“Do I Have to Go Back to Work?”

Dealing With Depression

Introduction

Post holiday blues, winter blues, New Year’s resolution blues, or just feeling depressed in general.

-         Many of us feel depressed at times. 

-         There are times when we should be sad and allow ourselves to express that emotion!

-         However, some of us experience depression and we are not sure why. 

o       We experience depression over long periods of time.

-         We live in a take-a-pill and it will all be ok society. 

o       Sometimes pills are needed. 

o       However, before we run to a quick fix, we should look into the Scriptures to see if God has a fix for the things we struggle with. 

o       Modern medicine should never take away our need to depend on Jesus. 

§        At times modern medicine is needed but it is always in connection with our dependence on Jesus. 

§        If while we are leaning on Jesus, He tells us we need medicine, than we need to take medicine but if we bypass Jesus all-together for the sake of a quick fix, than we have excluded God from that area of our life.

James 1:17.  “All good things come from above”

Let us look to the Bible to see what it has to say about one of life’s biggest struggles: depression……………(The Blues.  I don’t like life.  I feel down all the time)

1. Depression is a part of life

-         At some point in our lives, we all deal with depression

o       We all get down in the dumps, discouraged

-         The people of the Bible experienced depression too.

EXAMPLE: Moses was the depressed leader of the people of Israel. Every time he turned around, they griped about something. "We need water." "We are starving." "We want food, but we hate manna." If you were surrounded by a bunch of chronic complainers it would be hard not to be depressed.

EXAMPLE: Job was depressed. He lost everything, then cursed the day he was born:

Job 3:11. "Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?

Job 3:26. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil."

EXAMPLE: David was depressed:

Psalm 6:2-3, 6.  "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?…. I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears."

EXAMPLE: One of Jesus’ close friends had died and he experienced sadness:

John 11:35.  Jesus wept

Experiencing depression is a normal part of life. 

However, Depression is not a Biblical way of life.

GOD’S PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN DEPRESSION.

David said in Psalm 40:1-2 "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire."

Job says in Job 42:12 "The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first."

We know that God blessed Job with prosperity and gave him twice as much as he had earlier in life.

At times we experience depression but, as a whole, the Bible teaches us that we are not to be a depressed People.

II. Depression does not have to be a way of Life.

The Bible gives us some practical ways to overcome depression in our life:

A. Stop Your Griping (COMPLAINING)

Phi. 2:14. "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

EXAMPLE: There is always something to complain about. The Bible says we are not permitted to complain about anything!

-         Even though most people think it is their God-given right to complain, Christian people should realize that griping and complaining is not pleasing to God.

-         God was not impressed when the people of Israel complained.

o       When referring to the people of Israel as they wandered in the desert (Just after God had set them free from slavery!)…

1 Corinthians 10:5. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Included in the list of all the things they did that were not pleasing to God, we see…

I Cor. 10:10. "And do not grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroyed angel."

God is not pleased with us when we gripe and complain. (Especially, when we have it so good.)

-         We need to focus on what we have instead of what we don’t have.

-         We need to focus on the positive all around us and ignore the negative (that’s all around us)

Complainers are discouragers.  They discourage others and themselves too!

B. Start Your Walking

-         There are not a lot of Scriptures in the Bible about getting in shape. 

-         Most of it is in reference to something else. 

-         It is as if the physical health is expected.

I Tim. 4:8 "For physical training is of some value..."

-         Physical training has value.

o       The healthier our body is, the less depressed we will be.

-         1 Corinthians 12 uses the body as a model for how we as Christians are to work together and be a healthy church. 

o       Every part of the body is effected by every other part of the Bible.  When one part suffers, the rest of the body suffers.

-         The Brain is a part of the body. 

o       When one part of the body is out of whack, the rest of the body is effected. 

-         Bad diet and poor exercise can mess with out heads and give us a false sense of depression. 

o       We think we are depressed when all we really are is unhealthy.

-         Long-term depression can occur as chemistry in the brain gets out of whack.

o       When we get our body back in shape, it helps our mind and emotions get back in shape too. 

C. Stay Away From Rotten Apples

-         There will always be some people who are quick to put you down or take you down with their negative attitudes.

o       But that does not mean you have to be around them when they are being negative

§        “Either you leave or I’m leaving”

Proverbs 13:20 "He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."

-         People influence each other. The good, the bad & the ugly parts of us can influence others for the good bad or ugly.

I Cor. 15:33. "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character."

-         who you spend time with will effect how you feel and act

o       Some people in our church have a bad attitude about our church because they hang out with people who don’t like the church or me as a pastor

§        (not because they themselves have a legitimate excuse for being upset.  They are borrowing their bad attitude from someone else.)

When you are feeling down, the last thing you need to do is be around negative people.

Which brings us to the next point…

D. Surround Yourself With Healthy People

-         Just as negative people can effect you in a negative way, positive people can rub off on you in a positive way

When we are surrounded by healthy people, they can be there for us.  They can…

…Romans 12:15. "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep."

-         They are not weeping over their own problems.  Instead, they are weeping with you over your problems.

-         They are sharing your burden (so you only have to carry half the load).

…Proverbs 12:25. "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up."

There is power in numbers

…Ecclesiastes 4:11-13. if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

When you are down, your healthy friends can pick you up!

Last but not least…

E. Stay Close to the One Who Loves You the Most

When the people of Israel were discouraged, Nehemiah told them…

Nehemiah 8:10b. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Our joy comes from above (not from things)

-         When we spend time in His Word, He gives us joy

Psalm 19:8.  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

-         When we spend time in God’s presence, He gives us Joy

Psalm 21:6 Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

-         When we allow Jesus to live inside us and be in control of our lives, he gives us joy

Galatians 5:22.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Closing

You can overcome the depression in your life!