Walk in the Light and Avoid Dark Depression
Sitting at a restaurant Sunday after church, someone in our group who knew I just released my latest book Ditch Depression Devotional: 31 Days to Biblical Hope, Peace and Emotional Balance, said he knows a lot of people who are always depressed. “What’s up with that?” he asked. “Why are people so easily depressed?”
I asked him if the people he was referring to know Jesus as their personal savior. Yes. They are saved people.
I answered that it’s a matter of focus. Rather than dwell on our sorry circumstances, and we all have some, a better focus is on the lovingkindnesses God shows every day. There’s a whole section on that topic in my book, and it’s an aspect of God I have studied and documented for more than 30 years.
I truly believe this verse: Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Psa. 63:3) Life seems good at times, and not so good at other times. But above that, His lovingkindness is better than life—all the time.
To focus on that is one of many ways to apply God’s command to be sober minded. As Christians, we aren’t to allow our minds to carry us away into the dark imaginations that pop into our heads. We have to take ourselves in hand and guide our minds toward the light.
How and why should we do that? Because we are different. If we know Jesus as savior, we are not the worldlings we used to be. Yesterday I found a passage that gives a blueprint for sober thinking. It’s something to meditate on today.
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (1Thes. 5:4-8)
I honestly have no idea how those who don’t know Jesus, who by nature walk in the dark, make it through a single day without being depressed. They have no genuine hope. No one can tell me any differently. I didn’t know Jesus until age 15, and before then, I had zero hope or purpose. I would not be here if I had not seen the light of Jesus and received the salvation He offers.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12) It’s simple. Follow Him and you won’t walk in darkness.
You also will find it difficult to walk in the light if those you surround yourself with live in darkness. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14)
Let’s go back to 1 Thes. 5:8: But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Today determine to live in the light of Christ. You have Him. Protect your heart and consciously put your faith, love and hope in Him. Do it first with a simple prayer, then walk through the rest of this day trusting Him, appreciating Him and hoping in His loving rescue. That’s how to escape depression. If you need a verse to hang on to for the day, Psa. 63:3 would be a great one! You can find a printable version of it (the photo at the top) off to the right under Free Photos: Scripture Pictures.
Jody
PS. You can read the first 7 chapters of my book by clicking on the book link to the right. The full book is available on Amazon.
Be a Channel of Blessing
We know that if not for God’s lovingkindnesses, we would be miserable, hopeless people. He causes the sun to rise and shine on us each day, and provides sanity in many forms. Today is Friday, and we’ve been looking at God’s lovingkindnesses all week. Hopefully you’ve kept your eyes open for them. A parking space opens up in the right place at the right time, you find something you’ve been missing, a friend calls to chat unexpectedly, a child says “I love you,” an opportunity opens up, you discover something awesome…. Don’t miss it. God is behind that. Don’t call it chance. We think we’re so independent, but instead In him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).
So each day, you can pray like David did: Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (Ps. 40:11)
Yesterday we realized that God shows lovingkindnesses because He loves us. Those actions showing His loving favor are the visible proof that He loves us.
Now, aren’t we supposed to be growing in Him and becoming more like Him? Isn’t godliness our goal? Let’s make the jump here. If God loves us by showing us kindness, shouldn’t we be vessels of that kindness in others’ lives? Um hmm. If you look at the lovingkindnesses you received throughout the past week, didn’t some of them come through someone else? That person was probably unaware that God used them. That’s okay. God turns hearts whatever way He wants for the outcome He desires (See Prov. 21:1).
But here’s a prayer for you, going forward. “Lord, make me a blessing today to someone else.” If you know you can encourage someone else, then make that a goal in your journey to godliness. I know the price of stamps keeps going up, and you have a Facebook account, but why not mail an encouraging note to someone? If you see something that reminds you of someone, perhaps you could buy that for them. If you know a lonely single, figure out when you can open up a piece of your schedule and do something with that person.
People are so discouraged and downtrodden. I know it for a fact. They won’t tell you, but on this blog, the article “Conquer Depression” off to the right is opened by someone nearly every day. Let’s be in the business of partnering with God to show lovingkindnesses to others.
Expect the Unexpected
If you’ve followed this blog for the past week, by now you have ventured to ask for God’s lovingkindnesses, and you’ve experienced them. You may, in fact, have noticed that God was showing you His loving favor all along, you just didn’t recognize it. You’ve heard from a long-lost friend, or someone unexpectedly told you they loved you, and it touched you because you know God put it in their heart. Maybe He helped you find something that was lost. You know what your lovingkindnesses were.
