According to depressionstatistics.org, “Over 15 million people in the United States alone suffer from depression.” In fact, I personally think that just about every person will experience some form of depression in their life at one point or another. Life is hard, really hard, I know people who have been through some of the most tragic things a person could ever experience. I know a couple who got cancer at the exact same time, multiple people who have been cheated on, divorced, people who wanted to kill themselves including me at one time. On the news their was even a story about a mother putting her own baby in a microwave and turning it on because she was so upset with her! Their is a lot of things that a person could get depressed about, no doubt about that. However, two important people in my life gave me a good perspective on depression which has always stuck with me which is, depression is really a mind-set. Your basically choosing to feel sorry for yourself, your situation, your problems. Depression in itself is a selfish choice. What?!? The first time I heard that I felt so mad and angry at the other people. I thought to myself, “Excuse me, how dare you say those things around me when I’m going through such a difficult time!” 15 minutes later, which is generally the amount of time it takes me to, ‘cool off,’ I thought to myself, “Crapola, that person is right.” I was getting angry about what they said because I knew they were right and wanted them to go along with me on my, ‘Let’s feel sorry for Peter train.’ So obviously this isn’t the answer that a lot you guys probably wanted to hear but neither did I at the time. However, you have to understand that nothing is going to change your situation while you feel depressed. In fact, when your depressed, what really happens is that you become extremely unproductive which makes the situation a perpetual cycle of ‘Feel sorry for self > emotional feelings of depression develop which reinforce the behavior > become unproductive because of hopelessness/helplessness > nothing happens which reinforces depressive state of feeling sorry for self.’ The other thing you should understand if your a christian is that the negative things in your situation may have a purpose. I noticed when things are worse, I’m closer to God. I know a lot people who experience the same thing as well. God says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” -1 Peter 4:12-13 “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you… to teach you that man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” – Deuteronomy 8:2-3 The trial could be a test from God, maybe he wants you to turn to him more, maybe he wants to help you grow. Another possibility is that the negative things that are happening are simply because of the negative, sinful choices of yourself or others. I would guess that a majority of the problems in this world are in fact, our fault. Still, their are people with diseases, deformities, and problems that don’t make sense and seem entirely out of our control. We still have to be faithful in God and know that in our limited, finite wisdom, we cannot attempt to explain everything because it’s impossible, only God can.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:05:21 +0000
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