Walking Through The Dark Valley You're Not Alone!

Walking in a Valley? you're not Alone! Nestled in the Psalms...along with the prophecies, good remarks, and worshipful doxologies, we find a few moments of despair...an honest and transparent disclosure of the soul by the Psalmist. Whether it was from his own sin, or the pursuit of others against him, the Psalmist david provided an honest narrative of crying out to the Lord through his affliction. Our times during the despair have many names...depressive disorders, dark night of the spirit, blues, and melancholia. Former prime minister of England Winston Churchill personalized it by calling it his "dark dog". For many, it may be as easy as walking through a few weeks associated with 'darkness', and then getting back to regular. But others walk in valleys with incredible pain and despair, making daily life itself a challenge. While the features of this season vary, individuals often can experience feeling of prolonged depression, anxiety, concern, panic, feelings of isolation, unusual guilt, sense of worthlessness, rejection, or failure. Causes can include physiological sickness, emotional trauma, continued tension, insufficient sunlight or physical exercise, and spiritual oppression in the enemy of our soul. As we read through Psalm 42, there is a sense of undulation between despair and wish. The Psalmist recognized his despair without shame, however he also recognized anticipation that comes from the Lord. Walking in a tunnel of night is a journey that requires all of us to hope in the lord in the moment, sometimes a moment at a time. In our present day tradition, we have grown accustomed to the fast fix...the instant relief as well as satisfaction that is ours along with minimal effort. Our prolonged exposure to instant gratification offers allowed us to grow soft when times of perseverance are essential. And walking through a valley of despair often requires an enormous sense of determination of walking with the lord moment-by-moment. One of the mockeries of depression is the incorrect sense that we are alone...that God has forgotten us, and no one can understand our pain. While absolutely nothing could be farther from the truth, the despairing person may have a hard time grasping that they're not alone. However no matter how dark the clouds, the sun is shining vibrantly above the veil. It's the absolute truth. The Psalmist recognizes this in verse eleven of Psalm 42: "Why are you in despair, o my soul? And why have you become disrupted within me? Hope in God, for we shall yet praise him, The help of my countenance and my God." But the Psalmist is not the only one in the bible who experienced despair. Job may be the most lamentable patient of despair that we observe. He says in Job 7 :11, "Therefore, i'll not restrain my mouth area ; I will speak in the concern of my spirit, i will complain in the bitterness of my soul. job doesn't even try to hide his pain. He even cries out a couple verses later that he can't actually find relief while he sleeps. Sometimes God allows us to walk through such times. While we may not readily ascertain why He takes us with the valley, I've talked along with very few people who haven't emerged from that tunnel stronger in their faith because of it. Job walked in victory again, and lived in order to praise God.

There are other people, but time would fall short me to elaborate on men like Elijah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, john, and even Jesus as He cried out to the Father in concern from the garden, and in the cross. In more modern occasions, Winston Churchill was well acquainted with despair and depression, as was Abraham Lincoln, and even Charles Spurgeon. A well-known hymn writer in the 1700s named William Cowper invested much of his life in a sanitarium for the insane as he struggled with unimaginable psychological illness. Yet he would recuperate to times of lucidity as well as write poetry as this: There is a fountain filled with bloodstream Drawn from Emmanuel's veins ; And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their responsible stains. (public Domain - William Cowper) Such words are drawn from the well of deep suffering, birthed from undulations associated with life's demons of condemnation and the brightest light associated with forgiveness. The hymn author John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace, was a continuing friend to Cowper during his lifetime. Newton themself had experienced his own dark night of the soul. It appears the Lord uses our times during the despair to bring encouragement in order to others. Ministering to the Depressed It is important to realize that becoming depressed is not a character drawback. People normally cannot be expected to snap themselves out of it, in order to fully think quite because lucidly or cheerfully as we might want. The Bible talks of accepting the one who is weak. Isaiah 35:3-4 says, "Encourage the actual exhausted, and strengthen the actual feeble. Say to those with nervous heart, "take courage, fear not. Behold your God includes vengeance; The recompense associated with God will come, But he'll save YOU" In Hebrews 12 :12, we read a similar encouragement, "Therefore, reinforce the hands that are fragile, and the knees that are weak, and make straight paths for the feet, so that the limb which is lame may not to be put out of joint, but rather be healed" I see during these verses a heart associated with compassion, encouraging us towards healing and restoring others who are hurting. Truthfully, we will all find ourselves in a location of need someday. While it may be easy to think that we're the strong ones, it may be that we are weaker compared to we might think. It could be that the one we help strengthen today, will help strengthen us tomorrow. Surviving Depression We can look at depression in two ways... 1. As a condition that we attempt to remedy 2. As a mechanism which God is using to train as well as teach us reliance on Him Depression can be a sign...an indicator that something within our entire body, life, or mind needs attention. Seeing a medical doctor very first thing is recommended, to eliminate any organic or other problems happening that may need medical treatment. Your physician may prescribe some kind of antidepressant medication for you to take. Consult with him/her the pros and negatives of this

