Look Forward or Look Up
If you have spent many days down in the dumps, disinterested in everyone and everything around you, unmotivated to get out of bed and all that goes with that emotional spiral, then you truly know what suffering is. It is a desperate, hopeless prospect.
If that’s you, sit up for just a moment. There have been others who suffered emotionally. Maybe not in the exact same way as you, but if you met them, you would understand each other. Let’s call it the fellowship of suffering.
Remember that so far we have talked about meek people. Moses was meek. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. (Num. 12:3) That word means poor, humble and needy. Does that sound familiar? In his poor, needy mental state, he had a conversation with God, started by God. The Lord approached him and said He wanted to use Moses. Yes. A depressed person is no challenge to God. In fact, He prefers crushed people. They are easy to work with. You and Moses might have been friends if you lived in the same era.
Jesus was meek also. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29 AV) Meek for Him meant he was gentle and mild. But he was also lowly in heart. Lowly in Greek means brought low with grief, depressed.
What? Jesus was depressed? He was God, and He was depressed! If you consider all he went through, you know why. His point in mentioning it is in verse 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. He identifies with you. He had low points in His life. But he made it through. We have the advantage, because we can see His life, beginning to end, and we know the purpose for His suffering. In our own lives, we only see right now, and we don’t see the purpose.
How did Jesus make it through His depressing times? He looked ahead. He thought past what he was going through. He knew the future looked better. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2)
Can you do that? Can you look down the pike and see better days? Until then, capture this: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:15-16)
If looking forward doesn’t help, look up. You’re in good company. Jesus understands, and He has the power to help you.
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Phil. 2:8) He made it through the worst thing that can happen to a person. Put yourself in His hands. He can help you make it through far lesser things.