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How Not To Handle Depression

Writer's picture: Leonard G. CastaƱedaLeonard G. CastaƱeda



Here are three mistakes we make when we are tempted to despair:


1.)š…š¢š«š¬š­, š°šž š„š¢š¬š­šžš§ š­šØ šØš®š«š¬šžš„šÆšžš¬ š­šØšØ š¦š®šœš”. We give in to the feelings. We wallow in despair so much you might think that we actually like it. We listen to sad songs, watch sad movies, whine to our friends and family, and walk around with that long face and that overextended pity party.


2.) š’šžšœšØš§š, š°šž š š¢šÆšž š¢š§ š­šØ š­š”šž šœš¢š«šœš®š¦š¬š­ššš§šœšžš¬ š¢š§š¬š­šžššš šØšŸ šŸš¢š š”š­š¢š§š  šŸšØš« š£šØš². We allow ourselves to be deceived, no, we deceive ourselves into thinking that there's no way out. We surrender.


3.) š“š”š¢š«š, š°šž š¬šžšžš¤ šœšØš¦šŸšØš«š­ ššš§š š¬šØš„šššœšž šŸš«šØš¦ š­š”šž š°š«šØš§š  š­š”š¢š§š š¬ ššš§š š­š”šž š°š«šØš§š  š©šžšØš©š„šž. We turn to other things for relief, like a person trying to fill up his canteen of water without realizing that it has a hole in it.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of the best expositors of the 20th century, and who wrote the book SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION: Its Causes and It's Cure, tells us:


ā€œš˜š˜¢š˜·š˜¦ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶ š˜³š˜¦š˜¢š˜­š˜Ŗš˜»š˜¦š˜„ š˜µš˜©š˜¢š˜µ š˜®š˜°š˜“š˜µ š˜°š˜§ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶š˜³ š˜¶š˜Æš˜©š˜¢š˜±š˜±š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜¦š˜“š˜“ š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜­š˜Ŗš˜§š˜¦ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜„š˜¶š˜¦ š˜µš˜° š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜§š˜¢š˜¤š˜µ š˜µš˜©š˜¢š˜µ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶ š˜¢š˜³š˜¦ š˜­š˜Ŗš˜“š˜µš˜¦š˜Æš˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶š˜³š˜“š˜¦š˜­š˜§ š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜“š˜µš˜¦š˜¢š˜„ š˜°š˜§ š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶š˜³š˜“š˜¦š˜­š˜§? š˜›š˜¢š˜¬š˜¦ š˜µš˜©š˜°š˜“š˜¦ š˜µš˜©š˜°š˜¶š˜Øš˜©š˜µš˜“ š˜µš˜©š˜¢š˜µ š˜¤š˜°š˜®š˜¦ š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜®š˜°š˜®š˜¦š˜Æš˜µ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶ š˜øš˜¢š˜¬š˜¦ š˜¶š˜± š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜®š˜°š˜³š˜Æš˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø. š˜ š˜°š˜¶ š˜©š˜¢š˜·š˜¦ š˜Æš˜°š˜µ š˜°š˜³š˜Ŗš˜Øš˜Ŗš˜Æš˜¢š˜µš˜¦š˜„ š˜µš˜©š˜¦š˜® š˜£š˜¶š˜µ š˜µš˜©š˜¦š˜ŗ š˜¢š˜³š˜¦ š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶, š˜µš˜©š˜¦š˜ŗ š˜£š˜³š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜£š˜¢š˜¤š˜¬ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜±š˜³š˜°š˜£š˜­š˜¦š˜®š˜“ š˜°š˜§ š˜ŗš˜¦š˜“š˜µš˜¦š˜³š˜„š˜¢š˜ŗ, š˜¦š˜µš˜¤. š˜šš˜°š˜®š˜¦š˜£š˜°š˜„š˜ŗ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø. š˜žš˜©š˜° š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶? š˜ š˜°š˜¶š˜³ š˜“š˜¦š˜­š˜§ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶. š˜•š˜°š˜ø š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜®š˜¢š˜Æā€™š˜“ š˜µš˜³š˜¦š˜¢š˜µš˜®š˜¦š˜Æš˜µ [š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜—š˜“š˜¢š˜­š˜® 42] š˜øš˜¢š˜“ š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜“: š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜“š˜µš˜¦š˜¢š˜„ š˜°š˜§ š˜¢š˜­š˜­š˜°š˜øš˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜“š˜¦š˜­š˜§ š˜µš˜° š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬ š˜µš˜° š˜©š˜Ŗš˜®, š˜©š˜¦ š˜“š˜µš˜¢š˜³š˜µš˜“ š˜µš˜¢š˜­š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜µš˜° š˜©š˜Ŗš˜®š˜“š˜¦š˜­š˜§. ā€œš˜žš˜©š˜ŗ š˜¢š˜³š˜µ š˜µš˜©š˜°š˜¶ š˜¤š˜¢š˜“š˜µ š˜„š˜°š˜øš˜Æ, š˜– š˜®š˜ŗ š˜“š˜°š˜¶š˜­?ā€ š˜©š˜¦ š˜¢š˜“š˜¬š˜“. š˜š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜“š˜°š˜¶š˜­ š˜©š˜¢š˜„ š˜£š˜¦š˜¦š˜Æ š˜„š˜¦š˜±š˜³š˜¦š˜“š˜“š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜©š˜Ŗš˜®, š˜¤š˜³š˜¶š˜“š˜©š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜©š˜Ŗš˜®. š˜šš˜° š˜©š˜¦ š˜“š˜µš˜¢š˜Æš˜„š˜“ š˜¶š˜± š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜“š˜¢š˜ŗš˜“, ā€œš˜šš˜¦š˜­š˜§, š˜­š˜Ŗš˜“š˜µš˜¦š˜Æ š˜§š˜°š˜³ š˜®š˜°š˜®š˜¦š˜Æš˜µ, š˜ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜­š˜­ š˜“š˜±š˜¦š˜¢š˜¬ š˜µš˜° š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶.ā€


