#NUTSHELL – OCTOBER 15th — EVERYBODY GETS THE BLUES – Psalm 77: Is it a sin to be depressed? Doesn’t everybody get the blues? The answer is “no and yes.” However many people believe feeling blue is a blight on their faith. Depression does not reflect a person’s faith experience, commitment to Christ or obedience to God. This is what some people think and say, “If I were a person of faith I could get over this.” Many pressures, tensions, illnesses and stressors can make those moody blues set in. When we get depressed it can involve body, mind, feelings and spirit in our response to life’s circumstances. Most of us do not have to deal with clinical depression, but many deal with a less severe kind known as situational depression. Things just aren’t going right in specific areas of our lives. Our dreams are shattered; goals are blocked, lost employment, financially strapped, marriage dysfunction or a significant loss due to death results in our feeling blue or depressed. The situation we find ourselves in that brings on a depressed mood, no matter how bad it feels is temporary and not fatal. We can move forward and have a productive life. We must accept the fact that life’s disappointments are part of our journey so decide to go on despite feeling blue. Psalm 77 is poetry in motion to overcome situational depression. The writer is crying out to God for help, he said, “Is god hearing me?” It’s like trying to grab hold of a lifesaver and instead grasped nothing. This passage deals with four situations, insomnia, anguish so deep the person cannot talk to others about the problem, the inability to think of anything but the problem and a deep sadness. David questions God’s mercy, love, promises and grace. This passage honestly expresses how depressed people often feel. I believe there is grace and mercy and God promised never to leave us in every situation.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 11:01:39 +0000