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LIVE BY FAITH |
On the military frontlines and civilian home fronts -- one of the most prevailing enemies of mankind moves covertly about in the hearts and souls. That enemy is depression. It visits young and old, rich and poor, CEO and four-star general, blue collar worker and the attendant at the drive-through fast-food restaurant.
Depression and the circumstances that spawn depression are nothing new under the sun. We see it graphically lined out in ancient writings, the Bible, and world history. And God has given us the ingredients sprinkled throughout the Bible -- mixed with prayer, faith and patience -- to take out depression, no matter the root, obvious cause or lack of apparent cause
Paul writes in 2Cor. 4:8-9: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
In Jeremiah 29:11 we are reassured that God has a plan for each of us, hope and a future.
(Kenny Vaughan)
FOOTHOLDS
UP FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES
AND OUT OF DEPRESSION
Several years ago, Kenny Vaughan wrote the following letter to a depressed friend. He wrote the words from his heart, because he had been in that den of depression, and found the ladder out.
"God didn't spare me depression. Instead He walked me through it in a way that helped me grasp firmly to the footholds I need to rise above it for the rest of my life. I may encounter depression again, but I believe I will never be as oppressed by it. God has girded my faith against it, and I believe He will do the same for you. … He loves us just that much and more!"
Vaughan is a husband, father, businessman, and an athlete. He is a national water ski jump champion, founder of Athletes for Christ, and the author of a book about faith and fear called "Trials to Trophies." His personal tokens and faith reminders have become world-wide tokens of faith and inspiration -- Shields of Strength scripture-inscribed dog tag necklaces. The tags have become a signature inspiration to America's military men and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East and across the globe, their families and many who have, will and are facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.
He wrote the following letter to encourage a depressed friend. His letter could be to any one or all of us. Put your name in the salutation, and read on:
Dear ,
I heard you're a bit off center right now and fighting for your joy, so I wanted to do my best to encourage you, as the Lord has instructed us to do. This is my best effort, so I pray it helps open your eyes to the joys God has in store for your life.
I think it is important to understand who the enemy is and what depression grows from (in most cases) so a person can begin to take back their ground and get back to living in peace. Depression is an epidemic today, and no one is exempt – not even me.
The good news? Depression can be defeated! And afterwards? A person can begin to enjoy life like never before, as God has intended.
A few years ago, I myself went through a period of depression that drug on for months. I never told anyone. Though I'm not proud of doing so, I managed to hide it from everyone.
Until experiencing depression in my own life, I never understood its depths. I thought depression was something that happened to OTHER people, not to me or to anyone I knew. Eventually I came to a point where I questioned, "Is this all there is to life? It feels like there should be so much more…"
Being a few years past the depression and looking back, I can honestly say I enjoy life so much more today. I appreciate the little things so much more and I love God so much more for seeing me through, just as He promised us He would. With all that said, here is what I've learned:
Depression is a battle of the mind. The biggest mistake a person can make is trying to conquer the source of the depression by intellectually figuring out the problem and then by attempting to fix it his or herself. Depression cannot be overcome with a quick fix and it is not the result of a circumstance. It is in most cases the fruit of an absence of faith or the failure to live by faith.
The good news is the answer is really easier than trying to figure out and fix the problem alone. The answer lies in focusing on faith and letting faith drive out the depression. In other words, depression starts with a thought of fear or hate or doubt or some other negative thought. At the outset, it's just a seed that sprouts into a little tree. As a person focuses more on the fear or other problem, giving it more attention makes it bigger and it begins to choke the faith out of their life. By putting less faith in God and allowing the problem or depression to take control, depression is fed and will grow… until faith is overshadowed by fear. If a person stays depressed long enough -- I believe that depression can even begin to affect their biological make up, sometimes leading to physical and/or emotional illness.
PLANT A SEED OF FAITH
I believe the same principals that can defeat faith in a person's life can be turned around to defeat depression and restore faith and hope. I believe that these are tools God has placed in motion. When we take them and follow His lead we can change the momentum toward the positive to change the way we experience our circumstances.
Depression is not what we become. Instead, it is a force we can reckon with using the resources God has already given us. It is a battle He has already won for us. We just have to do our part with Him.
