Title: DEPRESSION
Category: Reflective
Blog Entry: DEPRESSION
We are taught by our families that feelings are bad, “Don’t cry.” they say, “You shouldn’t feel like that…” “Just shake it off.” “It’s not that bad, quit whinning.” We should not even acknowledge our feelings because feelings are bad, “We don’t go by feelings, blah, blah, blah…” But among the many things God has given us is our emotions, we love, we feel sad, happy; compassion, and we feel desire, wanting or needing something, And the Stronger ones; Hate, Anger and fear, and all of those stemming from them. Men, especially are taught from early childhood not to show emotions. Often they subjugate emotions, pushing them down deep where they are never dealt with. Sometimes the women who are associated with the men who are the most successful at this denial of feelings, are treated poorly because women who have always, traditionally been allowed to live out their feelings, are seen as weak and worthy of only contempt. Many women are tricked, by parents or contemporaries into stuffing their feelings. A stuffed feeling does not go away. It turns into something else. Stuffed emotions become out-of-control emotions, and if they are the strong emotions of hate, anger and fear they turn inwards and become depression. This is by no means the only cause but it certainly is one cause.
Emotions are the true reactions to the events of our lives, Happiness, love, excitement, and also fear of danger, anger at injustice, hatred of evil, if one tries to pretend they don’t exist the result is an emotional block that will come out somehow. Women are thought of as victims of depression more than men, but I suspect many men are suffering terribly but in silence. How truly sad. 1CO 2:16 But we have the mind of Christ. 7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind...' (2 Tim.1.7) This is all well and good if you’ve already mastered demolishing arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5. But what if you are just now trying to get a hold of a runaway depression, what if you’ve been slogging though that molasses feeling for so long you don’t remember which direction is up? From my experience prayer and lots of it is the best way, See if you can get many people to pray for you, lots of friends and folks who you know around your church. While it’s not always easy to admit you are struggling with depression, it’s worse when you break down in front of everyone when the overload gets so bad it can no longer be controlled in private. We all need someone we can be accountable to. Find a friend you can trust to listen and help you get through.
We do have a chance to ‘pull ourselves up by our bootstraps’…but there is a trick to it. I went through so many years so sunk in depression I was always miserable, finally, I just quit thinking about those things that bring me down and start humming Praise songs. The trick? Doing it before I’ve sunk into depression, recognizing that stinkin’ thinkin’ and forcing myself to sing songs that get my mind involved in Jesus and not my own misery.
I don't want to sound like this is simple, it isn't, it's something that takes years of work and diligence to get to where we can keep our minds focused not on ourselves but on Jesus. The enemy is a roaring lion,SEEKING TO DISTROY US, the battlefield is the mind, don't give up. Lord, I’m so easily drawn into self pity and unhappiness, I need you to hold me up and help me to remember to keep my mind on you and the many wonderful things you do for me all the time. I have the sound mind of Christ and I can be an overcomer. Especially with you in my corner. In Jesus’ Name, Amen ,
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