Depression seems to run in my family, and I think partly because of this and partly because of some other situational things, most of my childhood I was depressed, I didn’t realize it at the time because that’s how I always felt, but since I committed myself to the Lord for real, for myself, not because of anything else, God took a lot of that away from me.
This is not to say that I don’t struggle with it anymore however, I definitely do, but now I recognize it when it starts, and when I feel it starting I attack it in different ways.
I often start by praying against it. I try to identify the source, if I think it is purely spiritual then I may ask for someone else to also pray over me. But often it is related to something physical, as we are stuck in these bodies for now, so one of the best things for me is to go do something physical, to get my blood flowing, to enjoy the endorphins and other natural hormones that God equipped us with, and I also try to give myself some task to do, at least for the moment.
Over the last couple years I have also started more intently memorizing Bible verses, so that I can use them as the sword of the spirit, to remind myself of the truth. I realized at some point that when I have been at my worst, most often I was believing a lie, whatever it was, that I’m not good enough, that I never will be, that I am worthless, that I’m not going anywhere in life, that no one likes me, and of course those are all lies, and the best way I have found is to recite Bible verses that directly contradict those evil thoughts.
And lastly, sometimes, if I can feel the depression starting, I will actually, shout - If I am alone - or if people are around, just say it quietly but strongly and firmly, “No!” It sounds silly to say it right now, but it has really helped me. Often times in my experience, depression can have a snowball effect where ugliness piles on top of ugliness, and if I can just stop it before it gets really bad, it’s a lot easier, on me and the people around me. Also I think it is because I know that the lies are starting, and it’s as if I am telling myself to not believe them, but also that whatever it is that is putting them in my head that they have no right because I am a child of God, bought with a price, paid for by the blood, I am weak and small but he is so big and powerful and good, and somehow all of that gets summed up when I just say “NO.”
It reminds me of when I would say something ugly about myself when I was a child, and my mother would say to me, “be nice to my daughter, I love her.”
These are a couple of my favorite verses to recite in difficult times
Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:13 “I am still confident of this: I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD, be strong and take heart, and wait for the LORD.”
James 5:13 “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.”
(I also really like to sing when I am troubled)
But really, when I am in a moment of struggle, any verse that talks about God’s character or being brings me hope.
Nehemiah 9:6 "You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
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