Feeling a Bit Out Of Sorts or Down?
There is often a close relationship between our physical condition and emotional state.
Our body and our soul live so close to one another that they tend to catch each other’s moods and diseases. If we are down emotionally, it affects the way we feel physically. If we get sick physically, it affects our emotions.
Keeping healthy in general, like getting enough of the right kind of food, enough sleep, and exercise, while no guarantee against depression, may help to prevent it and will certainly keep the body in a better place to deal with it.
If you are depressed, first get a good physical check-up; have a medical examination to see if there is anything physically or chemically wrong with you. If everything is alright physically, take some time off to let your body and soul catch up with one another.
That’s not always easy to do! Thomas Spurgeon, son of Charles H. Spurgeon, once wrote a friend concerning a period of forced inactivity because of poor health, “I fear I shall find it hard work to do nothing.”
Many people are that way. They are workaholics. They feel guilty about doing nothing. But we all need to live balanced lives.
We need a rhythm between work and rest. If we don’t find it we will become either a basket case or a “casket case”. Jesus completely understood this and said to His disciples, “Come away from the crowds and rest awhile.”
The fact is, we must either get away and rest or fly apart in a million pieces.
It would be nice to think we Christians didn’t have dark days, that discouragement came only to those who live around us. But, looking through the Bible at the great saints or people we see as heroes — we find that they also had times of despair. If we are to experience real victorious living ,we must also learn how to deal with depression and sadness when life is simply HARD!
That’s not easy to do!
When we are depressed we are often filled with apathy. We get lethargic. There is a slow down in the way our body processes things. We lose interest in our regular every day activities. We don’t feel like doing anything. It’s hard just to get through the day. And, during those dark times we lack energy.
Depressed people tend to cry a lot. That’s good! Tears are a God-given means of release. I hope you never lose your ability to cry. Someone once said that the answer to all of man’s emotional problems is salt water. Sweat, tears, or the ocean. I think that there’s some truth there!
Talking is one of the most effective ways to empty ourselves of harmful emotions. When we talk it’s like pulling the plug out of the bathtub. All sorts of bad feelings are drained away from us.
Everyone needs someone they can confide in and verbally process things without fear of condemnation. Talking to a safe and mature friend or godly counselor, or trusted pastor or chaplain can help to bring life back into perspective, and enables us to solve our problems. If we all had more genuine and safe friends, I’m convinced that we would need fewer psychiatrists!
Find a non-judgmental listener and pour your soul out to them.
And as you talk to others, don’t forget to talk to God! He, above everything and everyone else will listen! God is not defensive! Say what you want to God. He can take it. He will not be judgmental as you pour out the hurts of life to Him. He deals patiently and tenderly with His over-stressed children. He will do that with you too.
“Anxiety in the heart of a man weighs it down, but a word of encouragement makes it glad,” Proverbs 12:25.
“Through presumption comes nothing but strife, but with those who receive counsel wisdom is found,” Proverbs 13:10.
In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ©
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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.
Amen