Is there hope?

             

    In light of things that are happening in the world around us, I have been doing a lot of thinking, reading, playing music, and praying. You have Isis going on in Iraq, threats against Pastor Saeed in Iran who has been in prison two years for simply being a Christian, shootings, suicides, murders, the list goes on. Then your normal every day things like finances, job loss, job gain, life, death, and that list goes on.  Is there hope in this life?
   For some there is, for others, there truly isn't. I will get back to this later...what I want to talk about is how with everything going on in the world, depression is something that needs to be addressed biblicaly! I can not believe how many stories I hear from church going people that other church going people have said such horrible things to. "You just need more of God." "You must be doing something wrong." "Get over it." How can we, followers of Jesus, say such horrible things?
   Just as bad, we don't have time! Do you see that person sitting in the pew alone, sad? Do you walk over to them to sit and just listen or do you take your kids to their class, or go do the sound booth to do your job, or etc? Life gets in the way. AND IT SHOULDN'T! (I am speaking to me, here!)
   Here are some things I have come to realize.
Some people tell you they struggle with depression, and they probably do, but...I know that most people who do struggle, who are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, they are not so open about it. Maybe because saying "I deal with depression" has become so common just like saying "I love you" has. It loses its meaning to most people.
   Or, maybe we have become so used to hearing it, we just pass it off as if it is like, "I'm ok, I'm good."
   What they are not saying is how many times they have cried themselves to sleep, how many times they have wondered why on earth God brought them here, how many times they wished they could just disappear, how many times suicide has crossed their mind. Some have hope in Jesus which could be the ONLY thing holding them in place while others have no hope at all.
      Think about it please, how easy is it to just simply respond to "How are you?" with a fake smile and "Good, and you?" Easier than sitting down to explain your struggles, easier than to require them to sit with you and ignore their children or whatever else is going on in their life, and easier than getting over the stigma "Christians" have put on depressed suicidal people.
    This is so true, fellow Christ followers have made me feel like I am a wretched sinner (which I am for other things) but because I have a darkness about me. I have felt it firsthand how sharp those words hurt and cut when said. And sadly, I have said those words myself. "Just read your Bible, Talk to God!"
   Wow!
  When did we, as Christ followers, lose sight of what God is? He is love! LOVE! Does love brush people off? Does love put everything else first before people? Did love say "NO, not gonna hang on that cross, don't have time?" Jesus, please, please help me have Your heart, a heart of love!
   It breaks my heart to think that I could have had an opportunity to sit with someone when I brushed it off. I really, truly, honestly do not want to label myself as a christian any longer, simply, a follower of Jesus. I want to show love. I want to sit down with you if you need me. I give you permission to grab me and shake me out of my focus and say, "Hey, I need someone, please, listen to me".
       I find it reassuring to know that depressed, suicidal people are in the Bible. It is ok to be a follower of Jesus and be depressed. Jesus was overfilled with grief and sorrow when Lazarus died. He knew He could raise him. He knew even if He didnt raise him, Lazarus would bein heaven for eternity, yet, Jesus was still sad and full of grief. So, if even Jesus can get sad, it is ok! It is ok!!! And, the best part about that is, He knows what we are going through and He wants to comfort us!
   So for those people who do not have hope in Christ, please, find someone to talk to about Christ. If you cant find someone, get in touch with me! I want to share with you the one hope I have. The only hope I have. Jesus is my only source of comfort at times and I tell you what, it is HOPE!