š—›š—¢š—Ŗ š—§š—¢ š—™š—œš—šš—›š—§ š—™š—¢š—„ š—š—¢š—¬


Now how to we counteract these three mistakes? Here are three lessons from Psalm 42:


1.) š—™š—¶š—暝˜€š˜, š˜š—µš—² š—£š˜€š—®š—¹š—ŗš—¶š˜€š˜ š—±š—¼š—²š˜€š—»'š˜ š—“š—¶š˜ƒš—² š—¶š—» š˜š—¼ š—µš—¶š˜€ š—³š—²š—²š—¹š—¶š—»š—“š˜€. Yes, he acknowledges them before God, and he goes on and affirms the goodness, the graciousness, the steadfastness of God despite everything.


In the same way, our marriages may be messed up, our lives in a never-ending spiral of problems, our salaries not enough, our relationships broken - BUT, and that is a big interjection - but God is still faithful and loving, and in fact He loved us so much He sent His Son to rescue us, maybe not from our marital issues or financial trouble, but from a bigger, hotter eternal problem that all sinners deserve.


In His love, He initiated a rescue mission so that the worst of sinners like you and me can be saved, and not just saved, but one day be put on display before the entire universe as a testament of His graciousness, mercy and love. This, brothers and sisters, is the gospel applied to us. The gospel is not only relevant to our salvation but to our continuing walk in Christ. That is why we must preach the gospel to ourselves frequently and constantly. This is why we must cling to its truths and run to its comforts.


2.) š—¦š—²š—°š—¼š—»š—±, š˜š—µš—² š—£š˜€š—®š—¹š—ŗš—¶š˜€š˜ š—³š—¶š—“š—µš˜š˜€ š—³š—¼š—æ š—·š—¼š˜† š—Æš˜† š—®š—³š—³š—¶š—暝—ŗš—¶š—»š—“ š˜„š—µš—¼ š—šš—¼š—± š—¶š˜€. He says, Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. His antidote to despair is Hope! Praise! He praises God in the middle of the storm around his life.


