Surviving a Temporary World

This has been a time of deep depression for me. I suffer from "the blues" off and on and have gotten used to the feelings. Usually, I work through the bad days by reminding myself that the sadness is temporary. I try to think of the last time I felt such a way and remember that I came through it. There are times though when the dark despair grabs hold and just sinks its teeth in. The past week has been one of those times.

What I am reminding myself of today as I wait for the depression to ease up is that not only is the unexplainable sadness temporary but this whole mortal life is not forever. I also remind myself that these attacks are the work of Satan - or at least the work of sin and consequences.

I suppose one of Satan's most gleeful accomplishments is when he can get our human hearts to look away from God to focus on everything but what we have to be thankful for. I have so much to be grateful for: a roof over my head and food and medications and people who care about me. But even if I were the most bereft person with nothing but life and breath, I could be thankful that there is a Savior who died for all of us.

All this for me

Of course, I am human and of flesh so I often find myself floating around in my misery.  The other day, I felt as if I was shut away in the darkest kind of darkness. I felt chained to the dark.

For those who don't know or who cannot understand, depression is real. I've heard some Christians say that depression is just self-pity or that it's something we just need to pray about. The first is not usually true and the second, while true, doesn't help the sufferer deal with the moment they are in. I pray all the time and I know that I will come out of my bad moments - one way or the other - because I do have a Savior who loves me. But it's the moment we sufferers live in that is the danger. How many people have not made it through that moment? How many people weakened during one of those moments?

I don't want someone telling me to "be a warrior, not a worrier" when I am fighting depression. If you want to do something for a person in the grips of depression, you pray for them. You be their prayer warrior.

Source

So, yes, this too will pass, I know that. It's the surviving until then that I struggle with. I will wait it out, ride it out, pray it out, and I will come through. I just pray for the people who don't have that faith or hope. But I do have that faith. I do have that hope that comes from knowing that all this world can take from me is this body. My soul is safe.

I never forget advice from a favorite song: to stop fighting a battle that has already been won because I am redeemed.

Peace
--Free