Luke 22:44
"And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."
Happy March beautiful people of God! It’s a great day and time to be alive! Don’t you think? I want to take the time out really quick to thank those who’ve been faithfully coming through here since January of this year. I’ve been dropping some heavy bombs and you’ve chosen to stay on my rollercoaster. Those who’ve successively managed to look at the things I've presented, objectively and not subjectively, kudos to you.
Y'all the real MVP! Some No Limit Soldiers for real! Ha!
Y'all the real MVP! Some No Limit Soldiers for real! Ha!
So last week’s post, Love Potion #9, peaked as the most read post so far for me this year.
That was a hard post for me because it came from a very dark space.
I actually wasn’t even anticipating revisiting.
I'm glad I did though.
That was a hard post for me because it came from a very dark space.
I actually wasn’t even anticipating revisiting.
I'm glad I did though.
I pray you were able to see the necessity of supreme emotional surveillance and the always available opportunity to return to our Heavenly Father if you've strayed due to a breach in your emotional integrity (idolatry) or a corruption of spiritual integrity. (witchcraft)
If you have not read it by now, please do so at your leisure.
This month, I want to focus on mental health. It’s a sticky beast with a lot of arms.
Nevertheless, I want to confront it like Sogourney Weaver’s character did that sharped teeth, slime mouthed, creature in the movie, The Alien, after it’d chased her child underneath a vent.
I knew last year, that I would be writing about depression specifically, perhaps because I’ve dealt with it since I was 11 years old. It’s an ex-acquaintance now that doesn’t come around as often as it used to but tends to try and visit only when seriously triggered.
It’s that feeling when you don’t want to get out of bed. When you have stuff to do but you don’t have the energy to do because you’ve spent all of your energy on attempting to fight this feeling. And the only extra energy you may have is already designated for stuff you can’t afford to back out of; work, school, side gigs, ministry commitments etc.
But what is it really? If you can grab depression and pull it out of you and examine it, what would you really find? Is it really a mental issue or is it a heart issue? A soul issue? And if it’s a mental issue why does it seem the actual prescribed medications turn people into dependent zombies and not happier versions of themselves? Why are so many people grappling with it? What is the root cause of it? How is it that some have been able to manage with it while others have seemingly lost the battle to it.
The year before last, one night during a random conversation with my mom about my relatives of previous generations, my spiritual antennae went off. I found a common thread rearing its head in my bloodline.
You guessed it; depression. I was blown away.
Is depression, hereditary?
Or maybe something even deeper? The account of Jesus at the Mount of Olives is where I chose to dig deeper for an answer. This is where his anguish was so overwhelming that he prayed harder until his perspiration was like blood.
A beautiful tragic prelude to what would happen at the cross. By this time, he’d already prophesied his death and ascension, that he would be betrayed by one of his disciples (Judas), and also denied by one of his disciples (Peter). All of these heavy inevitable events would then crush the living sweat like blood out of him causing his anguish. Causing his depression. Right at the Mount of Olives.
No surprise that this occurred at such a place. I researched just for the heck of it, that an olive is a fruit (I thought it was a vegetable. Don't @ me!) that grows on trees and is especially crushed to make olive oil.
Tell me you see this!
Here we have it, the son of man, the hands and feet of God, undergoing a crushing that revealed his humanity but also expressed his holiness.
What is my point you ask?
Well, sit down! I have a few!
Depression is not merely a mental illness.
Depression is THE PRESSING OF THE OLIVE.
Depression is not rooted in sin but sin can cause depression.
Jesus knew no sin and Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53:3 that Jesus would be,
"a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
But Judas later on in the gospels, sinned against Jesus and became depressed so much so he committed suicide.
***
If you have not read it by now, please do so at your leisure.
This month, I want to focus on mental health. It’s a sticky beast with a lot of arms.
Nevertheless, I want to confront it like Sogourney Weaver’s character did that sharped teeth, slime mouthed, creature in the movie, The Alien, after it’d chased her child underneath a vent.