One of the ways to do this is to wield the sword of the Spirit, which, in Ephesians 6:17 Paul says is the word of God. The Bible. To know God's word is to understand the character of God and to have a glimpse of what God reveals about Himself and about ourselves.


Do you spend time in reading Scripture? Do you meditate on it? Do you memorize verses? These are your weapons against depression, against the discouragement of the world, the weakness of the flesh, and the temptations of the devil.


For example, when you feel depressed, do you remember the words of Psalm 73:25-26, which says:

š˜žš˜©š˜°š˜® š˜©š˜¢š˜·š˜¦ š˜ š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜©š˜¦š˜¢š˜·š˜¦š˜Æ š˜£š˜¶š˜µ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶?

Ā Ā Ā Ā š˜ˆš˜Æš˜„ š˜µš˜©š˜¦š˜³š˜¦ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜Æš˜°š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜°š˜Æ š˜¦š˜¢š˜³š˜µš˜© š˜µš˜©š˜¢š˜µ š˜ š˜„š˜¦š˜“š˜Ŗš˜³š˜¦ š˜£š˜¦š˜“š˜Ŗš˜„š˜¦š˜“ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶.

š˜”š˜ŗ š˜§š˜­š˜¦š˜“š˜© š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜®š˜ŗ š˜©š˜¦š˜¢š˜³š˜µ š˜®š˜¢š˜ŗ š˜§š˜¢š˜Ŗš˜­,

Ā Ā Ā Ā š˜£š˜¶š˜µ š˜Žš˜°š˜„ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜“š˜µš˜³š˜¦š˜Æš˜Øš˜µš˜© š˜°š˜§ š˜®š˜ŗ š˜©š˜¦š˜¢š˜³š˜µ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜®š˜ŗ š˜±š˜°š˜³š˜µš˜Ŗš˜°š˜Æ š˜§š˜°š˜³š˜¦š˜·š˜¦š˜³.


When you feel weak and discouraged, do you turn to Hebrews 4:15-16, which says:

š˜š˜°š˜³ š˜øš˜¦ š˜„š˜° š˜Æš˜°š˜µ š˜©š˜¢š˜·š˜¦ š˜¢ š˜©š˜Ŗš˜Øš˜© š˜±š˜³š˜Ŗš˜¦š˜“š˜µ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜¶š˜Æš˜¢š˜£š˜­š˜¦ š˜µš˜° š˜“š˜ŗš˜®š˜±š˜¢š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜»š˜¦ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜© š˜°š˜¶š˜³ š˜øš˜¦š˜¢š˜¬š˜Æš˜¦š˜“š˜“š˜¦š˜“, š˜£š˜¶š˜µ š˜°š˜Æš˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜¦š˜·š˜¦š˜³š˜ŗ š˜³š˜¦š˜“š˜±š˜¦š˜¤š˜µ š˜©š˜¢š˜“ š˜£š˜¦š˜¦š˜Æ š˜µš˜¦š˜®š˜±š˜µš˜¦š˜„ š˜¢š˜“ š˜øš˜¦ š˜¢š˜³š˜¦, š˜ŗš˜¦š˜µ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜©š˜°š˜¶š˜µ š˜“š˜Ŗš˜Æ. š˜“š˜¦š˜µ š˜¶š˜“ š˜µš˜©š˜¦š˜Æ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜© š˜¤š˜°š˜Æš˜§š˜Ŗš˜„š˜¦š˜Æš˜¤š˜¦ š˜„š˜³š˜¢š˜ø š˜Æš˜¦š˜¢š˜³ š˜µš˜° š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜µš˜©š˜³š˜°š˜Æš˜¦ š˜°š˜§ š˜Øš˜³š˜¢š˜¤š˜¦, š˜µš˜©š˜¢š˜µ š˜øš˜¦ š˜®š˜¢š˜ŗ š˜³š˜¦š˜¤š˜¦š˜Ŗš˜·š˜¦ š˜®š˜¦š˜³š˜¤š˜ŗ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜§š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜„ š˜Øš˜³š˜¢š˜¤š˜¦ š˜µš˜° š˜©š˜¦š˜­š˜± š˜Ŗš˜Æ š˜µš˜Ŗš˜®š˜¦ š˜°š˜§ š˜Æš˜¦š˜¦š˜„.


