Dealing With Depression, Part 1

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ on the other hand, Philippians, things like, whatever is good, whatever is right, whatever is one of your mind on these notice Miller night you don't do that for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhart Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana.

Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhart now is once again he shows us how God's word meets one seem to Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Cassius speaking, the fault, dear Brutus is not in our stars but in ourselves.

Each one of us is free to chart our own destiny in the exercise of choice for more than 17 million Americans each year we choose depression. Depression is more common in America than coronary disease and all cancers combined. In fact, one in five Americans will be clinically depressed in their lifetime. Depression has been described in many different ways. It's been described as anger turned inward, persistent pain, full thinking a disturbance of the mood. The symptoms vary from sad affect to persistent melancholy attitude.

The loss of interest in virtually almost everything changes in eating and sleeping, chronic fatigue related to medical terms such as manic episodes in cyclothymic disorder.

Bipolar two disorder.

Generally speaking, were all susceptible to depression. In fact, the majority of us at some time in our life will have what is called common depression. The reason is of the factors of life that create depression for us.

In fact, depression begins with disappointment and disappointment sort of festers inside of us and becomes discouragement and then depression so the kinds of factors. By the way, that could depress you or things like this. The death of a spouse, the death of an immediate family member divorce or separation in your marriage, divorce or separation of your parents moved to an old new location.

In addition to your family, a family member who moves away from home to complete a major goal such as graduating to lose your job to find a new job, financial difficulties, purchase of a sale or sell the home miscarriage or abortion, or the birth of a baby long work hours pressures and deadlines erasing the meat affect what sort of come away with here is that almost Ebony could happen to you could depression good and bad. And what's really interesting in the clinical stock studies that they've done is people who are depressed, virtually have the same experiences of people who are not creates an interesting aspect Christians. By the way, often never even want to admit that we would be depressed. It seems unspiritual to us. Christian psychiatrist Paul Meyer wrote a book called understanding and caring with for depression gradebook is what he writes. He says depression is as old as human history, the Bible has many examples of people struggling with despondency and despair in his depression and fatigue. Elijah asked for his life to be taken. Jonah felt deeply despondent and depressed after God did not destroy Nineveh. Jeremiah regretted the day that he was born, Job's wife advising the curse God and die in the midst of the suffering and pain. Well-known church leaders like Martin Luther and John Bunyan and Charles Haddon Spurgeon and JB Phillips struggled throughout their life with depression. Political leaders like Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln. Depression is no respecter of persons is been called the common cold of emotional disorders and it appears to be on the rise in the United States is one of the more prevalent and serious mental disorders affecting about 20% of the population at a clinical ended sometime in our lives. People of both genders get depressed all the women are twice as likely as men to suffer from major depression. Now I don't know what that means, ladies. It may have to deal with. You live with men don't know that necessarily what you think of that Psalm 32. David is depressed is a man after God's own heart. He's depressed. He's depressed because guilt is been eating him up for a period of the year. Jonah didn't get his way. Disappointment, he got depressed. Elijah became so depressed that he became afraid of Jezebel after he had done so many incredible things for God. Job fights depression the way through the book in Jeremiah in a depressed state wished he had never been born. Jeremiah knew something that helped them that can help us. That's what I want to look at this morning I want to begin and end limitations. Chapter 3 Lamentations chapter 3.

Right next to the book of Jeremiah Lamentations chapter 3. Want to see this transition for Jeremiah beginning in verse 19, Lamentations 3, he says. Remember my affliction and my wondering the wormwood and the bitterness he said shortly. My soul remembers and is bow down within me dear life know what's the transition.

He said this I recall the mine.

Therefore I have hope the Lord's loving kindness.

He said the Lord's loving kindness is indeed they never cease for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning great is your faithfulness.

The Lord is. He says my portion, says my soul. Therefore, I have hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him to the person who seeks what transition he made. I don't wish I was never born. I know how bitter my life was and all of a sudden now I have hope he comes out of it not want to look at another verse with Minnesota give insight in the Jeremiah turned back to the book of Jeremiah.

