“Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.” – King David (Psalm 57:1-2)
Category Archives: Depression
My Verse. My Prayer. My Hope.
Filed under Christianity, current events, Depression, God, Struggles and Trials, worship
An Embarrassing Reminder
I was planning on sharing something different this morning, but then I read another post (from Matthew Winters) that changed my mind.
I won’t go into detail, for, as truth would have it, the Devil is in the details; I will just give you a thumbnail sketch of what happened to me a couple of hours ago.
Early in the morning hours I made a call over the radio on my school bus. It was not a serious call, just one to add a little humor into the day. I called into my dispatch (everyone could hear this) and said, “All of my elementary students are acting right for a change…please advise.” After a silly reply or two, a serious voice came over the radio from the head boss, the manager of the whole show, and asked to see me in his office when I got back to the lot.
Why did he want to see me? Well, it was nothing important, at least nothing I need to recount here. However, for an hour I had to think about what it was that he wanted to see me for. I kept thinking to myself, “What did I do?”
It wasn’t long before I was considering how I would explain to my wife and family my firing. How would we make it? How would I pay the bills? It’s already tough at the moment, but what would I do now? I was literally ready to hear the words, “We are going to have to let you go,” and I hadn’t a single reason.
I was shaking. I was nervous. I was fearful. I was ashamed of myself. I was faithless.
Once the short meeting was over, my boss, a Christian guy, asked me, “So, you still looking for a new church to pastor?”
I left his office feeling like a fool. I left embarrassed. I left with only one short prayer on my lips…”I’m sorry, Lord.”
This is how Satan attempts to defeat the children of God. He accuses, even when there is nothing for which to answer! He makes us look for wrong in ourselves, judge ourselves unjustly, and forget that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and watches over us. He seeks to destroy our faith with fear: fear of the unknown; fear of what doesn’t even exist.
In my weakness, partly because I didn’t start my day with prayer, I fell victim to the enemy’s lies and nearly defeated myself.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
“…I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:20
Next time the devil starts whispering those accusations in my ear, let me be reminded Who’s side I’m on and Who has already won the victory for me. That might save me some embarrassment when next I fall on my knees.
Filed under Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Depression, Faith, Life Lessons
Not a Failure
Regardless the success of his contemporaries, no man is a failure whose life is a positive reflection of Jesus Christ. – A. Baker
Filed under Christian Living, Christianity, Depression, Jesus, self-worth, Struggles and Trials
SarcAsm
Dear Alabama,
My heart breaks for you. Hot, painful tears stream down my cheeks. Every time I breath through my nose I think of how sore a sobbing elephant’s trunk must feel. Oh, and how many trees had to die to make the piles of tissue needed to capture the snot?
If you need a shoulder, dear Tide fan, I’m here for you. I know you’re crushed. Just give me a call if you need to talk; I’ll be happy to listen.
Just make sure you call – don’t FaceTime me – I don’t want you to see my smile 🙂
Filed under Depression, Humor
Happy Fox Is Leaving
If you have lived for any amount of time, like most of you surely have, I’m positive there’s been a time or two when the air was knocked out of you by some bad news.
Think of something you’ve experienced – not so bad as the death of a loved one, though, – and you’ll understand how I feel right now.
Names
The first thing you need to know is that I name children on my school bus. If that sounds strange, the reason is because sometimes I can’t remember their parent-given names, especially early on in the school year. Therefore, I give them a name in the same way my Native American ancestors did; I name them based on something I see.
For example, one girl is tall and thin as a stick, so I call her Sticky. There’s a boy who always runs from his house to the bus, so I call him Runny Boy. Flower Girl lives on a street called Magnolia. Flower Girl’s little sister, a 5th grader who started riding my bus in Kindergarten, blew bubbles on the bus, so… her name is Bubbles, a name which she fiercely defends (she’ll go by that name in college one day).
Another little girl started riding my bus four years ago, I believe. The thing that set her apart from every other child on my bus was her smile – it was constant and predictable. So, when she started riding my bus it was cooler weather, therefore she always wore a hat that looked like a fox head (with ears and all). That’s when I started calling her Happy Fox.
The Notification
This afternoon, as I was standing in the big room where all the children come to sit in their designated areas, each one with a sign that displays the number of the bus they will ride, Happy Fox walked up to me with only half a smile.
“I’m gonna be leaving you,” she said with an uncharacteristically somber tone.
“What? You’re gonna be leaving me?” I asked jokingly.