When we are fearful and anxious, Psalm 32:7 echoes our heart's cry:

š˜ š˜°š˜¶ š˜¢š˜³š˜¦ š˜®š˜ŗ š˜©š˜Ŗš˜„š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜Ø š˜±š˜­š˜¢š˜¤š˜¦;

š˜ š˜°š˜¶ š˜“š˜©š˜¢š˜­š˜­ š˜±š˜³š˜¦š˜“š˜¦š˜³š˜·š˜¦ š˜®š˜¦ š˜§š˜³š˜°š˜® š˜µš˜³š˜°š˜¶š˜£š˜­š˜¦;

š˜ š˜°š˜¶ š˜“š˜©š˜¢š˜­š˜­ š˜“š˜¶š˜³š˜³š˜°š˜¶š˜Æš˜„ š˜®š˜¦ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜© š˜“š˜°š˜Æš˜Øš˜“ š˜°š˜§ š˜„š˜¦š˜­š˜Ŗš˜·š˜¦š˜³š˜¢š˜Æš˜¤š˜¦.


When you sin, and you feel that God cannot forgive you, do you remind yourself of 1 John 1:9, which says:

š˜š˜§ š˜øš˜¦ š˜¤š˜°š˜Æš˜§š˜¦š˜“š˜“ š˜°š˜¶š˜³ š˜“š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜“, š˜©š˜¦ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜§š˜¢š˜Ŗš˜µš˜©š˜§š˜¶š˜­ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜«š˜¶š˜“š˜µ š˜µš˜° š˜§š˜°š˜³š˜Øš˜Ŗš˜·š˜¦ š˜¶š˜“ š˜°š˜¶š˜³ š˜“š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜“ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜µš˜° š˜¤š˜­š˜¦š˜¢š˜Æš˜“š˜¦ š˜¶š˜“ š˜§š˜³š˜°š˜® š˜¢š˜­š˜­ š˜¶š˜Æš˜³š˜Ŗš˜Øš˜©š˜µš˜¦š˜°š˜¶š˜“š˜Æš˜¦š˜“š˜“.


Turn to God's word, and equip yourself with these life-giving words so when the storm is at its worst, you find refuge in God and His promises. Again, Martyn Lloyd-Jones gives us insight: ā€œš˜š˜°š˜ø š˜¦š˜¢š˜“š˜ŗ š˜Ŗš˜µ š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜° š˜³š˜¦š˜¢š˜„ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜šš˜¤š˜³š˜Ŗš˜±š˜µš˜¶š˜³š˜¦š˜“ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜Øš˜Ŗš˜·š˜¦ š˜¢ š˜¬š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜„ š˜°š˜§ š˜Æš˜°š˜®š˜Ŗš˜Æš˜¢š˜­ š˜¢š˜“š˜“š˜¦š˜Æš˜µ š˜µš˜° š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜µš˜³š˜¶š˜µš˜© š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜ŗš˜¦š˜µ š˜Æš˜¦š˜·š˜¦š˜³ š˜µš˜° š˜¢š˜±š˜±š˜³š˜°š˜±š˜³š˜Ŗš˜¢š˜µš˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜¢š˜µ š˜Ŗš˜µ š˜µš˜¦š˜­š˜­š˜“ š˜¶š˜“!ā€ Christian, appropriate God's word to yourself!