I knew last year, that I would be writing about depression specifically, perhaps because I’ve dealt with it since I was 11 years old. It’s an ex-acquaintance now that doesn’t come around as often as it used to but tends to try and visit only when seriously triggered.
It’s that feeling when you don’t want to get out of bed. When you have stuff to do but you don’t have the energy to do because you’ve spent all of your energy on attempting to fight this feeling. And the only extra energy you may have is already designated for stuff you can’t afford to back out of; work, school, side gigs, ministry commitments etc.
But what is it really? If you can grab depression and pull it out of you and examine it, what would you really find? Is it really a mental issue or is it a heart issue? A soul issue? And if it’s a mental issue why does it seem the actual prescribed medications turn people into dependent zombies and not happier versions of themselves? Why are so many people grappling with it? What is the root cause of it? How is it that some have been able to manage with it while others have seemingly lost the battle to it.
The year before last, one night during a random conversation with my mom about my relatives of previous generations, my spiritual antennae went off. I found a common thread rearing its head in my bloodline.
You guessed it; depression. I was blown away.
Is depression, hereditary?
Or maybe something even deeper? The account of Jesus at the Mount of Olives is where I chose to dig deeper for an answer. This is where his anguish was so overwhelming that he prayed harder until his perspiration was like blood.
A beautiful tragic prelude to what would happen at the cross. By this time, he’d already prophesied his death and ascension, that he would be betrayed by one of his disciples (Judas), and also denied by one of his disciples (Peter). All of these heavy inevitable events would then crush the living sweat like blood out of him causing his anguish. Causing his depression. Right at the Mount of Olives.
No surprise that this occurred at such a place. I researched just for the heck of it, that an olive is a fruit (I thought it was a vegetable. Don't @ me!) that grows on trees and is especially crushed to make olive oil.
Tell me you see this!
Here we have it, the son of man, the hands and feet of God, undergoing a crushing that revealed his humanity but also expressed his holiness.
What is my point you ask?
Well, sit down! I have a few!
Depression is not merely a mental illness.
Depression is THE PRESSING OF THE OLIVE.
Depression is not rooted in sin but sin can cause depression.
Jesus knew no sin and Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53:3 that Jesus would be,
"a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
But Judas later on in the gospels, sinned against Jesus and became depressed so much so he committed suicide.
Isn't that something?
We are all sentient beings with a deeper longing that can never be quenched by anything on this earth because we beLONG to God!
Our souls are tethered to Him. Our spirits are charged by Him.
Our hearts pulsate for Him. Our minds search for Him like our phone's bluetooth searches for a connection.
WHETHER WE BELIEVE HE EXISTS OR NOT!
Depression is not merely a mental illness, it is the effects and affects of our humanity waging war with our holiness.
And as long as we reside on this side of heaven it will always be this way.
There will always be a war.
Yet we can choose which end wins!
In 2019, we have ventured into such an intense engagement of spiritual forces between the dark side and the light side. For the kingdom suffers violence and the violence take it by force. (Matthew 11:12) Our souls have no choice but to react in such violent ways similar to that of a natural allergic reaction.
I have discovered that depression can be induced by the following;
Chemical/hormonal imbalance: With the improper maintenance and distribution of our foods, plus the in your face advertisements geared towards easier access to bad foods, our bodies are not getting the necessary nutrients and natural vitamins to maintain itself emotionally and mentally. Hence the onset of depression induced by chemical/hormonal imbalance. We are what we consume. These medicines that these doctors are prescribing simply numbs the symptoms of the chemical/hormonal imbalance, they don’t reverse the imbalance. This is why when people choose not to take them anymore, the symptoms turn worse because the medicine was like a bouncer standing at the door of a club blocking the rift raft from coming inside.
Move the “bouncer,” in comes the rift raft.
Move the “bouncer,” in comes the rift raft.