Now, why does God show lovingkindness—besides the fact that He promised He would? It’s because God is love, and love gives. His lovingkindnesses are His acts of love. When you think of how big, awesome and unfathomable God is, and God is love, how big, awesome and unfathomable must be His love. And it is. Remember, He so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. So it shouldn’t surprise us when we see Him act with love in our life and in the lives of those around us—saved and unsaved. God does not reserve His love for those who love and accept him. He causes the sun to rise on the good and the evil (Matt 5:45).
But those who know God through Jesus Christ know who to praise for those lovingkindnesses. It causes us to glorify Him. When we recognize His acts of love, it revives us and makes us want to know and serve Him more. Only we will say Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Ps. 63:3) And we will be bold and ask God Quicken (enliven) me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth. (Ps. 119:88)
So, remember that His lovingkindnesses are his acts of love that go along with His words of love that we find in the Bible. In fact, here are some of His words of love: Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jer. 31:3) It’s His acts of love and His words of love that keep us from falling apart—or we would all be depressed all of the time, because we’d have no hope.
Now that we know what’s up, we can identify with this prayer of David: Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (Ps. 40:11) That’s God’s acts of love and His words of love. He loves us in deed and in truth.
Can you guess where I’m going with this idea tomorrow?
Have Confidence in God's Lovingkindness
If you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior—you’ve recognized you’re a sinner and accepted and received Christ as God’s saving answer for you—then you know God as your Father. Continue to learn what He is like. The fact that you even know Him as Father is credit to His lovingkindness. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jer. 31:3)
Not only does he draw you with lovingkindness, He keeps you with lovingkindness. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (Ps. 40:11)
Yesterday we confessed that sometimes we don’t feel like we deserve God’s loving favor, so we don’t dare expect Him to show it to us. If that’s you today, and you feel like dog meat, be glad that God’s lovingkindness doesn’t depend on how you feel. Just muster enough strength to turn to Him. Following are three starter prayers. Pick one and come to God with it, beginning by repeating the verse to God inserting “me” where it applies:
- Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Psalms 17:7
- Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Psalms 25:6
- continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Psalms 36:10
Here’s the confidence we can have. If we ask anything according to God’s will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears what we ask for, we know we have received what we asked for. (1 John 5:14-15) Understand that if you pray for lovingkindness, that is according to His will. How do you know that? Because His word says He’s a God of lovingkindness. Just pray and ask God to be who He said He is. So, you can know you will receive kindness from God. And we all need kindness. I know, we expect harshness and anger. I don’t know why that is. But be watching today for a breath of fresh air from God.
How to Conquer Depression
Without question, the most popular page on this blog is “How to Conquer Depression,” a book excerpt you will find in the materials section of this blog. Almost every day someone clicks on that page. That tells me that a lot of people may look like they are doing okay, but on the inside, they hurt and may even be desperate. If you are one, I want to encourage you today with the best solution I know. That is to understand and trust God loves you and will willingly show you His lovingkindness… the special little unexpected things God does for us because He loves us.
You may feel like there’s no point praying for God’s favor, because you know you don’t deserve it. Why should He cause an unexpected word of encouragement from a friend you haven’t seen in a long time? Why should He provide something you really needed today? Why should He draw your attention to a song or book that turns out to be a breath of fresh air at the right time? Well, He does it because He delights in doing those things, and especially to those who expect Him to. And that’s not just wishful thinking on my part. You can be bold and ask God to show you kindnesses even when you feel like pond scum. Pray something like this… “Lord, I don’t know why you would show me a favor of kindness today, but it would preserve me another day if you would just show me your love in some way.”
Does that sound weak to you? Good. Because we are weak. David was weak, too. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. Psalms 40:11
But I don’t want to completely dismiss the undeserving feeling you might have. If you’re thinking, “If only you knew,” it might be that there is some sin you are involved in that you know is wrong, but you do it anyway.
You know what you need to do. You need to confess and forsake that sin. It’s called repenting. Admit it to God, ask for forgiveness. Come to terms with Him. Ask Him to help you stop it. Cast yourself on Him.
Whatever you’ve done, someone else has done it too and gotten victory through confessing and turning to God. Remember David’s sin with Bathsheba? He went a little while without repenting. He was miserable. Maybe you are too. But finally God sent someone to confront him about his sin. He confessed to God. It may be time for you to do the same. Then pray this with David: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Ps. 51:1
The lovingkindness you might receive today is forgiveness, which will certainly bring relief as you restore your relationship with God.
Now, if you are all confessed up and you know you’ve put your heart in God’s hands, determine to stay in fellowship—with His help. Here’s a prayer for you. Quicken (enliven) me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth. Psalms 119:88
Spread the Cheer
It’s Monday… but no need to dread. Whatever circumstances lay ahead, God is more than willing and able to match them. He will be full of lovingkindnesses, just as He always is. Each day that the sun comes up is proof of God’s love and faithfulness.