3.)š—§š—µš—¶š—暝—±, š˜š—µš—² š—£š˜€š—®š—¹š—ŗš—¶š˜€š˜ š˜š˜‚š—暝—»š˜€ š˜š—¼ š—šš—¼š—±. He verbalizes his feelings to God. He opens up his deepest emotions, and bares it all before the sovereign Lord who sees all. Notice that in verse 1 the Psalmist expresses longing for God first and foremost?


Do we run to God like children seeking comfort and refuge from a loving parent? Or do we run to other things, like barkada, alcohol, drugs, and yes, even church friends.


I am not saying don't open up to trustworthy believers. Yes, please do, and they are there to show love and care for one another, just as Christ command us, but first and foremost, turn to God. To God, because only God can truly, fully, wholly satisfy.


That's what Jesus invites us to do in Matthew 11:28, where He says,


š˜¾š™¤š™¢š™š š™©š™¤ š™¢š™š, š˜¢š˜­š˜­ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜­š˜¢š˜£š˜°š˜³ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜¢š˜³š˜¦ š˜©š˜¦š˜¢š˜·š˜ŗ š˜­š˜¢š˜„š˜¦š˜Æ, š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜­š˜­ š˜Øš˜Ŗš˜·š˜¦ š˜ŗš˜°š˜¶ š˜³š˜¦š˜“š˜µ.


That's what God says in Isaiah 55:1;

š˜¾š™¤š™¢š™š, š˜¦š˜·š˜¦š˜³š˜ŗš˜°š˜Æš˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜³š˜“š˜µš˜“,

Ā Ā Ā Ā š˜¤š˜°š˜®š˜¦ š˜µš˜° š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜øš˜¢š˜µš˜¦š˜³š˜“;

š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜©š˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜©š˜¢š˜“ š˜Æš˜° š˜®š˜°š˜Æš˜¦š˜ŗ,

Ā Ā Ā Ā š˜¤š˜°š˜®š˜¦, š˜£š˜¶š˜ŗ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜¦š˜¢š˜µ!

š˜Šš˜°š˜®š˜¦, š˜£š˜¶š˜ŗ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜Æš˜¦ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜®š˜Ŗš˜­š˜¬

Ā Ā Ā Ā š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜©š˜°š˜¶š˜µ š˜®š˜°š˜Æš˜¦š˜ŗ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜©š˜°š˜¶š˜µ š˜±š˜³š˜Ŗš˜¤š˜¦.


And you know what? In the last verses of the Bible, that is also what the Holy Spirit tells us in Revelation 22:17;

š˜›š˜©š˜¦ š˜šš˜±š˜Ŗš˜³š˜Ŗš˜µ š˜¢š˜Æš˜„ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜‰š˜³š˜Ŗš˜„š˜¦ š˜“š˜¢š˜ŗ, ā€œš˜¾š™¤š™¢š™š.ā€ š˜ˆš˜Æš˜„ š˜­š˜¦š˜µ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜°š˜Æš˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜©š˜¦š˜¢š˜³š˜“ š˜“š˜¢š˜ŗ, ā€œš˜Šš˜°š˜®š˜¦.ā€ š˜ˆš˜Æš˜„ š˜­š˜¦š˜µ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜°š˜Æš˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜Ŗš˜“ š˜µš˜©š˜Ŗš˜³š˜“š˜µš˜ŗ š˜¤š˜°š˜®š˜¦; š˜­š˜¦š˜µ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜°š˜Æš˜¦ š˜øš˜©š˜° š˜„š˜¦š˜“š˜Ŗš˜³š˜¦š˜“ š˜µš˜¢š˜¬š˜¦ š˜µš˜©š˜¦ š˜øš˜¢š˜µš˜¦š˜³ š˜°š˜§ š˜­š˜Ŗš˜§š˜¦ š˜øš˜Ŗš˜µš˜©š˜°š˜¶š˜µ š˜±š˜³š˜Ŗš˜¤š˜¦.


Father, Son and Spirit calls us to come to the one who can give us rest, and to the one who can satisfy our deepest hunger and thirst. Come to the One who wipes away every tear from our eyes. Come.


Here's an old sermon on Psalm 42:

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