In other words, you need to plant a seed of faith and start focusing on that seed and giving it attention, time and your thoughts. The more attention you give that seed of faith, the more it will grow, until it starts to become a tree. As that faith grows, it takes over and it starves out the depression.
I can remember when I finally had my first, good half-day after months of depression. Then a few days later I had a good day all day. Those little victories increased my hope. I was coming back. Thinking about those good moments led me to give even more of my mind's time to faith. Before that half-day, I was starting to fear I had forgotten what it was like to be happy and even that depression might become the new normal in life.
As my faith grew, it overcame the hold depression had gained in my life. In continuing to strengthen my faith by focusing on it, eventually, again, I gave control of my life over to faith and not the depression. I did not have to defeat depression, faith defeated it for me.
The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. In a similar light, fear is the substance of things dreaded and the evidence of things not seen. In other words, faith is having hope and believing in your hope. While fear is having doubt and believing in your doubt to the point where doubt --not your faith in the Lord -- directs the choices you make daily.
But knowing how to fight depression is only the first step!
The second task is knowing where faith comes from in order to keep faith growing. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We need to know God's word and apply it in our lives.
WHAT IS FAITH TALK AND WALK?
When I was at my lowest and couldn't find any way out, I had a hard time just sitting still in the evening. I was so burdened. I suppose the turning point was when I began to read my Bible each evening while Tammie would rock our daughter Faith to sleep. I discovered that while I was reading, I was the closest I could get to peace.
By the way, it helped me so much to have a friend standing by me, even though that friend didn't know what I was going through. We shouldn't turn to friends instead of turning to God. But often, through healthy friendships and godly relationships, God can encourage us and bless us. He asks us to encourage one another and, in so doing that, we often find encouragement and purpose.
In Ephesians Chapter 6, the Bible tells us that our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with powers, principalities and rulers in high, dark places, and for this reason, we need to keep on the armor of God. Following this, Paul tells us what the armor of God is. At the end it says take up the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the wicked and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. God calls faith our shield and His word, our sword in the daily spiritual battles.
He calls faith our shield because faith will smother and shield off doubt, quenching the fiery darts of the wicked –like fear, doubt and depression. I don't want to get too spiritual… but the bottom line is the devil was once a leader in heaven until he rebelled against God. He knows a lot more than we do, and that's why we don't make much of a match for him. However, God says that by His word the devil is already defeated in our lives, and there's no question as to whether the Creator or the created, including the devil, knows more. The only way Satan has in is with our permission and that's usually given unintentionally when we focus on things contrary to God's word, like fear and doubt.
WHO IS THE ENEMY?
The Bible says that the devil can not remain in the presence of God or His word. Jesus himself was personally approached three times by the devil and tempted. Each time Satan tried to twist the words of scripture and convince Jesus to sin, Jesus simply quoted
God's words as they were written and the devil instantly left. Jesus did not try to reason with the devil or out think him, He just used the truth of God's word, and just like that the devil was overcome.
When we read God's word, focus on His word, and apply it in our lives -- the devil has to leave. That's why I had more peace while I was reading God's word. All this to say, faith comes from reading God's word, coming to understand what God is saying to us, and then trusting in God and His word more than our circumstances. Alone, we are less than the sum of our circumstances. With God on our side, His word in our hearts– which doesn't mean that we merely know the Bible, but that we apply that divine gift of scripture to our lives – we are more than the sum of our circumstances, and nothing can overcome us.
In Romans, God tells us that through Christ we can do all things. With the Word of the Lord in our heads, hearts, and lives we are covered in the armor of God and filled with faith, and no plan of the devil can stand against us.
HOW CAN WE WIN?
Here are some other examples God gives us of how to have joy, peace, and faith over despair and depression:.
- II Corinthians 10:5 says that we are to "cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ".
God is again referring to the same high things He talked about in Ephesians. He is saying that we need to cast down, or stop thinking on, the things that are contrary to His word or the knowledge of God. He says to take captive the thoughts that are obedient to Christ.
The next question is what are the thoughts or imaginations we need to cast down? Which are the ones that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and what are the thoughts we need to take captive?
- Philippians Chapter 4 --Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
If we want God's peace, we need to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. If we are thinking on things contrary to any of these – we think on things that exalt themselves and not the Word of God. We're headed towards depression – not peace.
