Taboo – Depression is the second in our series for the New Year on mental health. Have you ever had a bad day? Sure, all of us have. But what happens if that bad day turns into a bad month?
An Easy Fix
If someone is suffering from depression we know what actions need to be taken to fix the problem. Here is a great list of ways depression can be pushed back into the darkness.
- Do – take medicine
- Do – talk to a counselor
- Do – set goals
- Do – exercise
- Do – eat right
- Do – attend worship
- Don’t – skip devotions
- Don’t – forget God’s promises
- Do – remember your baptism
- Don’t – avoid the Lord’s Supper
The problem is the people with depression normally don’t take advantage of this list. One Christian sufferer described it this way: I didn’t usually trust God, make a gratitude list, or recite Scripture. My shield of faith was often lying next to me on the ground.
Unfailing Love
The best news that we have is that God’s promises don’t depend on the person suffering from depression. Consider the promise, Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you. This is a one sided bargain that God makes with the human race. Your depression doesn’t change this truth.
Love Is On The Way
A support group can make all the difference in the world. However, remember that when you go to help a loved one suffering from depression, he or she may not show appreciation. That’s ok! You didn’t go there to get a pat on the back or affirmation. You went to help a person in need.
Is There A Doctor?
I have heard some say that Christians shouldn’t use medication to battle a mental illness. This is ridiculous. Would you think less of a person who went to the doctor with a broken arm? Then why would you think less of someone with a chemical imbalance of the mind. Medications prescribed by a doctor can be received with thanksgiving. They are gifts from God.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s study, Taboo – Depression.