Next to this book. Chapter 15 Jeremiah 15 in verse 16 in verse 16 Jeremiah writes this, he said your words speaking to God were found, and I ate them with a great way to describe studying the word, your words were found, and I ate them and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I have been called by your name oh Lord God of hosts, he said I found your words and it changed everything. I know you might be thinking, but I think depression is a lot more complicated than that, you might I mean we live in a day and age words.

Depression Street a lot differently. You mean you could just go to someone like God's word and it could trigger depression emphatically yes explain why. According to the American Journal of psychiatry.

They commissioned a researcher named John greased and John greased presented a study and he showed that the press people treated by computerized questions improved at exactly the same improvement rate of those who saw human therapists. I got you had to have with your therapist know you go to computer screen know you some questions you answer the questions in you work your way out of this. Now that's the American Journal of psychiatry, but if I'm going to look somewhere for words are going to change me when I find myself depressed. I would much rather look in the word of God than a computer program but it does tell me that the word of God can have a tremendous effect on you when you are depressed.

That's kind of when I went to look at today. What I would call the common cold variety of depression that most of us at some time in her life will feel it's all a look at Psalm 77 Psalm 77 in this song we are going to find six life lessons of how to do when you find yourself sinking into despair and depression.

Or if you're already there. What you should do about it. The amazing song written by the way by an amazing man.

He says for the car director according to gender within us a Psalm of a self is awful. 12 songs he's the choir director is impressive guy. By the way, is also one of the mighty men of David, this is an extremely spiritual man and he finds himself depressed and in his depression. He's going to give out six steps to work our way through the depression.

The very first one is found in the first three verses. He writes my voice rises to God and I will cry aloud. My voice rises, the God he will hear me in the day of my trouble. I sought the Lord in the night my hand was stretched out without weariness.

My soul refused to be comforted when I remember God than I am disturbed when I sigh then my spirit grows faint.

See first life lesson cry out to God cry out to God. 23 times by the way, the book of Psalms someone is crying out to God.

He's like I cried out to God, the expectation God is cry out. You see, that's what he does emotional SOS God my life stinks got them in despair. More likely, God, where are you please God show up when word depression you feel this way. Where are you, but there's something almost cathartic about it. There's something therapeutic and powerful, simply by verbalizing the God how deep your angst is in his deep there's an expression he uses I find fascinating. He said in verse two and the day of my trouble. I saw the Lord in the night my hand was stretched out without weariness. They would use one hand and cleaning is an expression like this and he says I could do that all night long, crying out, the God all night long.

He said it never stopped.

I did it. I cried out to God, what a wonderful thing to do to start out with a kind of transparency in that kind of honesty. The second life lesson is found in verses four through six. He says you held my eyelids open. I am so troubled that it cannot speak.

I have considered the days of old pieces. The years of long ago. Remember my song in the night I will meditate with my heart, spirit ponders cry out to God and then recall your past blessings. What a great thing to do after I cry out to God would call your past blessings. He says you know what I had some good times committees, the choir director.

He's a musician.

He probably let a lot of people in tremendous amount of music be work that the temple he's very and notice what he says I will remember my song in the night. Wow could been his own song could written it.

Here's what's interesting notice to transition these verses in verse four he says you held by eyelids open and so troubled I cannot speak you know what that's like. Can't sleep, boy, that's one of the most characteristic symptoms in an amazing capacity when something's going bad in our life. Something is going to be fair for something it's unnerving or something that when we wake up at night.

We just fixate on and you can lay there and let it go on and on in your head. On the other hand, remember what Paul wrote to the Philippians and he said to things like, whatever is good, whatever is right, whatever is wonderful. All that stuff. Let your mind dwell on these, but you ever notice the middle night you don't do that.

In fact, if you do a safe look, I know, about 50 versus Sir paraphrasing God won't line I wanted to start quoting verses about God and you do about a verse and 1/2 and out you go, but if there's something bothering you.