“Yeah,” she said, “I’m not going to be riding with you anymore.”
A little shocked, I replied, “Really? Why not?”
With an brave little attitude that some kids have – the kind that care about the feelings of others and don’t really expect your sympathy – she explained, “Yeah, well, my mom and dad are breaking up, and I’ve got to go live with my dad…so I won’t be riding anymore after Friday, I think.”
That. Hurt. On. So. Many. Levels!!
The Others
Here’s the thing: God hates divorce! You want to know why? Well, besides the fact that it is the opposite of what God wants, which is a picture of faithfulness that mirrors His faithfulness to us, it hurts a LOT of people, especially the children!! … And the bus drivers!!!
Too often couples will separate for the most petty of reasons. Others break up for good reasons, but the reasons were preventable. Nevertheless, no matter the reason, there are very few of them that are insurmountable, should the offended couple think of others besides themselves.
Today was a good example of the ripple effects divorces have. Sure, some couple thinks their lives are going to be better now that they don’t live with each other, but children are going to suffer; future families are going to suffer; risks for many bad things are going to go up; and even people like me are going to cry, get in an ill mood, bite the heads off their own families, and write depressing blog posts at the end of the day.
I just pray that Happy Fox can keep that smile.
From Regret to Radiance
No Regrets
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say of life, “I have no regrets.” It amazes me, for I don’t see how it’s possible. How can one look back on one’s life and find nothing regretful?
To be honest, the only people I’ve encountered who actually said that were people who were unwilling to admit they’ve ever done anything wrong. They are the type of people who, when confronted with some wrongdoing which caused pain in others, refuse to accept any responsibility. Therefore, I believe the person who says he has “no regrets” is either lying or in denial.
Many Regrets
Look, I’m not perfect. I’ve done a lot of things I regret. I’ve broken things, lost things, wasted things, and hurt things. I’ve wounded hearts, scarred lives, and wasted ungodly amounts of irreplaceable time.
Photo credit: Katie Baker
Besides the things I’ve done, there’s also the things I didn’t do. For example, I could have told my dad I loved him the day he died instead of storming out of the house and speeding away.
I could have walked away from that relationship before our hearts were broken and our innocence lost.
And speaking of lost, I could shared Jesus with those people before they went out into eternity. But I didn’t, and I regret it.
Moving On
Every once in awhile my past creeps back into my mind, bringing with it the pain of regret. There has even been times when I could echo the words of David when he said:
“I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears.” – Psalm 6:6 NLT
But like King David, I’ve had to move on. After being judged by God for his sin, David wrote in Psalm 51:8, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice!” (ESV). He begged God for forgiveness, then he accepted it. We must learn to to do the same.
When we fail to accept God’s unmerited grace, we not only waste away (2 Corinthians 7:10), but we open ourselves up to the Enemy’s attacks (1 Peter 5:8). And in case you haven’t noticed, Satan is always ready to attack where we are weak.
Press On
I know it’s hard to do, but we must do even more than move on – we must “press on.”
“…But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
When those painful regrets come to mind, don’t let depression hold you back and weigh you down – press on! Be tough, push the past aside, be disciplined, and press on toward what lies ahead.
Be Radiant
God saw our future, along with our past, when He purchased us with His blood. Therefore, what He has forgiven we must also forgive, and that includes forgiving ourselves. Accept that the past happened, but learn from it and rest in the grace of God.
“I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” – Psalm 34:4-5 ESV
Turn your regrets over to the God of mercy and grace and quit living in shame. He can work miracles with broken things, including your past. You survived for a reason.
You have a hope this darkened world needs to see, so don’t be regretful; be RADIANT!
Filed under Depression, self-worth
No Help? Selah
Many there be which say of my soul, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah. – Psalm 3:2
Selah. It’s a word that instructs us to pause and consider what was just read or sung (the Psalms were actually songs). But what good is there in pausing to think about people who want to discourage us?
“There is no help for him in God.” How depressing those words are! Do they make you want to give up? Do you believe them?
Fortunately, King David, the author of most of the Psalms, did not believe what the “many” said of his soul. And neither should we, that is, if our hope Christ.
The Many
Let’s start with thinking about the “many.” Who are they? In the case of David, they were the ones who were intent on usurping his throne and replacing him with his son, Absalom. Like modern propagandists they tried to weaken King David’s resolve by removing all hope in his Rescuer and Deliverer. They struck at the very core of who he was by attacking his faith in the very God who promised “thy throne shall be established for ever” (2 Samuel 7:16).
