This week’s topic is definitely one that I think more people can relate to than we realize. Mental health is a topic that has a lot stigma in today’s society, and, sadly, this causes a lot of those who suffer with it to deny it. Depression is a hard and difficult thing to deal with. I’m not just talking about your every now and then bad day, I am talking about mind-numbing, crying for no reason, no light at the end of the tunnel depression. For some people it can be more temporary, but for others it’s something that plagues every single day of their lives. It can be hard to know what to do when you first realize that maybe your sadness is more intense than the average person's, and it can be even harder to accept that. When researching for this week’s post my main goal was to find verses that are undeniably meant for those who suffer with depression, and I think I found some pretty good ones. The first verse that I love is John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” God never lies to us. He tells us from the start that we are bound to encounter struggles in this life. There really is no way to avoid it, but He reminds us that we don’t need to carry these struggles on our own. Our King reminds us that HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD. Every struggle you are facing our King has already overcome it. He is fighting your struggles with you, and you have THE KING OF THE WORLD on your side. This sadness, this loneliness, this feeling of absolute despair, God feels with you and is fighting for you. The next verse, which has become one of my favorites is 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” I love this verse because it acknowledges the fact that we are going through very hard things in this life, but it reminds us that through God, we will not be crushed, or despaired, or abandoned, or destroyed. So often do I encounter something difficult and am told “oh it could be worse.” Yeah it could be worse, but that doesn’t change the fact that I am suffering. I think that's why I love this verse so much, because it acknowledges our suffering, but we are still reminded that our God is on our side. Depression sucks, plain and simple, and a lot of times it feels like we’re just stuck in it by ourselves. In these verses God reminds us that, not only is He with us, but He is actively fighting these battles for us.
XOXO, MC
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