decision. In some instances, they can be very helpful. Antidepressants are not 'puppy uppers' as some claim, but actually enable the body to create necessary neurotransmitters that help manage and stabilize moods. But sometimes our season of despair or darkness is much more of a spiritual matter which God uses to draw us closer to Him. What to complete... 1. Draw Near to God James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and that he will draw near to a person..." Spend time in prayer, and seeking the things of the lord. Review the things in your life which may be dragging you down...nOt every book, movie, or television show is helping us. Actually, they may be hindering us. We have grown accustomed to inviting lots of different influences into our lives and homes, and many of those things may be spiritually bad for us. Carve out for yourself a basic time with the Lord...actually, you may want to schedule several of these during the day during your darkest times. Weep out to the Lord and ask him or her to show you what He really wants to teach you during this time. We often cry out to be delivered from our darkness, but fail to request the Lord to use this time to understand. 2. Draw Near to his Word Psalm 119:105 "Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my route " Read and meditate on Scripture daily...even hourly if necessary. There is healing in the Word of lord...it is a lamp that lord gives to light the journey. Cling to the spiritual truths written in God's Word: jesus said, "I will never make you or forsake you" he or she hasn't broken that promise yet to His children, and He's not going to start with a person. Cling to the Word of God: The Psalmist talked of his tears becoming his food day and night. Well...add some bread to the dinner. Instead of just tears, make the Scriptures become your food day and night. 1 Timothy 1:7 - "He has not given us a spirit of fear..." Psalm 34:18 - "the lord is near to the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit" Proverbs 3 :25 - "Do not be scared of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes." Panic won't help you...Satan uses it in your life to create confusion, fear, and mistrust. 3. Draw Near to other Believers We need each other. There's comfort in two walking together. But there is also healing in strolling with each other, because others possess walked this road too 4. Understand the Deception within Depression We all know that our feelings betray us...we think something, but the truth is something else entirely. We're never more betrayed through our thoughts and emotions than when we are depressed as well as discouraged. Things appear even worse than they are...problems are intensified 5. God Uses Our depressive disorders for His Glory pay attention to this quote by Pastor Mark Abbot in an article in Preaching magazine "a lot of American Christianity is preoccupied with therapy, with providing cures for whatever ails us, including depression. But could it be that, instead of trying to find cures for everything that ails us we ought to be hearing for God's voice in all the experiences of life, even just in depression? Could it be that depressive disorders isn't all bad? perhaps there are some things we learn, some growth possible ONLY via these low, dark times."

In spite of our shortcomings, our handicaps, our weak points, and other things we deem insufficient in our lives, lord is able to take our emptiness, fill it with Himself, and employ it for His glory. There's HOPE. God has not been captured by surprise by your depression. He may have even planned it for your good. He Giveth More Grace He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater, He sendeth more strength as our labors increase; To added conditions He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials he multiplies peace. When we have exhausted the store of endurance, whenever our strength has failed ere the day is half done, When we reach the finish of our hoarded resources our Father's full giving is only begun. Fear not that thy need shall exceed His supply, Our God ever yearns His resources to share; slim hard on the arm eternal, availing; The Father both thee and thy load will upbear. His love has no limitations, His grace has no measure, His power no border known unto men; for out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again. (Public domain - Annie Johnson Flint) *********************** Jeremiah 29