Helpfinder Sampler - Flipbook - Page 9
• 1 KIN GS 19:3- 4 | Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. . . . He sat down under a solitary
broom tree and prayed that he might die.
spirit that filled him with depression and fear.
When you neglect the Lord to the point where he can no longer get your attention, then he
page
A90
may neglect you for a while, and depression can move easily into the vacant room in
your
heart. The farther you move from God, the less hope you have of receiving the joy of his
Depression
blessings. continued
page Even
A91 for the people of God, depression can often follow great achievement or spiritual
victory.
ALM 40:2
lifted
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THIAN| SHe
12:9
| “My
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and
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grabbed
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• PR
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page A90
A
heart without hope is a heart headed for depression.
the good work that only he can accomplish in you.
God is able to lift us out of the pit of depression and fear.
How can I help someone who is depressed?
Can any good come out of my depression?
page A91
Depression likes to keep company with trouble, sorrow, and shame. The more choices you
• 2 CORIN THIAN S 1:4 | He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.
• P S ALM 126:5 | Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
• 2 CORIN THIAN S 12:9 | “My power works best in weakness.”
P
• ROV ERBS 25:20 | Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking
When you are weak, you are more receptive to the Lord’s strength. When everything is
someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.
• E CC L E S I A S T ES 4 :8 | This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother,
make that continued
result in trouble, sorrow, or shame, the deeper your depression will become.
Depression
yet who works
hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am
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depressing.
going your way, it’s easy to overlook God’s hand in your life. As God works through your
Sometimes we don’t understand why we are depressed. During those times we must run
ROMAN S 12:15
| Be you
happy
with
who
are on
happy,
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weep.for
• weakness,
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and weep
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God isn’t disappointed by your depression and emotional struggles; on the contrary, he
Sometimes we don’t understand why we are depressed. During those times we must run
feels a special closeness to you. You can actually experience even more of God’s presence
toward the loving arms of God, not away.
in times of brokenness.
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3 9 : 1 2 when
| EvenI in
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I cannot hide from you.
• PS AGod
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sion comes, we must remember that even though we cannot see or feel his presence, he
crushed.
has not abandoned us.
• M AT T H EW 5 : 4 | “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
• PS A L M 1 3 0 : 1 | From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. (See note on
God isn’t disappointed by your depression and emotional struggles; on the contrary, he
page 549.)
feels a special closeness to you. You can actually experience even more of God’s presence
We
can cry
out to God in prayer even from the darkest night of despair. He will hear us.
in times
of brokenness.
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• has
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PS A L M 1 3and
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From
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cares deeply for the weary and provides acceptance, love, and rest.
page 549.)
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Not even life’s worst depression can separate us from the love of Christ.
grief.
We know that through Christ God understands the pain of human life.
Does
feeling depressed mean something is wrong with my faith?
M AT T H EW 1 1 : 2 8 | Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy
•
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• PS A L M 1 2 6 : 5 | Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
• PS A L M 4 0 : 2 | He lifted me out of the pit of despair.
• M AT T H EW 1 4 : 3 0 - 3 1 | When he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified
someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.
Are
feelings
of depression
sin?those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
S 12:15
| Be happy with
• ROMAN
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for advice
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away.
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You
can help and
people
who areisdepressed
by your quiet presence, your love, and your
still prevails,
treachery
everywhere.
encouragement. Telling them to “snap out of it” or minimizing their pain by false cheeriness
Becoming angry and outraged when you see the sin of a terrible crime can leave you
will just make them feel worse. There are also instances where you can lovingly suggest
depressed about all the evil in the world. This is not a sin.
they get professional help from a trained counselor. God often works through other people
11:33the
| help
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Jesus saw
her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her . . .
• JOHN
to provide
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feelings
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is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this
• JOHN
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from the ends of the earth, songs that give glory to
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the Righteous
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heart and
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for me,
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away. Deceit
When
Jesus saw
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whenwith
he faced
the cross,
he for
feltIdeeply
or
still prevails,
treachery
is everywhere.
quite
“low.” Itand
is natural
to feel
low in the backwash of troubled times. Since Jesus cannot
sin,
to feel angry
low orand
depressed
cannot
a sin.
can
ofcrime
sin or can
become
sin if
Becoming
outraged
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you
see It
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you blame God,
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• JOHN 11:33 | When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her . . .
