Depression
It was a fun Sunday yesterday. Sis Shirley Tan, a pastoric counsellor, dropped by my church and taught us on how to help a friend in depression. Before the training started, she preached on "Waiting" upon the Lord. She's a single lady in her 50s and she's been shot with many many times about her marital status all these years. I chuckled when she told of her experiences. "Where have all the good Christian guys gone??" she said...hahaha...
Sometimes, it is easy to identify a depressed friend but sometimes it is not. Now that she had given us a checklist of depression symptoms, I realised I had some friends who had been through the severe stage of the illness. Not to mention, I had gone through that myself as well. Sleepless nights, a change of behaviour, sudden weight changes, negative thoughts about myself and the world, and most importantly, suicidal thoughts. I'd had some of that when I was in my uni days. Some of my friends and my mom and sis would know.
It is in this fast paced, racing to climb up the ladder world, that depression is catching on. Many young teens are getting depressed because of peer and parental pressure. A too high expectation and a sudden huge expectation may lead to that. A lot of things can be the causes. Loss of a loved one, a lost golden opportunity, a breakdown in career and even a too-fast success may lead to mild-->severe depression, Sis Shirley said.
And yet, depression is not a sin. It is an illness that may be caused by the sinful acts that we have done. For example, a wrong doing that caused a heavy guilt in our hearts will then lead to us being depressed. Where does God stand in all this?
Jesus as our High priest has been through many things and depression maybe one of them (well, maybe). Considering He knew His purpose on earth was to die on the cross...well..
But then again, Jesus as our God understands what we are going through and He has the perfect solution for us.
One, rest and wait.
In the gospels, when His disciples felt proud of themselves because they were able to drive out demons, Jesus led them to a place for them to rest. Too much success may take a toll on us humans and taking a break to rejuvenate our strength will help prevent depression.
Two, surrender.
Sis Shirley mentioned three things that may lead to depression; anger, grief and guilt. When the things are in the past, then it is time for us to let go. A loved one who had left the earth would not return, so why cling onto him or her? Have a time of mourning and then move on. If we are uncertain of whether that loved one had received Christ, then there would be nothing we could do now. Let go of that guilt and move on to save more people.
If one has wronged you, let go. You are sacrificing your own emotions and killing your body while the other party is happily leading his or her own life without giving a single thought about you in that depressing stage. Why the waste of time and effort? Live our lives to the fullest for ourselves and for God.
"Cast all your anxiety on Jesus because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
Easier said than done. But I believe we are able to do it with God's strength. Dear family and friends, God loves us too much to leave us in depression. Cling on to Him and He will set you free.
