Monday, December 20, 2010

Depression...

 I have been battling it for a few years now.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul?”
 Psalm 42

I struggle with depression. It’s a burden that I think many of us carry. I heard a sermon today by John Piper on depression… and want to share some of it with you, as I know that many people struggle with these things. 
At the bottom of this blog is a link to a part of the sermon... I suggest you just watch it. But, here's some of the key points if you want to follow along or just read it. 
The key is to learn how to be in an unhappy place…
 “the psalmist is miserable…. so well.” 
 Ok...easier said than done, right? What does that really mean?

John Piper based his sermon on Psalm 42. 
This was his brief overview of it, which is where he explains what was going on, and then he goes on to explain how the psalmist responded. There were three components to the overview:

1.) External condition: externally, the circumstances of the psalmist are oppressing. He's being taunted... taunted by his adversaries, by the enemy..."Where is your God?" What this really meant was, "you look like you've been abandoned." You look depressed, why won't your God lift your spirits? Taunt.
2.) Internal emotional condition: he was depressed and full of turmoil. On the brink of tears, all the time. If you struggle with depression, or even just a really bad day, you may know how that feels. To be numb with pain, to be on the brink of tears, all the time. The psalmist was experiencing this.
3.) He's fighting for hope: He says, "I will praise you." This means, "I'm not praising you right now, but I want to get to the point where I can praise YOU." I shall again praise Him. He can't praise so he's TELLING his soul, "YOU'RE GOING TO PRAISE.....TRY NOW." But its not working. Depression can be so consuming, and it feels like "its not working."

His response- how he handled it- there's 6 ways to respond:

1.) Ask, "why?": He responds to his circumstances by asking, "why?" He knows God hasn't forgotten him, but still he says, "why have you forgotten me?" This is because although he knows God hasn't forgotten him...it still FEELS like it. What you know and what you feel, are two completely different things...especially when you have a blurred vision of truth that often comes with depression.
2.) Affirm what you know: In the midst of his discouragement he affirms God's sovereign love for him. God is in charge. 
3.) Sing: He sings to the Lord at night, pleading for his life. A song that works on the greatest day of weeping. Sing a song. It doesn't have to be joyful...you're hurting. Sing a sad song. But sing a song. John Piper suggested the song, "It is well with my soul." It takes a certain life, or energy to sing a song. Just sing quietly or loudly to yourself. 
4.) Preach to your self: He preaches to his own soul! He talks to his soul! Are you listening to yourself, or talking to yourself?? Our self-talk is so important. We are constantly filled with a mind racing with lies. You have to have truth ready to rebuke the lies. Talk to yourself, and reassure yourself of the truth. Scripture is so great for this. Remind yourself, "if God is for you, who can be against you?"
5.) Remember: The psalmist remembers past experiences. He remembers times when he worshiped. Its not nostalgia, nostalgia doesn't help. The only reason he would go back and remember, was to be able to say, "God was real there. It was powerful."
6.) We thirst: The psalmist thirsts for God. "My soul pants for you the way a deer pants for water." He thirsts for God, he wants to see the face of God. He's not pleading for relief from his circumstances, no.. the first thing he says is , "I want You." He doesn't say, "get me out of here." He says, "I want You."

The point of the psalms, John Piper says, is that we learn what it is to be weaned from attachments and security, and to become addicted to God.

Here are some links to parts of the sermon. CHECK IT OUT...My short summary does not do it justice.