“11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
If you are truly walking with Jesus, there will be times when you will have to remind yourself that He has stated plainly that we will have to deal with issues, troubles, and suffering during our lives*. There are going to be times when you struggle even after you are free from depression. I have to be honest with you. Just accept them as God luring you into your secret place for a one-on-one time with Him. This world, is, indeed, filled with pain and sorrow, but there is so much good and wonderful things, too! Many times, if we just change our perspective, we will change our attitude and mood. Challenge yourself to seek the best in every situation; to seek how God is moving in every situation and every piece of your life.
“Meaningful growth requires challenge and stress.”
One of the best parts of dealing with the pain and suffering in life is when you discover you are not alone. God will prove Himself over and over to you as you remain close to Him. You will find some really kind and loving people God has brought into your life even 'for such a time as this'. Another discovery you will make is that you are actually stronger than you ever thought you were. God promised me that 'He was going to redeem every last thing I ever did for the good of at least one person.' I responded with, "I guess that means I'm gonna' be alive for a long time," and He said, "Psalm 91:16."
“With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
The key word in this verse by King David is 'salvation.' We all need salvation from some weapon forged against us. Depression is clearly a weapon forged by the devil to try to take us out. Did you know Jesus' Hebrew covenant name is Yahweh Shua? Shortened, it becomes Yahshua (or Joshua in English). Guess what the word used for 'salvation' in Psalm 91:16 is? You got it -- Yahshua. Jesus is our salvation.
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
The two promises God gave me were so timely, so beneficial, I have fallen back on them many times in the eight years since my crash. Everyone going through depression needs this sort of rhema from God. I got this in a very desperate time when I was really struggling with a deep-seated fear of death and the resulting high anxiety. Not only did I discover there was a clear purpose in EVERYTHING I was going through, but I learned once and for all, that Jesus was walking with me through it! I finally got to the place where I believed it when He said, "I'll never leave you or forsake you." I suddenly knew, for 100% certainty, that He meant it then and it means it now.
We can never give up the fight nor is it acceptable for a child of God to squander the opportunities for personal growth and transformation hidden in times of trouble and suffering. Throughout the Old Testament, we are made aware of the saving power and gracious provisions of God in times of unimaginable difficulty and in the New Testament, we are made aware of the victory in Jesus and we can become a testament of His saving power and gracious provisions ... if we persist through the pain. There is a purpose in your pain. Find each purpose as if you were a child searching for Easter eggs.
"If you're going through Hell, keep going. Jesus is with you."
Prayer
My Lord, help me count my blessings. I admit when things get really difficult and things seem really dark, I forget that You are seeking the best for me. Help me remain focused when it seems all I can think about is how sick and tired I am of being sick and tired. I know You have great plans for me and I want to fulfill them. Help me remain close to You when I feel like giving in. I know You will strengthen me whenever I ask, so I'm asking now for You to strengthen me for the next step of freedom and spiritual growth. Reveal the purpose in the pain. Shine Your glory light into every single place I hurt, Lord. I need Your help and I thank You for all You have done for me to this point. I also thank You for the freedom I do not currently possess because I know You are my Deliverer and You don't want me to suffer, but my sins have to be dealt with and I am ready to do whatever You want me to do. Let's go, Lord! In Jesus' holy name I pray, amen.
* To be clear, that doesn't mean God has caused those problems. If God caused our problems, who would need a devil?
Special thanks to Asif Aman for the use of this great photo! Please see his additional work on Unsplash.com