Who are the “many” in our lives? Jesus spoke of them as men who love darkness rather than light (John 3:19) and the “praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). Paul describes them in Romans chapter 1 as those who suppress the truth by their wickedness (18), refusing even to retain the knowledge of God in their minds (28).
So, the ones who say that God will not help are the very same ones who refuse to know nothing about God. Think about that one for a moment! What do they know??
The Help
David was not about to lose hope in his God. In a later Psalm we read : “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2). Who were they, those who refused to know God, to tell David the One who made heaven and earth…the One who promised to establish his throne forever…the one who delivered him from the lion, the bear, and the Giant…was unfaithful?
David had seen the mighty Hand of God in action. He has been witness to His deliverance and protection too many times before. That is why in the very next verse he could proclaim with confidence in the face of those who would discourage him:
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. – Psalm 3:3
Just Wait
There may be people who say the very same things to you that they said to David as he hid for his life in the caves. They mock your faith and hope as you huddle in the dark, waiting for deliverance. But just hold on, believer! His promises are true! You’ve seen the way He works, and He’s not done, yet!
The “many” have no clue what they’re talking about; they can’t see your soul and they don’t know your God. So, just wait on Him, and you’ll never be ashamed (Psalm 25:3a)!
Selah.
Filed under Bible Study, Depression
Self-Esteem and Enduring the Race
Self-Esteem
How we see ourselves is critical to endurance, isn’t it?
Myself, well, I battle with self-esteem ALL the time. Does that come as a shock to you? It shouldn’t. I’m only human. You see, it’s difficult to view myself as successful, much less a “godly” pastor when standing in the light of men whose congregations run in the hundreds, if not thousands, whose ministries see scores of people regularly coming to Christ, and whose lives are more like Billy Graham while mine often crumbles like a graham cracker.
Like Moses as he stood before the burning bush in Exodus 3:11, I often ask, “Who am I, God?” Compared to those men with huge ministries, those phenomenal leaders who grace our Christian bookstore shelves, or even the pastor down the road with cooler clothes, I seem small, ineffective, impotent, and of little worth.
However, if I would stop standing in the shadow of other men, and stand in the light of Jesus, things would be MUCH different!
Gracious Light
Sure, I am small and weak in the light of His glory, but in my weakness I am made strong, not patronized. When I stand in His light my frailties, my sin, my worries, my brokenness are made painfully evident…but so is HIS GRACE!
When I compare myself to other people, all I see failure. But, when I compare myself to Jesus Christ, I can recognize my utter inabilities and at the same time find in Him the strength and grace to be all HE wants me to be! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
As we follow Jesus Christ we are promised to be conformed to His likeness, not men. Should we conform to the likeness of others we view as more successful than ourselves, then we will truly fail.
Endurance is available for those who run their own race, not the race of others.
Filed under Christian Living, Depression, self-worth
Leftovers and Sermons
Sandwiches
What do you think of leftovers? Do you like them? Hate them? Some people never eat them, while others save every crumb to make meals for days to come. Personally, it really all depends on what is being saved, like turkey.
Believe it or not, I am planning to be enjoying Thanksgiving turkey well into the week before Christmas! I froze just enough of the leftover meat so that I could have leftover turkey sandwiches whenever I wanted for weeks to come! Brilliant!
Sermons
The Sunday morning after Thanksgiving I preached an unusual topical sermon about “Leftovers,” one even the most died-in-the-wool expositionalist should enjoy. I would love for you to listen to it, so I am including it in this post (and posting a link in the Sermon Archive page).
If you don’t want to listen to the whole thing (it is unedited and includes all my misspoken words, flubs, etc.), then at least fast forward till you get to the “Personal Context” part – that’s my favorite 🙂
Click on the photo to listen 🙂
If you’d like, you can follow along while looking at the actual outline I used as I preached (it’s not much, but it was a guide – I don’t normally use outlines).
III. Personal Context – For those who feel like leftovers.
For those who may feel they’ve already given away the best & freshest, good news! God loves you! And if we’ve learned anything from the feeding of the thousands, the Lord hates letting things go to waste. As a matter of fact:
- God loves to SAVE!
- He will save YOU! 2 Peter 3:9 “…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” In Luke 19:10 Jesus said the reason He came was to seek and to save the lost. I personally believe that if you were created, you’re not meant to be wasted.
