Posted in depression, tagged depression, discouragement on December 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Jen shares 7 Dangers of Discouragement which are it leads to. . .
A suggested Cure For Discouragement includes:
Posted in depression, illness, suffering, tagged depression, discouragement, suffering, trials on October 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Paul Tautges asks “Do the troubles of life ever leave you so wiped out physically, mentally, and emotionally that all you can do is squeak out “God, help me!”? Then Psalm 121 is for you. What solid encouragement the psalmist penned for us there! Here’s an outline for your own personal study or small group discussion.”
1. God will help you because He is your Creator (vv. 1-2)
Also meditate on Isaiah 40:21-26
2. God will help you because He is your Keeper (vv. 3-5)
Also meditate on 2 Kings 6:8-18; 1 John 4:4
3. God will help you because He is your Protector (vv. 6-8)
Also meditate on Isaiah 49:10; John 10:27-30
May the Lord use His Word to feed your weary soul today!
Posted in Christian life, depression, hope, peace, suffering, trials, worry, tagged anxiety, Prayer, trials, worry on February 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »
A prayer by Scotty Smith that is based on these verses
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Then Scotty writes:
Dear Lord Jesus, yesterday’s troubling stories shape today’s morning prayer. I went to bed late last night, wearied with woes of good friends. I arise today hungry with hope in you—our great and gracious Savior.
Thank you for being honest with us about life this side of the new heaven and new earth. We are a broken people in a broken world; and you’re not an on-demand bellhop or genie, promising the elimination hardships and heartaches. But you are a very present help and Redeemer—pledging your presence in every circumstance and trial. Troubling news doesn’t have to cripple our hearts. Indeed, may it carry our hearts to you today, for you are ever so trustworthy, Lord Jesus.
For our friends stunned with heartbreaking health news, we declare our trust in you, Jesus. How we long for the day when words like cancer, dementia and heart disease will no longer appear in our vocabulary. Until that day, we unabashedly and earnestly pray for healing, and we trust you for all-surpassing peace and more-than-sufficient grace.
For our friends saddened with heart-ripping issues with their children, we declare our trust in you, Jesus. Few troubling reports carry more power to dishearten than those related to our children. Whether they’ve been vandalized by others’ darkness or victimized by their own foolish choices, it hurts real bad and real deep. We appeal to your covenant faithfulness and your powerful reach. Capture the hearts of our children, Jesus, and help us love them well in the chaos and the crisis.
For our friends saddled with heart-wrenching financial burdens, we declare our trust in you, Jesus. There’s a growing number among us who have more month left over at the end of the check. Even though the Dow is up, the hope of many is down, and the possibility of losing homes still looms.
Continue reading here.
Posted in depression, tagged depression, discouragement on February 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Psalm 42 is one of those “go to” Psalms for me when I am down. In both Psalm 42 and 43 the psalmist asks himself, “Why are you downcast o my soul?” And he answers himself “Hope in God!” I love how this writer identifies his need and talks to himself.
Ernie Baker, a biblical counselor and a teacher at The Master’s College and Seminary, recently wrote about this psalm and how it gives comfort to the oppressed soul.
“As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after you. You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship you.” This song is commonly sung without realizing that it is based on a Psalm describing intense suffering. The intense heat of life causes intense thirst that, if dealt with properly, will yield an increased satisfaction in God, who is the Living Water. The principles of Psalm 42-43 help sufferers by modeling how to articulate anguish of soul along with questions to God. The psalmist reminds himself of truth and every part of his being is addressed.
These two Psalms were probably originally one as indicated by each having the same repeated phrases, “Why are you in despair, O my soul” (42:5; 42:11; 43:5)? In these “chapters” we see the psalmist dealing with rejection by people, disappointment with circumstances, remembering how good things used to be, being mocked, feeling forgotten by God and trying to cope with a body and emotions that are feeling the impact of the pressures. Sounds like life. In the midst of this suffering he models how a godly person deals with suffering. But, there are some surprises along the way. These surprises will dispel some myths about what it means to be a godly person during suffering.
