My favorite speaker is Charles Spurgeon. He is crazy wise. Honestly, I love reading his sermons; God always really speaks to me when I read them. But the most interesting thing about him is that he struggled with severe depression. When I first heard that my mind was blown and my respect for him tripled! There are so many quotes I want to share with you of things he has said about the subject.
“I am the subject of depression so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to. But I always get back again by this–I know that I trust Christ. I have no reliance but in Him, and if He falls, I shall fall with Him. But if He does not, I shall not. Because He lives, I shall live also, and I spring to my legs again and fight with my depressions of spirit and get the victory through it. And so may you do, and so you must, for there is no other way of escaping from it.”
"I find myself frequently depressed - perhaps more so than any other person here. And I find no better cure for that depression than to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and seek to realize afresh the power of the peace-speaking blood of Jesus, and His infinite love in dying upon the cross to put away all my transgressions."
The amazing thing is that God can still use us when we're depressed or hurting or struggling. Just because we're stuck in a depression doens't mean that God can't use us. Also, don't beat yourself up over being depressed. It's ok.
“We have our times of natural sadness; we have, too, our times of depression, when we
cannot do otherwise than hang our heads. Seasons of lethargy will also befall us from
changes in our natural frame, or from weariness, or the rebound of over excitement.
The trees are not always green, the sap sleeps in them in the winter; and we have
winters too. Life cannot always be at flood tide: the fulness of the blessing is not upon
the most gracious at all times.”
It's ok to hang your head sometimes and feel sad. But don't let it take over your life. There is always hope so never lose sight of that. God can use these struggles in your life to allow you to help others; I have found that to be very true in my own life. I have such a better understanding for others and my ability to relate has increased with my struggles. When you're down, that allows God to lift you up. When you're empty, God can fill you.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let it be fearful. Believe in God, believe also in Me."-John 14:1
~Faith
“I am the subject of depression so fearful that I hope none of you ever get to such extremes of wretchedness as I go to. But I always get back again by this–I know that I trust Christ. I have no reliance but in Him, and if He falls, I shall fall with Him. But if He does not, I shall not. Because He lives, I shall live also, and I spring to my legs again and fight with my depressions of spirit and get the victory through it. And so may you do, and so you must, for there is no other way of escaping from it.”
"I find myself frequently depressed - perhaps more so than any other person here. And I find no better cure for that depression than to trust in the Lord with all my heart, and seek to realize afresh the power of the peace-speaking blood of Jesus, and His infinite love in dying upon the cross to put away all my transgressions."
The amazing thing is that God can still use us when we're depressed or hurting or struggling. Just because we're stuck in a depression doens't mean that God can't use us. Also, don't beat yourself up over being depressed. It's ok.
“We have our times of natural sadness; we have, too, our times of depression, when we
cannot do otherwise than hang our heads. Seasons of lethargy will also befall us from
changes in our natural frame, or from weariness, or the rebound of over excitement.
The trees are not always green, the sap sleeps in them in the winter; and we have
winters too. Life cannot always be at flood tide: the fulness of the blessing is not upon
the most gracious at all times.”
It's ok to hang your head sometimes and feel sad. But don't let it take over your life. There is always hope so never lose sight of that. God can use these struggles in your life to allow you to help others; I have found that to be very true in my own life. I have such a better understanding for others and my ability to relate has increased with my struggles. When you're down, that allows God to lift you up. When you're empty, God can fill you.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let it be fearful. Believe in God, believe also in Me."-John 14:1
~Faith