After COVID, retreat from society, changing buying habits, deaths of loved ones, yearning for past times of calm, and now seeing senseless war and the inflation and worry attached to suffering, one cold become depressed. It’s only natural. People feel pain, physical or emotional, and our defense mechanism is to withdraw to a dark place unless we make a decision to stay away from that dark place.
How do we escape its tentacles?
I propose these truths. One, we are not the only one who feels depressed. I am not alone, and my depression is probably not as deep as others’. Second, self-pity is selfish because it focuses on the “me” in all of us. It’s a self-preservation thing. Built in, sort of. We might fool ourselves into thinking, over and over again, that we’re the only person affected by the scary things like change over which “we” have no control. Third, by changing our focus and deciding to “do something” to change our attitudes, we have developed a goal, a pathway to emotional health. Listening to music, listening to the birds singing in the yard, taking a bouquet to bless a friend, or just pulling weeds and making the garden pretty is always good for me! We can look outward, contribute encouragement to others, and thereby find some succor and calm. Finally, and this is the big one, we can, no we must, torn to God in intercessory prayer about what we’re feeling and ask God to direct our paths. He will.
Evaluate habits. Don’t watch the news 24/7. Repeating the input of chaos and discontent deepens our own ability to see the “worst.” Bad news is entertainment to cable TV.
Second, read something encouraging every day.
Third, call someone and reach our with an event, like taking a walk on a beautiful day or sharing a sandwich and a cup of coffee with a neighbor and friend, and pretend like you did when you were little and invited your dollies, or maybe a grandparent to sit down and have a cup of pretend tea.
Finally, recognize that God is sovereign, has history under control, and that He loves us. We do not have to be so “in charge” if we recognize that in the eternal sense, God is working His purpose out, and we need to watch out for the miracle moments, the helpers in crisis, the “good” news stories, the exciting encouraging book, the act of helping someone else, or the sweet hour of intercessory prayer, and then watch for what happens to brighten the path where we walk. It’s a choice. Here is my poem, “Depression” My Psalm 304. May it bless your day.
MY PSALM 304 DEPRESSION
Almighty God, Holder of my soul, Abba, Father,
Sometimes I am weighed down with grief, sorrow, pain
And cannot see clearly the blessings You’ve provided.
Help my unbelief, be my vision, give me insight as well.
I am so encouraged by Your Word which shows me
Heroes of the Bible faced these same demons.
I am so thankful that they teach me to once more return
To Your Presence to seek comfort,
To once again find peace.
Thank You for the confidence
That You are eternal, omnipresent, and that You care.
You provide wise counsel, marvelous works of nature,
Hymns, songs, music to soothe my mind and heart,
Encouragement of stories from clouds of witnesses
Who have gone before me, traveled this path,
Suffered worse circumstances than I, or David, or Jeremiah
And found their strength in You, the Rock of our salvation.
Grant me the understanding I seek in the nighttime
When worries and concerns seem to breed,
Keeping me from sleep and even from praying
In confidence that my motives are pure.
Stop me from thinking about me
And turn my thoughts to others.
Omniscient Lord, You know me better than I know myself.
Grant me the understanding I seek
When the floodgates of insecurity open
And torrents of “Woe is me” invade the calm waters
Of quiet streams when I know all is well.
Preserve for me the nourishment I seek for my soul.
Show me, by Your grace, the positive things each day
Which far outpace the prompts feeding my depression.
When I once again return to the fountain of blessing
You provide, I am able, by Your grace
To embrace hope, assurance, and sure knowledge
That when I count blessings rather than hurts,
I am amazed at Your mercy and recover my right senses.
Be at once my mind’s gatekeeper and my guard
So that Your scriptures may guide each thought.
Keep the joy of my salvation ever in my mind’s eye
So that I see kingdom possibilities, not my liabilities.
Allow me the insight to break huge projects
Into manageable segments so I am not overwhelmed.
Help me to let go and let You guide,
For You know my weaknesses all too well.
And what I pray for my weary soul, I pray for others
Who may read my words and say, “Hey, that’s me too!”
And may Your message of eternal care and concern
Reach every troubled heart and soul,
For if You can keep the universe in its measured course,
Certainly, You can show me how to handle my moments
Which represent a nanosecond in eternal consequences.
Help me to remember that if it doesn’t matter in five years
It doesn’t matter in five minutes,
And that I need to trust outcomes to Your mighty hand,
For You handle all affairs for Your Glory and my good.
Thank You for being my loving Father. Amen.
A career teacher, with forty years of teaching language arts/English, Betty Jackson enjoys wordsmithing, writing, and reading as a vocation and avocation.Retirement is her "age of frosting," a chance to pursue postponed hobbies with gusto. She especially sends kudos to the Space Coast Writers Guild members for their encouragement and advice. Her five books, It's a God Thing!, Job Loss: What's Next? A Step by Step Action Plan, and Bless You Bouquets: A Memoir, And God Chose Joseph: A Christmas Story, and Rocking Chair Porch: Summers at Grandma's are available at Amazon.com. Ms. Jackson is available to speak to local groups and to offer her books at discount for fundraising purposes at her discretion. She and her husband soon celebrate their 47th anniversary, and have lived in New York, New Jersey, Iowa, and now the paradise of Palm Bay, Florida. Their two grown children and daughter-in-love, all orchestra musicians, and our beautiful granddaughters Kaley and Emily live nearby. Hobbies, and probably future topics on her blog: gardening, symphonic music (especially supporting the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra as a volunteer and proud parent of a violinist, a cellist, and an oboist), singing, book clubs, and co-teaching a weekly small-group Bible study for seniors. She volunteers and substitute teaches at Covenant Christian School, and serves as a board member of the Best Yet Set senior group at church. Foundationally, she daily enjoys God's divine appointments called Godincidences, which show God's providence and loving kindness.