The ultimate hero of these chapters, though, is God. He is the God who is always present in the midst of suffering. He is the God of truth. The God of these Psalms has a sovereign design for suffering (and even plans it, see 42:7). He is full of lovingkindness. The psalmist has a personal and vibrant relationship with Him that could never be compared to false hopes. This God is completely trustworthy. By the way, what are you trusting in or hoping to deliver you during your suffering?
My hope is that you will realize that you need to store up good theology for days of suffering. We need to have a joy in the Lord that can be shaken by no pain in the hard times and competed with by no earthly pleasure in the good times. We would be honest to admit that the depth of our beliefs will be revealed during suffering. Another way to say it would be that your success during suffering will be proportion to the depth of your belief system and you choice to live it out.
Continue reading Dr. Baker’s article here.
Posted in depression, tagged depression, doubt, promises on January 25, 2013| 1 Comment »
Justin Taylor in the January 2013 edition of TableTalk:
“Even though Charles Spurgeon lived about two hundred years after John Bunyan, I think Spurgeon regarded Bunyan as a friend. He said the book he valued most, next to the Bible, was The Pilgrim’s Progress. “I believe I have read it through at least a hundred times. It is a volume of which I never seem to tire.”
Perhaps one of the reasons Spurgeon resonated with this classic was its realistic portrayal of depression, doubt, and despair. Spurgeon and Bunyan, like their Savior, were men of sorrow, acquainted with grief (Isa. 53:3). When Bunyan went to prison for preaching the gospel, his heart was almost broken “to pieces” for his young blind daughter, “who lay nearer my heart than all I had besides.” Spurgeon’s depression could be so debilitating that he could “weep by the hour like a child”—and not know why he was weeping. To fight this “causeless depression,” he said, was like fighting mist. It was a “shapeless, undefinable, yet all-beclouding hopelessness.” It felt, at times, like prison: “The iron bolt which so mysteriously fastens the door of hope and holds our spirits in gloomy prison, needs a heavenly hand to push it back.”
Read the rest here.
Posted in depression, suffering, trials, Uncategorized, tagged affliction, depression, suffering, trial on January 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »
“I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.”
(Psalm 22:22-24 ESV)
Posted in depression, tagged Abraham Lincoln, charles spurgeon, depression on November 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Did you know that great men like Abraham Lincoln and Charles Spurgeon suffered from depression?
Chris Brauns recently preached about spiritual depression.
David Murray addresses those who deal with seasonal affective disorder. This site offers some helpful, practical ideas for those who suffer from seasonal depression.
Posted in Christian life, depression, tagged depression on October 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Paul shared these four “R’s” that have helped him so much when he finds himself regressing into spiritual depression or deep discouragement.
Each one of these is briefly explained. If you are a Christian who struggles with depression (and there many out there) I think you will find this post “Ongoing Remedies for Spiritual Depression” very helpful.
Posted in depression, fear, hope, illness, peace, suffering, worry, tagged fear, hope, illness, loneliness, peace, suffering, trials, worry on October 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »
No one understands like Jesus,
He’s a friend beyond compare;
Meet Him at the throne of mercy,
He is waiting for you there.
No one understands like Jesus,
Every woe He sees and feels;
Tenderly He whispers comfort,
And the broken heart He heals.
No one understands like Jesus,
When the foes of life assail;
You should never be discouraged,
Jesus cares and will not fail.
No one understands like Jesus,
When you falter on the way;
Tho’ you fail Him, sadly fail Him
He will pardon you today.
Chorus:
No one understands like Jesus,
When the days are dark and grim;
No one is so near, so dear as Jesus,
Cast your every care on Him.
–John W. Peterson, made well known by George Beverly Shea
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14–16, ESV)
Posted in Christian life, depression, illness, suffering, tagged affliction, depression, suffering on October 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »
“God alone can do what seems impossible. This is the promise of his grace: ‘I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten’ (Joel 2:25). God can give back all those years of sorrow, and you will be the better for them. God will grind sunlight out of your black nights. In the oven of affliction, grace will prepare the bread of delight. Someday you will thank God for all your sadness.” ~Charles Spurgeon
HT: Janelle Bradshaw
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Strengthened by Grace 