We’ve been looking at God’s lovingkindnesses for a few days. They are the special little unexpected things God does for us because He loves us, even though we don’t deserve them and often don’t even think to pray for them. He promises to show them. When we watch for them, we might even think like David did: Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. (Ps. 63:3) He recognized life was okay, but God’s lovingkindnesses were even better.
I recall a day when I didn’t have a snack to take with me to work and no time to stop at the store to buy one. I wanted an apple. So I asked God if He would be gracious enough to provide an apple for me at work. The more I thought and prayed about it as I drove to work, the more excited I was to arrive and find out how God was going to provide an apple. I half expected it to be waiting for me when I got there. But it didn’t. I started working. Soon my co-worker walked in with a grocery sack and an announcement that she had apples. “Who wants one?” she cheerfully asked. That was the lovingkindness I was waiting for, and God used my co-worker. I told her about my prayer, and she was amazed. It made both of our days.
Share your lovingkindnesses with others. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. (Ps. 40:10)
I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. (Isa. 63:7)
I would like to hear about your lovingkindnesses, too.
What is Better Than Life?
Join me today in becoming a connoisseur of God’s lovingkindnesses. They are the special little unexpected things God does for us because He loves us, even though we don’t deserve them and often don’t even think to pray for them. It’s easy to brush right past His lovingkindnesses and not recognize them as gifts from God… a beautiful sunrise, the smile of a friend at the right time, a cool breeze on a hot day. “That’s nothing new or miraculous,” you say. A kindness doesn’t have to be miraculous. It’s a loving kindness. A picker-upper. Start recognizing them. David did:
Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Psalms 63:3. What is better than life? God’s lovingkindness. Yesterday morning, after I wrote my blog, I prayed for a lovingkindness. In a few hours, I had an email from a business friend I’d been out of touch with for more than six months, and she had a significant freelance writing assignment for me. Thank you, Lord!
Here’s a good practice. In the morning, pray for a lovingkindness, then in the evening, pray a prayer of thanks for His faithfulness as you look back at the kindnesses he showed during the day. That sounds so simplistic, you might think. Well, I can’t take credit for it. Read this: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Psalms 92:1-2. And how about this: Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. Psalms 42:8.
Expect that God will be awesome today, and praise Him at night because He was awesome today.
Have a great day. Be sure to share your lovingkinesses. And before you charge ahead, just think on these verses: Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalms 103:1-5)
Jody
It's the Simple Things
Is there an area of your life that you are having difficulty with? The temptation is to dread that part of your life. But instead of having fear, have faith… in God’s lovingkindness…today.
Yesterday morning, after I wrote my blog, I paused and asked God to please show me His lovingkindness “today.” It came in the area that I often have difficulty in. As a freelance writer for foodservice magazines, I’m always setting up and conducting phone interviews with chefs. Getting enough of them lined up and done before the deadline is always a challenge. I had one lined up two days ago, and he stood me up. That doesn’t happen very often. But the chef was AWOL. I nearly wrote that one off. Yesterday that chef called me out of the blue. That has never happened before (I always have to call or it doesn’t happen. Chefs are busy people). And when he called, I wasn’t in the middle of something else. His timing was perfect. And I thanked God for His lovingkindness. You see, God’s kindnesses come in little ways that we might take for granted. But one of the things God does, we forget, is work in the heart of the king (chef, in my case), turning it whatsoever way He will (Prov. 21:1). We receive gracious gifts from God every day, and we miss the fact that He was behind it, and He doesn’t get the glory.
Watching for and expecting God’s lovingkindness needs to become a habit. It was a habit for David. He acknowledged God for His lovingkindnesses.
For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. Psalms 26:3
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Psalms 36:7
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalms 138:2
Once again, today don’t live in dread. Don’t just go through your daily motions. Watch for God’s lovingkindnesses. Acknowledge them when they come. Give God praise.
Jer 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: (24) But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Foreboding or Faith?
You wake up and you have a foreboding feeling. Or at least you feel like things aren’t quite right. “Ugg. What is going to happen today?” What you need is a good dose of God’s lovingkindness. Lovingkindnesses are the special little unexpected things God does for us because He loves us, even though we don’t deserve them and often don’t even think to pray for them. Like you’re in a hurry to get in and out of the grocery store and get home, and a parking space opens up for you right in front. It’s the little kindnesses God shows.
Did you know that God promises to show lovingkindness? Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. (Psalms 89:33)
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24)
Because God has promised that He is a God who shows lovingkindness, it’s perfectly within reason to pray and ask Him to show a lovingkindness. How do we know that?
