Fighting for Faith - Pt 1

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:7-10 ESV).

There are those times in our lives when things just look dark. In fact, I have often heard it said that depression is like wearing tinted glasses. It is as if everywhere you look, things look dark, bleak, black, hopeless, and we feel helpless. I want to be very clear at the outset of these next few days of Morning Devotionals. Depression is a physical affliction. Neurons and synapses fail to fire properly, leading to chemical imbalances in the brain. These imbalances cause the depressed person to feel awful, like their entire world is a raw catastrophe hovering over the depths of despair. However, I also want to point to the truth that this emotional disease has a spiritual dimension. Depression is not the result of poor choices. It does not invade our psyche as a result of the consequences of sin or failure on our part. That being true, we should not dismiss the truth that when everything is a catastrophe, it’s easy for our faith to falter and stumble. Depression causes a person to feel only gloom and despair, no matter what they’re thinking. At least a part of the equation for overcoming our depression is found in the application of faith in our lives. That is not to be understood that other treatment, including medication and counseling are not necessary in this fight. They typically are vital as a part of the treatment plan. However, we cannot minimize our faith in the treatment either. Normally, the prescription for faith is somewhat straightforward. We read the promises of God, let them diffuse throughout our hearts, and then embrace them fully. As we embrace these promises, our faith rises. When we have more faith, there is often a physical feeling of encouragement and hope. But with clinical depression (and most other forms of mental illness), things don’t work quite that way. Depression usually causes a person to feel only gloom and despair, no matter what they’re thinking. Filling your mind with God’s promises is necessary, but it doesn’t usually alter the way you feel. It’s like having a migraine. Believing God’s word is essential, but it won’t typically take away the migraine. So, over the next few days I’m going to be pointing to a few things that will strengthen your faith. My hope and prayer is that it will be a vital part of your overcoming depression in any of its forms. I am not going to say, “Just believe God more.” But I am going to help you see how you may begin to “contend” for your faith. Fighting for faith does indeed make a difference. Today, commit yourself again to the fight!