Depression?

I am reading daily devotionals from You Version Bible on my iPhone (If you have an iPhone just search for You Version. Our pastor uses it for the sermon notes. It’s very good. Many devotionals, too!. This one came to me last week so I sent it to myself to write about:

“Psalms 25:15-20 “My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.”

This keeps coming to mind this morning. I recall reading it last week and remembering how I was told by several people and read also that if you are having trouble with depression that reading Psalms is very helpful. Reason? David is known to have had to suffer some depression. Can you honestly tell me after reading the above that he didn’t? Yet David is said to be a man after God’s own heart! I believe it’s due to David being honest with Him so it testifies to their relationship!

I’ve done it in the past and it does really work! Since being healed from the extended illness and further delivered from depression I have learned to view life a bit differently so that I just don’t seem to go into anything more than a few days or so feeling depressed instead of going into an extended depression. Reading Psalms does help me, also. But I believe God has shown me that no matter how lousy my day is, I can ALWAYS find someone who is having a worse one!

My mother used to just get disgusted with me being so positive so much of the time. I came up with reason after reason which I know are still truths! My life has been one with numerous depressions, attempted suicides, etc… and for one I trust and believe in God’s word in this:

*2 Corinthians 1:4 “who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

On top of all of this I believe that God just revealed to me recently a promise from Him that I hadn’t noticed before. After these approx. 7 years of being delivered from such debilitating deep depressions over a good 35-40 years of my life, I was led back to the first time that I spoke in front of a group. It was a Bible study when I was in prison (don’t ever put anything past the Lord cause I said God would never use me to speak in front of others. I think it took maybe 6 weeks before He proved me wrong) that had never had a speaker before. My closest girlfriend in there was in the audience. After it was over she called me out of my cell that evening and shared:

Isaiah 61: 1-3 ““The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

(Yes, I know this is about Jesus.) She shared with me that I’d spoken about all the things in this passage. I bawled like a baby.

But even more lately I’ve been reminded of the positivity of this passage and especially “To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning”. I have been saved out of the depression so that I may share His comfort with others! I now know that I actually have trouble thinking negatively due to the promises that He has given me! All praise and glory to Jesus!

May God bless you through my writing. If He has especially touched you in any way, please leave a comment below. Your comments are so very encouraging to me to help me to keep writing. Also, click on the “Uptweet” button on the above right and share! I pray you will keep coming back. I fully believe that my writing is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so if I am writing, there is someone that needs to read it! Maybe it’s you? Also, please be sure to share any questions you might have with me and if you would like to keep them personal (just between you and me) please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at juliana.pace@gmail.com. If I don’t know how to answer you, I will may every attempt to refer you to someone for more information. Thanks and may God bless all your days!