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
Did you get that? Lovingkindnesses are according to His will (because that’s who God said He is), so you can pray for lovingkindnesses and know you will get them, because He hears you when you ask for things according to His will.
I have years behind me of praying for lovingkindnesses for myself and for those I love. I don’t tell God what the lovingkindness should be. I just pray and watch all day. It’s called faith or trust. I watch expectantly. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Back to waking up with a foreboding feeling. If you feel that way when you wake up, trade that feeling for a prayer for lovingkindness. Then, rather than look for doom all day, you will watch for a gracious gift from God all day. The difference is night and day.
My Favorite Word in the Bible
My favorite word in the Bible is lovingkindness. I’ve been a connoisseur of the concept for nearly 30 years. I know that for a fact because in 1984, I started keeping a notebook of God’s lovingkindnesses that He shows me. The purpose of the notebook is to remind me of how God has shown me His love, so I don’t forget and so I can share and encourage others with God’s lovingkindness.
A form of that notebook even plays a key role in my newly released suspense novel “The Will of the Enemy.” (http://bit.ly/16HV5Yv)
Let’s spend some time on the topic. Off the bat, let’s define the word. Lovingkindnesses are the special little unexpected things God does for us because He loves us, even though we don’t deserve them and don’t even think to pray for them. Lovingkindness is special, undeserved royal treatment from the King of Kings.
Lovingkindness is not a dream, it’s a fact. When you grasp it, it will change your life, and you will never be the same.
God has much to say about this topic, but here’s the best proof from God: Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Read that again. It’s spectacular.
God says not to brag about how smart, strong or rich you are. If you’re going to brag about anything, let it be that you know and understand Him, specifically that he is the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. God takes pleasure in those three things.
Let’s take your salvation. If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, and therefore you know you have a right relationship with God because Jesus died and rose again to pay the penalty for your sins, guess what. You didn’t come to grasp that saving concept by your smarts. Remember, before that, you were blind, deaf and dumb to what Jesus Christ is all about. He had to take the first step toward you. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jer. 31:3) God drew you with His lovingkindness. That’s how you came to the understanding leading to salvation. And He didn’t stop there. In fact, He shows lovingkindness to everyone. A person doesn’t even have to know Him in order to experience His lovingkindness. You don’t even have to be a human being to experience God’s lovingkindness. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)
Remember that lovingkinesses are God’s acts and words of love. We are going to dive into this, and over the next two weeks, you will know God in a different way. Come back and see more!
Do We Deserve God’s Favor?
I lost my keys the other day. I looked everywhere I could imagine, and finally in desperation, I stopped and turned my heart to God and prayed, “God. You know where my keys are…” But before I could say more, the thought entered my mind, Why would he answer this prayer? I don’t deserve for Him to tell me where my keys are. And just as quickly, I thought, But God loves it when I turn to him, and He loves to show lovingkindnesses. It has nothing to do with whether I deserve it. So I went on with my prayer, “Please lead me to where the keys are. I trust in you, without any doubting. I know you are going to show me.” Before I knew it, I had the back door of my car open, looking on the floor of the back seat, and there they were. “Thank you Jesus.”
Why did my mind jump to the idea that I didn’t deserve for Him to show me where the keys were? I guess it was the remnants of the thinking that I have to earn His favor. I have to offer the sacrifice of good works first.
Jesus modeled and became a better way. In the middle of Psalm 40, David wrote prophetically about Christ, kind of addressing this whole idea. Psa 40:6-10 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. (7) Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, (8) I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (9) I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
In its entirety, Psalm 40 goes from David’s deliverance from desolation (1-5) to this prophetic part (6-10) to David praying for help and comfort (11-17).
We know that in this middle section, he is speaking of Christ, because Hebrews 10:5-12 repeats the idea with Christ as the subject. The conclusion in that passage is, By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Heb. 10:10) That’s where we get our right standing before God. Through Jesus, not through our deserving life, which really isn’t deserving.
Therefore, I can pray and appeal to His lovingkindness, that I know I don’t deserve, but He loves to show it. He first showed it to me by the death of Jesus on the cross for my sins. I’ve read Ps. 40:10 many times, considering how David didn’t hide God’s righteousness within his heart. He declared God’s faithfulness and salvation. He didn’t conceal God’s lovingkindness and truth from the great concregation (us). I know that, because David writes about God’s lovingkindness and truth all the time in the Psalms. But today is the first time I realize that this statement applies prophetically to Christ. Read it again with Jesus in mind: I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. That is simply awesome. For years, lovingkindness has been my favorite word in the Bible. It is what Christ and God are all about. We can appeal to God based on His lovingkindness, apart from our deservedness. My lost keys were a brilliant reminder.