It is so important to stay connected with your spiritual family in your journey of overcoming depression. As a Christian my spiritual family is my church family and so it is from this perspective that I write. As brothers and sisters in a spiritual family we have a responsibility to each other. We have a responsibility to treat each other as individuals who are created in the image of God, who are so highly esteemed by our Creator. We need to look at a person as someone of immense value, rather than giving them worth according to what they do. This means that the beggar on the street corner has as much worth as the CEO of a multi-million dollar company!

We are Christ’s hands and on this earth and as brothers and sisters in Christ we have a responsibility to affirm each others new self-image in Christ. We have to help each other in the journey of overcoming depression, a problem that plagues many people, regardless of religion. It’s not easy giving up old habits, all those habits we learnt before we knew Jesus. The Bible says we are double minded, we hear what scripture says but then proceed to follow our old ingrained patterns of behaviour to get our needs met. I remember very clearly being in the pit of depression, feeling very sorry for myself with my head under the duvet. Scripture then came to mind of how we sin when we place our thoughts in higher regard than the Word of God. I said sorry to God and there was a turnabout in my depression. I jumped out of bed with a new spring in my step.Our self-image changes when we truly believe what God says about us. Behavior matches our self-esteem, so change your self-esteem and the behavior will follow on accordingly.

Often our negative reactions are an attempt to defend our self-esteem. As our identity becomes more and more grounded in Christ, the need to defend our self-esteem will decrease. Remember, we are a new creation in Christ, the old has gone and the new has come.

We need to believe it when the Word of God, the Bible says that all our needs are met in Christ Jesus. To believe in your security and significance in Christ, that is, that your needs are met in him, will enable you to deal with insecurities in your everyday life. You might feel insecure in your marriage or other relationships but will be able to cope if you believe in your security in Christ.

Helping our Spiritual Brothers & Sisters

Listen well Listen without judging or evaluating. Just hear their story. So often we can’t wait for the opportunity to tell a depressed person what to do. This means that we’re really not listening at all. Don’t be afraid of silences, feeling the need to fill them up. ‘Silence is a gift of your presence’.

• DO NOT  make comments like: ‘You wouldn’t be depressed if you read your Bible more’, or ‘you’ve got too little faith’ or ‘Christians don’t suffer from depression’. Maybe that’s the biggest lie of all! Depression is part of living in this world but if we can accept and love each other without putting each other onto a guilt trip, overcoming depression is going to be far more likely. The person feels bad enough already, why make them feel even worse? And don’t throw out Scripture verses without being asked, it will just make the person feel worse. Tread carefully and try and walk in the other person’s shoes.
• DO NOT USE Fix-it-Up behavior. Resist that urge! Rather believe that God loves your friend far more than you are ever able to and that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth will guide the person into a fullness of life! It just takes time.
• MIRACULOUS HEALINGS I personally have never seen a miraculous healing from depression or anxiety with no effort on the part of the affected person. I have however seen huge healing when the person learns to change the way they think, lining up their thoughts with the mind of Christ. That is when you will have the Peace that is promised by Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Just love your friend, believing that God is at work in their life. Take them out for coffee, for a fun outing.

Empathy consists of using words that put a name to the feelings that are being expressed. A girl might express some anger or other emotion while telling you that her boyfriend broke up with her. Look to the feelings behind the words which is very often a fear of rejection. Rejection is our most common fear. It’s easy to talk about behaviour, not so easy to talk about the emotion. When the emotion is heard we feel deeply heard, and we journey towards overcoming depression. Don’t tell people not to feel in a certain way. Feelings are neither good nor bad, they just are and can be acknowledged.

God is Love. God, our creator knows all about depression. After all God made us and knows everything about us! It doesn’t come as a surprise to God. So let’s take the hands of those in our Spiritual Family and be pilgrims with them in their journey of overcoming depression. God is LOVE, let’s show the kind of love that he has shown each one in his family!