We may not take it as seriously as we should. We might tell them to stay positive… or we might imply that they keep it to yourself.

 

Depression is one of the biggest mental health issues and we are going to stop dismissing it.

 

Turn with me to Proverbs 12:25.

I have found that the word of God can make me happy and angry at the same time.

Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV) Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

 

I am happy that this verse is here.

• It addresses this important topic.
• It draws the conclusion that anxiety feeds depression.

But it might make you angry because it makes it the topic seem over simplified.  You might be offended at the idea that a “good word makes the heart glad.” You might want to scream that it is not that simple.

I want to remind you that I did not pull a self-help book off the shelf at “half price books,” but I bring to you the never failing Word of God. I pray that you will open your heart for a “good word” and that it will change your heart.

 

The Battle of Depression

I am not an expert on mental health, but all the experts agree on what I am about to tell you.

Depression is very complex.

• It is not a one size fits all issue. It is a different struggle for many people.
• It does not discriminate. Anyone at any time can be hit with depression.

 

Four Root Causes of Depression

• Biological

• Relational

• Circumstantial

• Spiritual

 

• Biological — Chemical imbalance, Chronic pain, Nutritional deficit, Hormonal changes (Post-partum depression), Lack sleep, Exercise, Sunlight.

• Relational — Your relationship issues can trigger a depression: Betrayal, Rejection, Divorce, the isolation of the covid pandemic saw a rise in depression.

• Circumstantial — experiencing death & loss, trauma, bankruptcy, STAGES OF LIFE: Retirement, empty nest.

• Spiritual — It could be a spiritual attack. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of darkness.

 

If you are struggling with depression you need to find the root of the problem.

I have seen situations where it was a spiritual issue and God delivered them.
I have also seen situations where it was a chemical imbalance and it required medication to balance hormones.
I have seen God heal depression…  I have seen Christians faithfully fight depression…

 

My friend once called me and asked me if he would be unfaithful and displeasing to God if he took medicine for his depression.  Here is my answer.

Jesus is Lord
Physical
Spiritual
Mental
Chemical

 

It is our job to make Jesus Lord over every part of our life.

We may make him Lord over the physical and Jesus heals the physical issue!  PRAISE GOD AND TESTIFY!
We may continue to struggle with physical issues.  PRAISE GOD AND TESTIFY THAT HE IS STILL LORD AND IS YOUR HELP!

 

I told my friend that taking medicine did not make the medicine Lord.  You are making Jesus Lord even if you have to take medicine.  You are making Jesus Lord even as you struggle with mental weakness.

 

Make Jesus Lord.

 

A Depressed Prophet: Jeremiah

We are going to turn to Lamentations 3.

The prophet Jeremiah had seen some depressing things.

• The temple destroyed
• People enslaved in chains and drug away to a foreign land
• Family and friends brutally killed
• The worst of human suffering

 

Lamentations 3:1-8 (NIV) I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.

2 He has driven me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light;

3 indeed, he has turned his hand against me again and again, all day long.

4 He has made my skin and my flesh grow old and has broken my bones.

5 He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.

6 He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.

7 He has walled me in so I cannot escape; he has weighed me down with chains.

8 Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer.

9 He has barred my way with blocks of stone; he has made my paths crooked.

The scripture goes on and on with dark verse after verse…

The Battle of Depression

Jeremiah was a man of God, but he battled depression.

Jeremiah had no hope because of things out of his control.

Broken.  Lost.  Disappointed. Depressed.

 

I want to give you two Truths to Remember When You’re Battling Depression

1. Your emotions are valid.

Now this is a tricky thing to say in church. We often say that we walk by faith and not by feeling.

2. Your situation feels hopeless.

 

Both of these thoughts are true… but they are incomplete.  These thoughts are true, but there is more truth to be learned.

Many people get stuck on what is true… but is also incomplete.

I want to give you the COMPLETE TRUTH today.

 

1. Your emotions are valid. But they are not permanent.
2. Your situation feels hopeless.

Be careful making decisions based on your emotions.  Your emotions can change in a moment.

It is foolish to make permanent decisions based on changing emotions.

1. Your emotions are valid. But they are not permanent.
2. Your situation feels hopeless. But with God, there’s always hope.

This is the COMPLETE TRUTH.

Even when things feel hopeless, the presence of OUR God brings hope.  With God there is hope, even when you feel hopeless.

 

Your emotions are valid.

When you hurt you should pay attention to your emotions. You should name your emotions… say them out loud.

I feel → Angry. Anxious. Betrayed. Empty. Numb. Afraid.

 

There was a scientific study that took people who were afraid of spiders, and they showed them all a big scary tarantula and measured their physical responses. Then they broke the people into 4 groups.

1. Label what you’re feeling. (I am scared of the spider)

2. Make observations. (It is in a cage, it can’t hurt me)

3. Say something irrelevant. (The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain)

4. Don’t say anything at all.

 

A week later they brought all 4 groups back and exposed them to the same scary tarantula and again measured their physical responses.

BY FAR the group that improved facing their fear was the group that labeled their emotions. Some in this group were even able to touch the tarantula.

Naming your emotions opens the door to changing your emotions.

Your emotions are valid. God gave you the ability to have emotions. STOP IGNORING YOUR EMOTIONS.

Name your emotions, but realize they are temporary.

Do not make permanent decisions base on temporary emotions.

When you feel afraid, you might quit on your marriage. Don’t do it!
When you feel disappointed, you might quit on God. Don’t do it!

Do not make a permanent decision based on your feeling.

In the darkest times you might FEEL like life is not worth it and attempt to take your life.

DO NOT MAKE A PERMANENT DECISION… Name your emotion and seek help.

We feel our emotions, but we will not be ruled by our emotions.

 

1. Your emotions are valid. But they are not permanent.
2. Your situation feels hopeless. But with God, there’s always hope.

You may feel hopeless, but God is not dependent on your feelings. With God there is always hope.

 

Back to Jeremiah the depressed prophet.

THERE IS NO REASON to feel any hope in the physical, yet Jeremiah found hope in God.

Lamentations 3:21-23 (NIV) 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the

LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never

fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Jeremiah called to mind…  There are some things we need to call me to mind!

 

Because of God’s great love… Now wait!  The pain was still real… the emotions were still real… the heartache was still real… The emotions were valid… but not permanent.

The complete truth was God’s love did not allow Jeremiah to be consumed.

God’s compassion never fails.

Your emotions are not permanent. God can bring you hope.  Love, peace, joy, healing…

What is next for you in your depression battle?  I told you that it is a complex issue… It is not a one size fits all issue…

But Jeremiah tells u this…

Lamentations 3:24-26 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,  to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

 

I say to Myself

Jeremiah says to himself all that He knows to be true about God.
Jeremiah also names his emotions… He felt hopeless and downcast, and he said it.

He did both!

My friend has battled depression for years. There were times when I was afraid we would lose my friend to suicide.

But my friend learned to do both!

My friend named emotions.
My friend named what was true about God.

My friend made Jesus Lord, even while they were in therapy.

 

I invite you to say both today.

Name your emotions. Say them out loud. Tell God exactly how you feel. Find someone you can confide in and look them in the eye and tell them exactly how you feel.

BUT ALSO…

Name out loud what you know to be true about God.

God you are my portion!  You are worth waiting for!  You are trustworthy.

God you are good to those who hope in you.

Jesus you are the Lord of Salvation.