Yes, there is hope!
Depression is not easily understood by those who have never experienced it. Some people battle with it for their entire lifetime. Some succumb to extreme depression and choose suicide as a “solution”. Others suffer from recurring, occasional depression. I have known people in each of these categories.
There are some common themes/habits/behaviors that have been identified on the website, Awareness Act. I discovered this site today, and thought it could be helpful for someone wanting to “self-diagnose” whether they may be at risk or a victim.
The stories of those who have WON the battle with depression are stories that need to be told. They would give hope and help to people who are still struggling.
My personal story might be one of those that could be helpful.
I am generally a happy guy. I enjoy life, and find the humor in many circumstances. As I reviewed the list on the website above, the trait that most captured my attention was that of “searching for purpose”. Much of my focus is purpose-driven. When life situations and efforts don’t produce the expected results, a natural tendency is to assume failure or hopelessness. I have experienced two kinds of depression in my lifetime. I am thankful to say that I found my way through and out.
After years… decades of what I believed to be clear direction, I pursued a very specific goal. The short story is that my efforts din’t produce the result I expected. I felt like I had rebounded from the taste of defeat, but looking back I can see that it took me several years to work through a subtle cloud of depression. It wasn’t something I was consciously aware of while I was going through it. What I do know for certain is that my relationship with God, time in prayer and relationship with other serious believers was instrumental in my victory.
The second kind of depression I dealt with seemed to come suddenly. There wasn’t any particular reason I could identify. It just settled on me and literally debilitated me. It lasted for several weeks. One day I managed to get into my pickup with the intent to just go for a drive. As I drove, it was physically difficult to muster the strength to operate the vehicle. The depression had a firm and strong grip and control over me both mentally and physically. In a moment of desperation, I made a phone call to my pastor. “Could I make an appointment to have you pray for me?” His response was more than welcome, “Come see me right now”. I did. He prayed for me, and within a half an hour the depression began to lift. By days end it was completely gone and has not returned.
My advise to you is simple. Reach out for help. If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, invite Him in to your life RIGHT NOW. Read your Bible. Pray. Go to a Spirit filled, Spirit directed church. Develop a personal relationship with a Pastor and other believers. Find someone who knows what you are dealing with and let them help you win this battle.
There is hope. There is a way through.
You can win this battle!
*** Gordon Howie *** is an author and CEO of Life and Liberty Media
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