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I pray,
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meground
from this
P S ALM12:27
40:2 || “Now
He lifted
of the pit
of despair.
. . . He
set my
feet on
solid
and
• JOHN
hour’?
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this
the veryalong.
reason I came!”
steadied
me
as is
I walked
When Jesus
saw |others
and
whentoheme,
faced
the
cross,
deeply
or
11:28
Then grieving
Jesus said,
“Come
all of
you
who he
arefelt
weary
andtroubled
carry heavy
• MATTHEW
quite “low.”
natural
to feel
low in the backwash of troubled times. Since Jesus cannot
burdens,
andItIiswill
give you
rest.”
sin, to feel low or depressed cannot be a sin. It can be a result of sin or become a sin if
you blame God, use it against God, or leave God out of your antidote.
Desires See also Addiction; Discipline; Lust; Motives; Self-Control; Sexuality;
P R O M I S E Vulnerability
S FROM GOD
Temptation;
ALM
| Hewith
liftedame
out of the
pit of despair.
. . He
my feetoronunhealthy,
solid ground
and
All•ofP Sus
are40:2
created
capacity
to desire.
Desire .can
beset
healthy
godly
steadiedcasual
me as Iorwalked
along.
or ungodly,
intense.
We can desire something simple, like a home-cooked
meal,
or develop
a burning
passion
a cause
that
us. carry
Someheavy
11:28
| Then Jesus
said,for
“Come
to me,
alleventually
of you whoconsumes
are weary and
• MATTHEW
desires
fuel passions
white
heat, even driving a person to violence or crime to satisfy
burdens,
and I will to
give
you rest.”
those desires. The Bible tells us to develop a desire—to hunger and thirst—for the Lord.
It is good and holy to desire God, to long to know him personally, to come to love him
also
Addiction;
Discipline;
Lust;
Motives;
deeply. It is alsoSee
good
and
holy to desire
the best
for our
familiesSelf-Control;
and friends, Sexuality;
to hunger
Temptation;
Vulnerability
to share
Christ with
others, to help and bless the needy and oppressed, and to know
God’s Word. Learning to control unhealthy desires and nurture healthy ones is a lifelong
All
of us
arehas
created
with
a capacity to desire. Desire can be healthy or unhealthy, godly
quest
that
eternal
implications.
or ungodly, casual or intense. We can desire something simple, like a home-cooked
meal, or develop a burning passion for a cause that eventually consumes us. Some
Desires
D
5/14/2018 10:23:55 AM
• PS A L M 4 3 : 5 | Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!
AT T H EW 5 : 4 | “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
•M
I will praise him again.
D HelpFinder
Depression likes to keep company with trouble, sorrow, and shame. The more choices you
A L M 3 4 : 1 8 | The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are
• PS
make that result in trouble, sorrow, or shame, the deeper your depression will become.
HelpFinderBible_NLT.indb
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5/14/2018 10:23:55 AM
Those dealing with depression need comfort and understanding, not advice and lectures.
HowYou
can
someone
who
is depressed?
canI help
help people
who are
depressed
by your quiet presence, your love, and your
Telling
them
to “snap
out
it” troubles
or minimizing
their
by falseothers.
cheeriness
CORIN THIAN S 1:4
| He
comforts
us in
allofour
so that
we pain
can comfort
• 2encouragement.
will
justthey
make
feel worse.
aretoalso
you canGod
lovingly
suggest
When
arethem
troubled,
we willThere
be able
giveinstances
them the where
same comfort
has given
us.
they get professional help from a trained counselor. God often works through other people
P
ROV
ERBS
25:20
|
Singing
cheerful
songs
to
a
person
with
a
heavy
heart
is
like
taking
• to provide the help someone needs.
HelpFinderBible_NLT.indb A90
HelpFinder
• J E R E MI A H 2 0 :1 4 , 1 8 | Yet I curse the day I was born! May no one celebrate the day of
toward the loving arms of God, not away.
my birth. . . . Why was I ever born? My entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and
shame.
Does
God care when I feel depressed?