Then you just stay there with your eyes held open keep thinking about thinking about it, but he made the transition, he said what I started to do is, he said. I look back I consider the days of old. I don't know if that's weeks, months, years could be decades, but there were times in light was good. He said I started thinking about that these past blessings that God has given me. It's good to look in the rearview mirror of your life. Whenever you find yourself depressed and despairing. It's amazing how this works I will remember my song of the night. It will meditate with my heart, cry out to God. Recall your past blessings and then thirdly, and this is interesting and important ascot. All the hard questions your follower.

Ask him no. It's interesting with Aesop because the first time I read it.

I did notice that the second time. Yes, he he changes pronouns he's talking transparently respect them to say use the pronoun like the God hey God I want to ask you something he doesn't.

He moves God to the third person. It's almost like is uncomfortable directly asking God, but he's asking God notice these questions that he has because he is depressed.

Will the Lord reject forever. My going to feel like this forever is one of most hopeless things about depression really depressed person think I would feel like this forever. No, that's what he ask he says, and will he never be favorable again of the good old days simply going to always be the good old days of no never be any good new days again when a person is depressed. That's the way they think pieces has his loving kindness that great word has said the loyal love of God, he said, has his lovingkindness seized forever.

God what happened. This covenant love to see it. This overwhelming love you have for me. I don't feel it. That's what Azoff says Jesus has his promise come. He says to an end forever. While Gotti going to do to me what you promised you promised me all these things, what's up and feel them. Has God forgotten to be gracious and merciful God on your grace and mercy listed something like get erased. You see, why don't I feel that other people seem to be getting the mercy and grace of God I don't feel any of that. He says I just want to be like everybody else and then when I hear often as a pastor or has he and anger withdrawn his compassion got angry at me. It's astounding how often this happens. Christians or get depressed I get discouraged and it is got angry at me if you remember, though, the whole book of Job. What that his three friends keep telling God's angry this could happen in your life unless God is not easy. Angry at you. That's why you lost your children. That's why you lost your wealth.

That's why you lost your help. That's why, because God's angry. Did you know when you read the book of Job. What you find out was got angry at Job no. He was proud of Job. Just the opposite of what his friends were telling people say that all the time. God must be angry at me for me to feel this way and it's the same kind of question that was asked here we as different kinds of questions but they're all similar know where is God to give her think. Where is this victorious Christian life.

The people always talk about your will more than conquerors honey want to get out of bed. You know how does this happen while we talking about that, where Pastor Brad gets up every weekend says this is the place where you can get going to have joy and peace and hope in your life. Where is that I don't feel any joy have any piece I have no hope to those of the kinds of questions.

It would be ask where is that abundant life that Jesus spoke about come to give you life and give it to you abundantly and I filled nothing but the respondent was my faith where's my faith and if you want anymore much. I believe it anymore. That's what happens when you are discouraged those questions. By the way people are normal.

That's why they're in Scripture. You see, it's okay. Azoff is a man, God thought a great deal of these are the questions that he's asking cry out to God. Recall your past blessings, ask the hard questions to God and then it also the pivots right here. He says in verse 10, and then I said is my grief that the right hand of the most high is changed.

This is really neat. The heart is understanding English, but it's pretty neat using and what this is my fault. The right hand of God means the place of honor with God the place of closeness to God. The right hand. The sun rises and sits at the right hand of the father. You see, he said, in my grief, God's right hand hasn't changed his love means he's always love me is not changed at all.

You see, nothing about God is change. This is me is my grief.

That's the pivot point sort of in a sense his insight. He then says this I shall remember the deeds of the Lord, surely I will remember your work. Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all your work and muse or that you could actually say consider all your needs soon as he thinks about what this is right.

This is about me, this is me that God hasn't changed all notice. Remember, remember, says meditate, consider how that's astounding what is done. Pastor Bill Gebhardt on the radio ministry of fellowship Lord, if you ever missed one of our broadcasting or maybe you just like the message one more time. Remember the good or great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online event website you will find on today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs as well at Fellowship in the Word. We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word.

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