LOSE THE NEGATIVE
HOLD CLOSE THE POSITIVES!
One of the biggest problems in today's world is the power that news reports, television, and music have in molding our perspective. Many times these media focus on the negative… the same kind of negativity that can lead us to depression. I believe that's why so many people experience depression today, because our senses are constantly bombarded with the negative.
Any person that will repent of his or her sins and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior is instantly forgiven and declared by the Lord to be true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. We will sin again, it's a given. But from the very moment of repenting and receiving Jesus, our sins are covered by the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. Jesus died for our sins and when we receive Him, the punishment for our sins is paid.
Stay close to your friends. Enjoy the little things in life, take some time to get away, exercise (go for a bike ride or a walk and just enjoy nature and all God's wonder), find something to look forward to (maybe a trip to the beach or something simple), pay attention to what you listen to and watch. Make all your conversation about good things. Help someone or give to someone in need, listen to a good Christian radio station that broadcasts positive messages and uplifting music, read some of Joyce Meyer's material or watch her programs.
Most importantly, keep Jesus first in your life and surrender to Him. Then apply His word and think on the things He says. Read His word every day – even if it's just for a few minutes. Pray all the time -- just talking to the Lord. God says to pray about everything and worry about nothing. Pray in the morning to start your day with a faith perspective. Praying before bed at the end of the day can be extremely important for our faith, and it can put our minds at peace for the rest we need. God's word is the only thing that can do that and allow us to get healing renewing rest.
DON'T GIVE UP!
Stay determined to stay the course. Depression doesn't develop in a day or disappear in a day. When depressing thoughts come, use God's word and say, "I cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and I bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and then think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy," and before you know it a good half-day will come, and then a good day, and soon faith will choke out depression and joy will return like never before.
In the beginning, it may be a fight to focus on faith because there will be a garden of doubt with only a seed of faith, but that's okay. Just do it anyway and fight for every inch of goodness. Before you know it, faith will start growing and it will get easier and easier until it becomes your second nature to trust God and live by His word.
The best part, from all this, is your greatest trial can become your greatest trophy. One day you will be writing to, or holding the hand of, or talking to someone that needs a blessing from God, and only through faith can they be made whole. God says all things work together for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Choose by faith to believe God's word more than anything else and the power of faith will take over your life. Live life as a blessing and it will be!
Sincerely,
Kenny Vaughan
FOOTNOTES TO FREEDOM
P.S. The Bible also teaches us to live in today and not to worry about tomorrow. Jesus said to take no thought for tomorrow. Sometimes we need to have plans and do responsible things to prepare for tomorrow, but we don't have to let tomorrow rule our life today. Jesus said to not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. We have no idea what tomorrow holds and we can't change yesterday but today is ours to live and enjoy. If we're not careful we can waste all our todays worrying about the tomorrows and things that are completely out of our control. We become overwhelmed to the point of hopelessness. We lose focus and become drained and dysfunctional.
I think the devil must love to get between us and God, between us and our hope, between us and the future God has lined out for each one of us. We can't allow that. God can help us prevent that if we allow Him.
If we live by what we feel, we become an emotional roller coaster. We get good news and we're happy. We get bad news and we're sad. Up today and down tomorrow about things that we can't change and things that really don't matter. God wants us to live by His word, and it says all things will work together for the good, no matter what the circumstances look like.
- Paul in Philippians 4:13 said I have had little and I have had much and I have learned I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
- II Timothy 1:7 says, "God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind."
- Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make your paths straight."
- Jeremiah 29:11 I referred to earlier and specifically says "For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future"… and the list of scriptures that outline our route out of depression and up from our circumstances goes on and on.
God loves you and me, and He wants you and all of us to trust in His word and live by faith. Then we will have His peace and nothing will be able to take it away. Look to Paul as an example for your life. The very words given by God as a blessing for the church and a message of faith and hope, came in the form of a letter Paul wrote while he was in prison. Imagine the faith! Speaking of hope, faith, and the promises of God while sitting in a prison cell!
The seeds of faith may start small, but God tells us even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. Be patient, have faith in God, live by His word, always in faith, never in doubt.
The Bible says that with the Lord on your side, neither depression nor anything else can overcome you. Find comfort, joy and confidence in His promise that if He is for us, who (or what, indeed) can be against us!
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