In 1 Kings 19:4-8, Elijah was so depressed he told God he wanted to die. God had an angel through HeavenEats send him some Panera bread and fresh Vitamin water. Ha! Real talk! Go read it for yourself. And then it said he took a nap, woke up and God said, “You need to eat. This journey has taken its toll on you.” He gave Elijah some more food. He maxed the food, took another nap, and my dude was able to hit the road for forty and days forty nights.
Look here! Depression can be cured with proper nutrition, exercise, and rest.
Circumstances: There are people right now suffering from the apparent insurmountable consequences of their actions, toxic unhealthy attachments to people, places, things or ideas, unmet expectations in life, and/or undesirable comparisons of self with others which sparks circumstantial depression.
When we are drowning in the mess of our own doings, connected to something that is unprofitable and unfruitful, setting unrealistic or unattainable goals, or seeking to have or be like someone else that we think are better off, this almost certainly will open up the floodgates of a torrential emotional and mental hail storm such as depression.
Circumstantial depression is also induced by loss. Loss of a job, loss of a loved one due to death, deteriorating health, or divorce. Loss of valuables or irreplaceable items. Or a personal unfavorable health diagnosis.
Job suffered from depression because of loss. David suffered from depression because his ways caught up to him. King Solomon suffered depression because of his unlawful attachments. Amnon was depressed because he wanted something he couldn't have, his sister!
Shifting of perspectives, changing of habits, acceptance of accountability, and/or clinical therapy can challenge this form of depression.
Spiritual: Every season welcomes an awakening accompanied by psychological warfare. A quest to get a better understanding of who we are in relation to everything we come into contact with is therefore ignited. Here’s why King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:18 said, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” Every season we enter into believe it or not, will involve some shedding and healing which will then arouse lots of questions with no immediate answers, and moments of aggressive doubt.
This is also evident when all of our unconscious errors are realized by our sudden consciousness.
In other words, the problems we made when we were sleep walking beckons for our attention now that we're WOKE! A sudden homesick like feeling often expressed by thoughts of "I don't want to be here. I want to go home," "I wish I could go back," can be explained by spiritual depression.
It is because the new version of you has shedded its protective coating (formed by past trauma and coping mechanisms). Moreover, it only has a recollection of what once was while being bombarded by what is now, with no evidence of what will be.
Does that make sense?
Jesus, Jeremiah, and Paul both experienced this form of depression to some degree to which I must make you aware that there is no reversing but a subsidy by way of GRACE which is sufficient for those in the time of weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) This grace can show up in revelation or relationship which will include wise spiritual counseling, mentoring, and/or familial fellowship. Because where two or three are gathered in agreement, so shall God be in the midst. (Matthew 18:20)
At the end of the day, yes depression is real. At least that's what everybody is saying. I just don't see a lot of people investigating how real it is and in what ways is it really affecting them or someone they know. I'm over the mental health trends though. It's wack to me! In this post I said what I said, it's MORE than a mental illness. When people hear mental illness, they automatically assume straight jacket, suicide watch, and antidepressants. So sufferers don't want to seek help for fear of being stigmatized. #Negative.
If you or someone you know has been or is contemplating suicide PLEASE SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP!
If you're a believer it's ok to seek help. If you've prayed and these thoughts have not subsided, please call:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 1-800-273-8255
Available 24 hours everyday
***
In closing, if you’re reading this and you are experiencing depression, I admonish you to see in what way it is affecting you and stop relying on old crutches and popular excuses. I do not discourage medication. I would just suggest seeking natural remedies first. They do exist. Either way, it's time to take initiative over your mental, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing, now! And do not focus on who's not and what isn’t aiding in the plight to tackle this thing, when you've been empowered yourself to be more than a conqueror!
Once you know better, you will do better. And when you're doing better you're living better!
Once you know better, you will do better. And when you're doing better you're living better!
This may sound cliché but YOU can do ALL things through Christ who gives you strength including tackling depression if it’s a real issue in your life. We have been given the directive to bring every thought captive that sets itself against the knowledge of Christ! (2 Corinthians 10:5) And I wholeheartedly believe this can be done with a fervent audacity since we are joint heirs with Christ!
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