I had
already planned on writing about beating
back the blues this week before news broke of actor, Robin Williams’,
suicide. It is such a sad story and something we need to deal with on a serious
note.
Did you
know that for every two homicides in the US that there are three suicides?
Shocking. As I shared with Ethan who could not avoid the sad news, the suicide
of a friend was a major factor for me accepting my call to ministry. I also
shared with Ethan that no matter how bad things seem, there is always a way out
– try talking to a friend, an adult, a ministry leader, or even call or visit
the suicide hotline (1-800-273-8255 | www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org). I
offer these same words to you. Major depression has an 80% recovery rate with
proper treatment, but 2/3 of people who suffer never receive help. If you’re
battling the blues, or a full-on depression, don’t let this be you…please!
We all
have blah days. I remember reading in one of my counseling text books that the
average person has 5-7 “blue” days per month. I hate to say it, but I have been
in one of those phases recently. There are several contributing factors: the
end of the summer and school resuming; a bit of a stall in our adoption process
as we move from one phase to another; the veritable dog days of summer; insane political
wrangling; and just the ordinary stressors of modern life in this day and age.
Every
now and then I stumble upon a great article about things I find helpful. Typically
I file these away for use at a future time, but this past Sunday I got a list
of five things from one of the health blogs I read on a regular basis about
battling the blues. I found this very helpful, so I modified the list and added
Bible verses to fit better for this forum and to share with you.
1. Pray: Prayer has a
beautiful way of taking our mind off of what is bothering us so we can place it
where it belongs – God! If you find yourself struggling, take your focus off of
your problem and focus on the goodness of God. The time has come to quit
talking to God about how big your problem is and talk to your problem about how
big your God is!
Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let
petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your
concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming
together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens
when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
(Philippians 4.6-7)
2. Get some sun: Deficiency
in Vitamin D can lead to depression – make sure to get some sun every day
during prime hours to get your Vitamin D. And you get the fun benefits of being
outside, as well.
We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a
fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and
the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it
all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! (1
Corinthians 3.1)
3. Exercise:
This one is pretty straightforward – exercise has been shown to boost
serotonin levels in the brain, and almost always leaves me feeling great. If
you're not a member of a gym, just going for a walk, or doing a simple
bodyweight workout, can help. I personally do something almost daily I like to
call, “Temple Time.” I go out for a walk, run, or lift weights while I listen
to awesome music and focus on my devotions from the morning. Since the Apostle
Paul teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6.16-19),
exercising the mind, body, and soul is critical to overall health.
Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts
in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so,
making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. (1 Timothy 4.8)
4. Hang out with people that
inspire and motivate you.
One of the biggest things that helps
me beat back the blues is hanging with a few very good friends and actually
talking about what was going on and how I was feeling. Being around people that
inspire you can really give you that extra kick in the keister to get out of
your funk. The alternative to this, if the people around you don’t particularly
inspire you is to watch a great movie or read a biography of someone who does
inspire you.
Friends love through all
kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.
(Proverbs 17.17)
5. Smile: Try
smiling whenever you’re feeling down. It's almost impossible to feel down or
sad when you're smiling. Something biochemical happens when you smile, and it
almost forces you to be happy. Try it out right now, you'll see what I
mean.
God met
me more than halfway, He freed me from my anxious fears. Look at him; give him
your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from him. (Psalms 34.4-5)
I hope you find this list helpful if you have been dealing
with some of the dog-days-of-summer blues. If you have been dealing with some
difficulties of late, or for a long time, don’t suffer alone. As I wrote about
last week, we help fulfill the law of Christ (to love!) when we help others
carry their burdens (Galatians 6.2). If I can help, or point you in the
direction of someone who can, please, let me know!
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