Pity Parties don't win souls!

Just because you’re going through doesn't mean you have to act like it.

A few years ago I suffered from depression. I was sad and upset all the time about various things in my life. I had the longest on going “turnt up” pity party anyone could have. I was still praying, but I wasn't praying with faith. Basically I was going through the motions. I was so focused on the areas of my life that I felt weren't how they should’ve been that I wasn't able to appreciate the many blessings I did have. I was so depressed that I was tired of being depressed. I was tired that my life had come down to this. At this point I was a car less, stay at home single unemployed mom. I was in the house day In and day out never leaving unless it was to take my son to Dr’s appointments, school, to church, or go out if I had a baby sitter. It was pitiful.

One day I was fed up, I said I can’t live my life like this there HAS to be more. I don’t want my son to see mommy depressed like this I want him to see me happy. (Although he was fairly young, I know he was still watching me) So I made it my business to come out of this depression. We’ll I made it my business to ask God to help me get out of it. I had to let him know I was ready to be free from this. See people forget, although God is all knowing, if you want something you still have to ask for it. Just like when you want to be forgiven, you have to ASK him to forgive you. God is not a genie; this is a relationship that requires communication. Talk to him; tell him what you need, let him know you’re done doing it on your own and you’re ready for him to take over. This is around the time I heard Kirk Franklin and Mali music’s new song “give me that”. This song became my prayer. I would recite this song as my prayer daily.

The chorus “Give me that joy I can’t explain, add extra peace that’ll ease the pain, I want that love that’ll never change give me that, give me that. Give me that power to walk away when another god wants to take your place, as much of you as I can take, give me that, give me that. I choose you today, cause I need you today, I can’t get away see there’s no escape, see what you done to me, I’m not the same old me, you took away everything, now your my everything”

The Hook:

“Give me that God who breathes life, unto the nostrils of man, and sovereign God who predestined creation me from time again. I want the God who with brilliance and elegance decorates a darkness with stars. The God who orchestrates the future at the same time he knows where you are. Give me that God who supplies my needs cause he owns all the cattle on the hill. And he’s the God who wipes my tears and provides enough to pay all my bills, give me that God, that’s the God I’m talking bout.”

To this day this is still one of my favorite songs ever, but this became my prayer. I listened to this song, every day. I desperately wanted to come out of the state of depression I was in. And by the grace and the power of God I did. I was no longer depressed, and as I took my eyes off me and what I thought wasn't right and focused on God and his awesomeness things started to change. I got a job, a car and daycare for my son. All within 6 months, my situation had changed drastically.To God be the glory!

Depression is a state of mind, a stronghold that can’t be cured by pills, shots and other forms of medication. Jesus is the only one that can heal you from your depression. 

Isaiah 53:4-5 says” Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. “

Jesus is the answer, I’ am a witness he has healed me! (Check out my post “So You’re depressed? You’re not alone”)

The thing about depression is if you aren’t careful you can end up conditioning yourself to be in that state of sadness.

Past few weeks have been rough physically, mentally, spiritually. (I blogged about it in my last post.) I’ve been all about work and being exhausted physically, I wasn’t giving myself the time with God I needed. Spiritually I’ve been fighting this war at my job, and with the lack of time spent with God, it’s like I was “shooting blanks”. My weapons weren’t polished; I would sometimes leave without having the full armor on. I wasn’t properly prepared for war, because I didn’t spend the time getting ready because I let work take up all my time. So with all of that going on it’s inevitable that one would get weary, and in my case depressed. I wasn’t as depressed as I was in the past, but I was pretty low. I was looking more at the problems that were arising. Trying to fight this fight without God, the general, the one I was to be looking to for guidance and instructions. Before I knew it, I was turning up for another pity party.

It’s like everything I just heard a few weeks ago from revival went out the window. Thankfully The Holy Spirit doesn’t play that! Lol He put me in check with the quickness, and he used some people that probably don’t even know they were being used to do so.

The Holy Spirit reminded me, that this life is not my own. It’s not about me; I don’t have time to be “sad” about things that are surfacing in my life. I don’t have time to be so focused on me that I forget what my purpose on this earth is. He reminded me that if the fouls of the air have enough sense to understand that God takes care of their every need, why don’t I? The lilies in the field aren’t concerned about how they are going to grow, who’s growing with them, when they are going to grow or where. They just grow, they have sense enough to know that God is working it out; they just have to do what they were purposed to do. The lilies and the fouls of the air do not reap nor do they sow, yet everything the need is provided for. Are we not more than the birds? We our God’s children, his workmanship, don’t you know he is going to take care of your every need? We can’t be anxious about things especially when God owns and controls everything. Philippians 4:6 says “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”

2 weeks ago before church

We have to understand being a Christian isn’t like any other religion. We don’t have to go to a priest, pope, anything to speak to God. We have the power and the right to speak directly to God. Jesus Christ broke the veil when he rose from the grave. We have direct access to God. We have to get in the habit of taking our problems to God no matter how big or small. Nothing is too “petty” to take to God. 1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you”. That means God cares about the things you care about so give them to him!

Our main purpose in life as a Christian is to spread the gospel. Preach and teach God’s word, near and far. You don’t have to have a title before your name to do so. As a Christian, you are to be a witness to the unsaved.

 You can’t win souls by having a pity party!

Unsaved people need to see God’s glory. They need to see what he is doing or what he has done for you. If you’re just as sad and depressed as them, but claiming you know Jesus Christ, how is that going to want them to get to know him? -I’m not saying Christians should never get sad, we are humans and sadness is a human emotion, but we don’t have to dwell in it. We don’t have to wallow in sadness, and if you aren’t careful you can condition yourself to constantly being sad.- We are Joint heirs with Jesus Christ! We have power and authority, we are royalty! We have no business walking around depressed. We have a father in heaven that cares so much about us that he is grieved when we are grieved. He does not want us to live a sad depressed life. Nehemiah 8:10 says “The he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The joy of the Lord is our strength! It’s that joy that gets us through these days. It’s that joy that allows us to put on a smile and love others when everything around us is crumbling down. It’s that joy that allows us to stand tall with our head held high when we are facing attacks. It’s that joy that reminds us to count our blessings over our short comings. It’s that joy that allows us to love people that have hurt us and done harm unto us. The joy of the Lord is our strength and it’s that joy that keeps us zealous in these tiring times. It’s that joy that we depend on to get us through. The joy; that the world can’t take because it didn’t give it to us.

I pray for everyone experiencing depression especially those within the body. I pray that they surrender their burdens and give them to God. I pray that they trust God with their issues and allow him to fix those areas in their life, renew their mind and create in them a clean heart. 

God will not force himself on anyone; you have to go to him, make your requests known, trust him with them and believe him for it. Believe that God will do exactly what he said he can do. If he did it for me, I know he can do it for you.

Be Encouraged.

If you love someone tell them

I love you

Destaynee