There are times when depression is saying something and we must listen

“Why did You ask me to do this when You knew how hard it was going to be? Why did You allow these things to happen to me? Did You forget about me? I need Your help! Help me!” Tears spilled down my cheeks as I cried out to God. This was the moment I realized that I was not only depressed, I was very angry. I had my prayer journal open in my lap, my gel pen in my hand, and I was reading and praying through the book Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch. I wanted to discover the root of my depression. Why was I so despondent? Why had I lost my zeal for life? I had just read this powerful quote from the book: “We, too, are a cause of suffering. Our rage causes divorce and subsequent aloneness. Our stealing causes imprisonment. Our addictions destroy our relationships and our bodies. Don’t be surprised if you find things within yourself—fears, anger and selfish desires—lurking behind some depression. Anger, especially, is a notorious cause.”

I humbled myself and searched my heart while begging God to show me what ways my own choices, my rage, my fears, my anger, and my selfish desires could be helping to cause or worsen my depression.  One glaringly obvious cause was that I had moved over 5,000 miles (8 time zones) away and was dealing with culture shock, but I also wanted to see what part my own choices were playing in this struggle. I pondered this quote from the book: “It [depression] might be pointing to important matters of the heart that are crying out for attention. Ignore them and they will just call back later. There are times when depression is saying something and we must listen.” Through prayer we can

Pictured above is the powerful
book I have quoted here
by Edward T. Welch
Click for more info on this book
(I named this post after a
quote from this book)

ask God what He might be trying to teach us through what the depression is saying. It is the goal of the enemy to kill us, destroy us, to rip us to shreds and bombard us with anxiety, depression, fear, and rage to the point that we are crippled. But in Christ we can be overcomers! Let’s not forget the immense power of prayer and of praying Scripture verses in order to proactively find our way out of the darkness of depression. If you, like me, are struggling with depression, feel free to email me or comment below and I will pray for you. With God’s help we can arm ourselves because we can claim Isaiah 54:17 that says, “No weapon formed against you will prosper.”

Prayer for finding our way out of the darkness of depression:

God! I am struggling with anger about ________. Forgive me if I have stolen _________. If I have any addictions or idols of ____________, I surrender them to You and I ask for Your help! I have been battling fear about ____________, and I surrender these fears to You because I know I can trust You and that I don’t have to lean on my own understanding. I know there is purpose in my pain! I want to learn what You want to teach me Father! I don’t understand why this is happening or why You have allowed it, but my faith in You is unwavering! I know You don’t change like shifting shadows! I know Your name is Adonai and that I can depend on You! I know You are my Rock! When hard times come, I will keep on running to You! Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD! The maker of heaven and earth! I will not be afraid! Thank you that even in times of drought and depression, my leaves will still stay green, I will go right on producing fruit because my trust is in You and not in myself.

Verses I've collected that are helping me fight depression:

Jeremiah 17:8-9

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence. He is like a tree planted along a riverbank, with its roots reaching deep into the water—a tree not bothered by the heat nor worried by long months of drought. Its leaves stay green, and it goes right on producing all its luscious fruit.

Psalms 94:18-19

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
   When anxiety was great within me,
    your consolation brought me joy.

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Isaiah 54:17a

No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

1 Peter 5:6-11

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

John 10:9-11

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Isaiah 60:1

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Isaiah 30:21

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand

Or whenever you turn to the left.

Psalms 118:13-14

I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.

Psalms 55:2; 55:22
  Hear me and answer me.
 My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.
  Cast your cares on the Lord
  and he will sustain you;
  he will never let
  the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 30:5b
  Weeping may stay for the night,

    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalms 34:4

 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.

Joshua 1:9

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Hebrews 10:36

 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive   what is promised.

Colossians 1:11

 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.

If you would like to get in touch, feel free to private message me on Facebook or email me at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com.  

Photo credit for image 1: Kevin Carden Photography

Photo credit for Psalms 118 image: Bible Verse Images 

God Gives us the Bold Discipline to Cast Out Fear and Live Free

I realized that because of my faith in God, I could let go of my fear, and that
in letting go of my fear, I could let go of the stronghold food had on my life. 

Have you ever been afraid of something?  Truly afraid?  Not just nervous, but terrified?  I grew up singing the Steve Green song “When I am afraid, I will trust in you, I will trust in you, I will trust in you. When I am afraid, I will trust in you, in God whose word I praise.” As a six-year-old I used to sing myself to sleep with that song when I was afraid from lightning storms brewing outside. 

As a sixteen year-old I began to fear other things.  I was afraid I would never be as thin as I wanted to be no matter how many diets I tried.  I became afraid that I was not lovable or beautiful enough.  By age 25 I weighed almost 300 pounds at five foot three inches tall.  I had begun a pattern of overeating as a way of dealing with my fear. After many nights of crying myself to sleep and many failed diets-finally, I had had enough!  I couldn’t live that way anymore! I began reading what God’s Word says about fear: “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” -2 Timothy 1:7 (NET Bible) I began to believe this verse and pray with faith that I could change. I began to remind myself that I didn’t have to give in to fear, but that I could stop overeating by putting my trust in God.  I realized that because of my faith in God, I could let go of my fear, and that in letting go of my fear, I could let go of the stronghold food had on my life. 

We do not have to be a slave to our fear or to our out-of-control hunger because we have a Mighty, Powerful God who is always beside us as we pass through deep waters!  A God who knows us by name!  A God who redeems us from fear!  And He can redeem you from fear too if you will invite Him to! 

He is in the business of moving mountains, setting people free, and breaking chains!  Tell me the height, the depth of your fear, and I will tell you the limitlessness of my God!  He is so good!  He teaches us to turn to Him instead of turning to food or other counterfeit gods when we are anxious or afraid!  There is great power in these immutable words that I first discovered during my devotions and then read aloud at churches and nursing homes when on tour with my youth choir at age fourteen:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
  When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
  For I am the Lord your God…” -Isaiah 43:1b-3a (NIV)

The beauty lies in the truth that we do not have to depend on our own strengths, abilities, and perfect little diet plans in order to be successful- nope.  If that was the case, I could have never lost the 140+ pounds that God helped me to lose over the last two years.  God never calls us to a task without preparing and enabling us to accomplish it.  God Himself strengthens us as we ask Him to help us to turn our fears and worries into prayers instead of running to the kitchen (or TV binge-watching) for solace.  God empowers us by His Holy Spirit to do very hard things! 

He empowers us to strip away fear, and He gives us BOLD DISCIPLINE to step out in faith and say, “Lord, with Your power strengthening me, I will not live in fear anymore!  I will not turn to food or to ____ (you fill in the blank) when I am afraid!  Instead, I will turn to You, pour out my heart to You, and I will find the comfort and strength I need in order to overcome.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” 

If you could relate to any of this, feel free to comment below with questions or thoughts on this topic.  Also, feel free to answer any or all of these questions:

What are your core fears?  What do you find yourself turning to for comfort when you are afraid?  For me, it used to be a big bowl of popcorn, but the Lord is continuing to work on me and show me a better way to deal with my anxieties. If food isn’t your “counterfeit god,” then what is?  What steps are you willing to take in order to let go of fear and allow God to handle the things you are afraid of? Also, do you have any advice from personal experience about overcoming fear and/or overcoming overeating in relation to dealing with fear and anxiety?  Join the conversation below.

If you would like to get in touch, feel free to private message me on Facebook or email me at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com.  Thank you!