- He even saves your SORROWS! Psalm 56:8 NLT – “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”
- What God SAVES, He SEALS! 1:13; 4:30
- God is a SPECIALIST in making new recipes out of leftovers!
- God can’t use me… Really? “There are no leftovers with God. Adam plunged the human race into sin. Moses was a murderer. Jacob was a liar. Samson lusted after heathen women. Rahab was a harlot. Peter denied the Saviour. God used them all.” If He used these people, even Paul, then he can use us.
- 21:5 “…I make all things new…”
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV – “Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Remember, our God wastes nothing, including our tears!
Filed under Depression, Food, God, Love of God, Preaching, self-worth, Thanksgiving
Hopeful Sandwich
Sandwiches
I love sandwiches! Don’t you? I do, and let me tell you some of my favorites.
First, there’s peanut butter and jelly (preferably Concord grape or strawberry). Next, there’s the quintessential grilled cheese. Bologna (pronounced by me as “baloney”) and cheese is always good, too. And then of course, especially around this time of year, there’s the unequaled left-over turkey sandwich made after Thanksgiving! All of these are favorite sandwiches of mine.
What makes a good sandwich? Well, what’s between the bread, of course. But that’s not to say the bread isn’t important; the best sandwiches couldn’t even exist without the bread. As a matter of fact, there are times when the bread is all that gets notices, while what’s between is barely tasted.
1 Peter 5:7 is like that. Let me explain.
Popular Bread
Like the bread that gets more attention than the meat, 1 Peter 5:6 and 8 are slices of Scripture about which everyone raves. I’ve heard far more sermons about them than I have verse seven.
For example, if you are at all familiar with a fighter named Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey, then 1 Peter 5:6 will make perfect sense to you. As a matter of fact, I would bet verse 6 was quoted from a lot of pulpits the Sunday after Holly Holm stunned the martial art world when she forced Rousey to get un-scheduled plastic surgery after a kick to the head.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” – 1 Peter 5:6
And then there’s 1 Peter 5:8. This is the popular slice of Bread most often preached to those who forget we have a spiritual enemy who wants to knock our heads off.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” – 1 Peter 5:8
These two verses are famous, oft-quoted, oft-referenced slices of Bread which form a sandwich around verse seven, the “meat” that gives us reason for hope.
He Cares
1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) reads, “Casting all your care upon Him; for he careth for you.” Aside from the fact that we should be humble under the hand of God and watch out for an enemy who wants to devour us, did you ever stop to think that Jesus cares about what you’re going through? That’s the meat.
But if you can keep reading for just a little while longer, I will show you why this sandwich tastes sooooo good 🙂
Casting. There are three little words which are critical to a deeper understanding of verse seven. The first one is “casting.”
The Greek word translated as “casting” is ἐπιρίπτω (epiriptō). Beside 1 Peter 5:7, the only other times it’s used is in Luke 19:35. In that case it’s used in reference to how the Jews threw their coats and Jesus upon the donkey colt that would carry Him into Jerusalem. Can you picture it?
Cares. The next word is “cares.” We are told to cast our “cares” upon Jesus. Well, what are our cares? The Greek word here is μέριμνα (merimna), which means “care” or “anxiety.”* But what is really interesting to me is the meaning of the word on which this word is based, μερίζω (merizō). Merizō is used to describe something separated into parts or cut into pieces.**
Careth. The third word, μέλει (melei), is the Greek word that means what we think of when we read “he careth for you.” I simply means that somebody cares.***
In other words, as I like to describe it, our “cares” are those things which make us anxious, cause us to worry, and literally tear us apart. But Jesus wants us to “cast” them upon Him! Why? Because He cares!
Yes, Jesus cares about the things that worry you; the things that weigh heavy on your heart; the things that seem to be tearing you apart. Jesus really does care!
Why is it, then, that we let things get us down? Why don’t we just take the things that tear us apart, whether big or small, singular or multiple, and throw them on Jesus just like the Jews did with their coats upon that colt.
Jesus cares about our “cares!” That’s the hopeful meat of this “sandwich.” It means we don’t have to go through the tough times alone; we can rest in the mighty hand of God; and we can resist the devil who’s seeking our destruction…because Jesus cares!
Pretty tasty, eh? I thought you’d like it 😉 !
*“Greek Lexicon :: G3308 (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible.
**“Greek Lexicon :: G3307 (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible.
***“Greek Lexicon :: G3199 (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible.
Filed under Bible Study, Depression, Food, Love of God
The Recovering Legalist 