Category Archives: depression

Locked Gates and Prayer

17 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by in beauty, Christianity, depression, faith, health, joy, love, peace, roses, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  Jeremiah33:3

When the burdens of life become too heavy we can go to God in prayer anytime night or day and know that He hears us.  Prayer is having a conversation with God.  It involves both speaking and listening to God.  What a blessing it is that we can speak with Almighty God any time we have a need.  God doesn’t keep office hours and leave for long vacations or weekends.  He doesn’t even have a secretary that listens to our requests and decides whether it is important enough to have Him call us back later.  God never closes the gate and locks us outside of His love and concern.  God is available and desires for us to come to Him so that He can guide us to discover His best for us.

Have you ever felt rejected by someone or a group of people you thought were your friends?  Sometimes we are rejected because of race or religion.  Sometimes our values and priorities make others uncomfortable and they’d rather not have us around them.   Sometimes we aren’t really rejected but others are just too busy to spend time with us.Frequently we build walls around our own hearts – walls of bitterness, anger, fear and grief.  We lock the gate of our heart and refuse to let God in or even our friends and family.  We are held captive by our emotions.  Once we lock the gate to our heart, it is almost as though a roaring lion stands guard at the entrance, daring anyone who loves us to come near.

“Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”            I Peter 5:8    But God promises to rescue us if we will only turn to Him.  We need not be held captive by unhealthy fears and emotions.   Prayer is the key that can unlock the gate.  It is God’s greatest gift to man.  It enables us to fellowship with Him and find hope and guidance for our lives.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”                       Jeremiah 29:11,12

God desires that we unlock the gate to our heart so that He can come in and renew a right spirit within us.  It may not seem easy to open the gate.  The hinges may be rusty and the lock frozen shut.  But oh, it is so worthwhile!  When you let Jesus come into your heart, you will feel a great rush of love come pouring in and you will discover a peace that is above and beyond all that you could hope for or imagine.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”     Romans15:13

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Inner Peace illuminations

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, beauty, Christianity, depression, faith, health, Hearts Filled With Joy, love, peace, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”   I Peter 5:7

It was one of those beautiful days on the beach after a storm.  The temperature was in the low 70’s and the ocean waves were tossing foam and shells upon the beach.   I decided to take a beach walk so I could photograph the gorgeous clouds and the waves that were dancing for joy.  But just ahead of me I saw a young man with a large, heavy looking backpack strapped to his back and I wondered what stuff could be so valuable that you couldn’t leave it behind in order to enjoy a carefree walk on the beach. 

Then I began to think about what burdens I too might be carrying this beautiful morning.  The burden of an unpleasant conversation that I couldn’t forget, words I wish I had left unsaid, an opportunity to do something kind left undone, worries and anxieties pushed aside and covered up with other worries and problems.  My own invisible backpack of problems was weighing me down and keeping me from enjoying this beautiful day and lovely walk.

Thought freedom comes from a process of substituting our worldly worries and frets with thoughts of trust in God. Sometimes I feel like I have a restless spirit.  I think this is God’s way of telling me that my spirit is at odds with the direction of the Holy Spirit so my soul can not rest.   When I have a restless spirit, I am not abiding in the peace of the Holy Spirit who indwells my soul.  Our heart is where our own spirit dwells.  We can have a spirit of fear, resentment, anger, bitterness, anxiety, worry or hopelessness. Our negative emotions and thoughts can enslave us and make us miserable.   “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”                      Galatians 5:1

Trusting in Christ will set our heart free, but a spirit of hopelessness makes the body ill.  The Holy Spirit is able to illuminate our darkness.  He is able to direct and guide us into all truth.  He wants to bestow on us His wonderful gifts.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”                          Galatians 5:22, 23   “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”   Isaiah 26:3

There is great strength in calmness.  When my circumstances seem our of control I begin to feel panic and want to run away from my problems even though I know the wise thing to do is to run to God.  Sometimes I find myself holding so tightly to my problems that I just have to open my hands and say, “Please Lord, you take them.  I just can’t carry them any longer.”  The only way to hold the hand of Jesus as we walk along is to let go of our problems and give them to Him.

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”                Psalm 68:19

In order to have peace of mind we must quiet our thoughts and racing heart knowing that God is in control.  He knows all about our problems and how best to solve them.  Once our mind is quiet, we are able to come into His presence and listen to Him.  When we stop trying to fix our problems ourselves and go to Him in prayer, we can rest peacefully while we wait on His perfect timing.   “Find rest O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.”          Psalm 62:5

Jesus knew that as long as we are in the world we would need peace.  He promised the gift of peace so that we would not be afraid or have troubled hearts.  The prayer of real faith is a prayer of joy because we pray knowing that we can trust God to answer our prayer if it is His will and is in our best interest.   “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”            I Thessalonians 5:16-18

When we trust and love God, we desire to talk to Him and understand the situation from His viewpoint.  When Jesus has complete control of our lives, He enables us to have a heart filled with peace.  Oh the wonder and anticipation of waiting, knowing that our awesome Heavenly Father delights in answering our prayer with what is best for us.   “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”       Philippians 4:7

Unfailing Love illuminations

09 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, Christianity, depression, wing like clouds, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“How priceless is your unfailing love!  Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”         Psalm 36:7   

“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”   Psalm 103:2-4

Do you feel like your life is in a pit and you can’t crawl out?  Or maybe you’re just caught in a rut and can’t seem to change your direction to a more satisfying path.  Perhaps you were pushed into the pit by someone else and you’re suffering from a divorce, financial problems or have lost your job.  Or maybe you have been digging your own pit with bad health habits, drugs or alcohol.  Possibly the pit is so deep that you don’t see any way out.  But the good news is that there is a Friend who can help you climb up and out.  

Only Jesus can give you the strength to quit bad habits and forgive those who have wronged you.

Only Jesus can heal you of your diseases and forgive your sins.

Only Jesus will take compassion on you and redeem your life with His love.

Only Jesus can renew your life and give you a fresh beginning.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him my Savior and my God.”  Psalm 43:3

Take hold of His hand and trust Him.  He will help you.  His love never fails.

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”   Luke 18:27