MAY 2017 SPARE CHANGE
I Get Depressed Too: 5 Ways to Cope with Depression
It may shock you, but I get depressed sometimes. Sometimes there is an apparent reason and sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes life is going great, but it still happens. Now my depression would be considered mild, I don’t need doctors or medications to help. Some people do and I don’t begrudge anyone for getting help from trained professionals or
counselors for depression. This issue is a common issue that affects many people. Statistics say one in five people suffer from some form of depression. In my personal experience, I would say it is much, much higher. For me it is a part of life, it comes and goes. There is no telling when it will come or how long it will last. However, I have discovered some important things that have helped me to cope and, in many cases, get over bouts of depression. These five things can help Christians struggling with depression:
- Identify the Cause – 1 Peter 1:6-9
As I said before, sometimes there is a cause and sometimes there isn’t and sometimes I just haven’t discovered it yet. I have found myself getting down in the dumps for no apparent reason only to be shown the reason later. Often for me the reasons are stress and self-worth issues. I am the kind of person that needs to stay busy and to have a purpose, but that also gets me in trouble with saying yes to too many things and getting stressed out. So, for me, balance is very important (we will talk more about that in a moment). Often if I look hard enough and ask the Holy Spirit to show me, I can determine the cause, which means I can begin to heal. If you frequently find yourself depressed, start to examine your life and ask God to help reveal the cause to you.
- Turn It Back to the Lord – Col. 3:2, Heb. 4:16
One of the really bad things depression does is it turns everything inward. It makes you think about yourself…a lot. That is not healthy. You must get out of your head and turn your mind back to the Lord. When we focus internally we forget that our Lord is walking through life with us. He cares about our feelings and He cares that we feel bad. I begin with prayer and ask God to help me to refocus on Him. I like to journal or listen to worship music. These things help me to put the focus back on God. Sometimes that is all it takes. The point is, depression is not wrong or sinful but having a me-focused attitude is. Jesus wants to us bring glory to Him, to think about others needs first and to serve those around us. We can’t do that if we constantly think about ourselves.
- Refocus on Spiritual Disciplines – Prov. 3:5-8, Psalm 119:105
Spiritual disciplines are huge! My Bible study and prayer time are essential to my spiritual, as well as my mental health. Please consider your time and how you spend it. I am sure you can carve out some time for the Lord. It really helps bring balance to your life and balance is the key.
- Seek Balance in Life – Mark 12:29-31
As I said, we need balance. When we focus too much on work, or too much on entertainment, or too much on our kids, or too much on ourselves we get out of balance. We need to have a healthy balance in life. We need to make sure we work hard, spend time with our family, serve in our church, get plenty of sleep, etc. How do you do all of that? By planning your time carefully. Remember, you control your time or your time will control you. Don’t say yes to everything. Family is essential, church is essential, work is essential. Everything else is optional.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Talk About It – James 5:16, Eccl. 4:9-12
There is a stigma, especially with men, that we can’t talk about feelings. Now I am not advocating we all go around talking like we are on a Dr. Phil episode. But we all need one or two close Christian brothers (or sisters if you are a woman) that we can talk to about this stuff. Sometimes just admitting you are depressed and you need someone to pray for you is all you need to kick it. We also don’t need to be afraid to talk to trained biblical counselors. This is a big deal, we all need help from time to time on a variety of issues. Biblical counseling can and does help. Don’t be afraid to talk to a counselor.
The bottom-line for me is, depression is not always a bad thing. It helps me grow close to God and depend on Him more. It also makes my heart tender so I can see others that are hurting around me. So, don’t look at it as a complete waste, maybe the Lord wants to use it in your life to teach you. Finally, I will leave you will one last encouragement, 2 Cor. 7:6 tells us “God comforts the downcast”. The next time you feel the dark shadow of depression creeping in turn to the Lord for comfort.