Ministering to Those Dealing with Depression (Part II)
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Doubt of Salvation
Doubt of Salvation
This goes back to spiritual depression. I am going to be honest this is one I have been hit with a lot. I can’t tell you how often I struggled with this. My teen years I wrestled with it a lot, and if I’m honest throughout my twenties I’ve been hit with it in waves.
When I was around 12 I struggled with the issue for two months straight and would be up at night sick. I felt like the devil was audibly talking to me telling me I wasn’t truly saved among other things. I couldn’t sleep, I would be up sick at night in the bathroom reading scripture and praying.
Couple years later I was sitting in a worship service during the Lord’s Supper and I remember the plate coming by me and just breaking down and crying my eyes out because I felt unworthy to take the Lord’s Supper.
As I have matured the doubt has turned to what if I’m wrong and other religions are right.
To have doubt, does it make you a bad person? No.
Doubt, like with fear, what matters is what you do when that feeling hits.
Do you let it paralyze, stir up fear? Do you react. If you don’t react, you gonna give the devil a strong foothold in your life. If you react well, doubt can strengthen your faith. I want to take some time to share from Scriptures some principles that have helped me.
Principal 1: Once saved always saved.
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
Principal 2: Concern for salvation is a good sign of salvation.
Romans 3:10-11 is one that always helps. If I’m walking in righteousness to any extent I’m going to be concerned about salvation. If I’m lost only way I’m going to be concerned is if God is knocking on my heart.
as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
Philippians 2:12-13. And this doesn’t mean you earn your salvation, but that once saved it’s an act of obedience as you work through the transformation God is bringing about in your life.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Lastly reflect on the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. What evidence is their of these things in your life?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Talk to someone you know and trust spiritually to talk about your doubts.
Suicide
Suicide
Suicide can come out of situational or clinical.
I use to say suicide is selfish but I’ve been wrong for saying that. Rather suicide is perverted selflessness. The devil a lot of times has whispered some messed up things to people. Suicide also comes out of a feeling of hopelessness.
Let’s talk about the first group of lies the devil tells. Such as: “The world would be better off without me.” “I cause nothing but trouble.” “My parents would be better off without me.”
First of all don’t let anyone make you think you are nothing but a trouble maker or worthless or a curse to this world. Let me tell you some things:
Others on this earth don’t define your purpose. Purpose comes from God.
Don’t be looking at others for affirmation (its nice to get but don’t let who you are depend on it). Jeremiah 1:5 says
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Before being born God had already given you purpose. The words of Ephesians 2:10 says
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We are the workmanship of God. You are crated to be a son or daughter of the king. We are to be like the moon and reflect the glory of the Sun.
Scripture says you are a blessing. Psalm 127:3-5
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
The second group of lies the devil likes to use is: “Things are never going to get better” “Their is no hope” “I am better off dead”
Let me ask you this. What is our hope in? Jesus Christ. Two Scriptures I think of are Titus 1:2
in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
and Ephesians 1:11-14
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
When in the dark, it sometimes feels like it will never end, and you can forget about the times there was light.
Does suicide send you to hell? This is a common held belief that is false. Suicide doesn’t send you to hell. What does send you to hell? Not accepting Christ as your savior.
People says you can’t go to heaven because you aren’t able to ask for forgiveness. This logic is faulty. One that is saying you loose your salvation every time you sin. We know that isn’t how it works. Death also comes unexpected sometimes. We may sin during the day before we spend time that night reflecting over when we have sinned seeking forgiveness we could die. Let’s look at Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Which of these committed suicide? Samson, whom is listed in the hall of faith.
What to do if you know someone struggling with suicide?
Social Media and Depression
Social Media and Depression
Social media plays a big part in depression.
Social media is a distorter of reality and a comparison trap.
Do people typically post the bad or ugly online? Do influencers have bad unattractive looking lives? No social media paints a false reality, that everyone else-es lives are so exciting. They’ll leave out all the bad and boring or how they edit what is going on in the post. Then we tend to compare our lives to everyone elses edited lives online. Saying if i could just have that or their life is so much more interesting. We start comparing and thinking we got it so much worse than everyone else and we get down in the dumps thinking if i could just have this or that.
We get addicted to the attention and the constant affirmation.
Always checking for the like or view or shares or followers. If we don’t get as high numbers we don’t feel as affirmed. We get addicted to the affirmation and then that translates to the real world where we think to be successful we need everyone’s affirmation to know we are doing well.
Take a day off from social media. Or you too caught up in FOMO or would hurt too bad to end that snap chat streak? These services are meant to be addictive. They can be used for good but seldom are.
Limit your time on social media.
Clinical Depression
Clinical Depression
Clinical can be from chemical imbalances in the brain. Also can be a result of some psychological issues. Things can happen in life that are pretty messed up and that really rattle us for years mentally, sometimes lifelong.
A few issues to discuss on this
Is it wrong to take medicine for depression? No.
Often you hear Christians say taken meds for depression is showing a lack of faith. Or Christians don’t struggle with depression. Their is nothing wrong with taking depression med, but i do want to throw some statements on with this.
Let medication be a last resort. Start off with addressing it spiritually (One it helps you make sure it is not spiritual deperession and secondly spiritual disciplines is such a strong tool in combating any type of depression). Also you want it to be a last resort because these pills mess with your brain chemistry on an area we are still learning a lot about. Also your body builds up tolerance for these pills so you have to change pills or up the amount.
Let medication for clinical depression be a last resort.
Talk to someone.
Don’t keep your feelings bottled in. Talk about your feelings. If you know it is trauma related find someone to talk about it. To work through things we are not meant to face things alone.
We will help as much as we can, and if it gets too deep for us we know people we can connect you with.
What is the greatest ways to minister to those struggling in depression? Listen and pray
Tips for dealing with depression