A Personal TestimonyArise from the depression and prostration in which
circumstances have kept you – rise to a new life]!
Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light
has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!”
(Isaiah 60:1 AMP)
While joyously reading aloud to her parents, her mistakes and incorrect pronunciations were corrected in such a manner that made her feel ashamed. She concluded that she was a mistake and wished that she had never been born. Over time the growing child buried the feelings of that day, and the memory of that traumatic incident was blunted, but even after years of public speaking, the fear of mispronouncing a word could cause her to falter in her speech. Good communication with loved ones is an ongoing learning process shaded with self-condemning thoughts of inadequacy in conveying her thoughts correctly. But today she recognizes the Holy Spirit as her helper.
A sense of depression feels like miry clay because you want life to be the way it used to be. You want to go back, but the force of life takes you forward. Growing up was difficult for the girl who wore many masks to cover up who she believed herself to be, and she tried to avoid doing anything that would displease her parents or anyone else. Everyone who knew her thought of her as very mature for her age, and spoke of her as being wise beyond her years, but on the inside she knew better than to believe them. She made many attempts to come out of this diabolical snare, but still believed that God made a mistake in creating her. Transformation into maturity would come at great cost.
It seemed that circumstances worked together to make life miserable; at every turn she faced failure, except at school where she excelled. In her early twenties she dated a young man who became her husband, and they were blessed with four children. After the birth of their last child, depression returned darker than ever and she believed that life would be better for everyone if she were not around. Buried feelings controlled her attitude and behavior.
BUT GOD who knew her before the foundation of the world responded to her cry for help. He sent his Son who arose with healing in His wings, and the light of God’s Love exploded in her heart. She was rescued from the dominion of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
This experience of deliverance was a new beginning. For the first time the little girl who grew up emotionally crippled knew the joy of being free from darkness, believed that God loved her, and arose from the depression in which circumstances had held her. Jesus was touched with the feelings of her infirmities; he understood the agony of being scourged, both physically and emotionally.
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole. Isaiah 53:5 (AMP)
Uncomfortable and sometimes painful situations reopen the door for temporary depression, and this woman of God turns to Scriptural prayer assisted by the Holy Spirit. The Word of God exposes the origin of the feelings and thoughts of depression, fear, and anger turned inward. Rather than closing the door on God and others, she chooses to prosper and be in health even as her soul prospers. In the name of Jesus Christ, her Master and Savior, she is free to resist depression and choose being joyful and excited about life.
If you are struggling with a feeling of depression, ask the Holy Spirit to locate the origin of this feeling, and heal all the past hurts and expose all the wrong perceptions about who He created you to be in Christ Jesus. God gives his men and women a joyous spirit and gladness of heart. Isaiah was probably speaking of depression when he instructed us to put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (61:3).
I encourage you to pray the prayers, Overcoming Depression and To Rejoice in the Lord, in my books, Prayers That Avail Much, Volume 1 or the Commemorative Edition available at https://prayers.org/merchant2/merchant.mvc. Submit to God, and resist the devil that reinforces feelings of depression. Pray these Scriptural prayers each day as often and as long as necessary. God has given you the power to choose being happy, joyful and excited about life. You have His ability to choose positive feelings and happy thoughts about who you are in Christ Jesus.
Others may not understand, but there is one who does, he will never condemn you or make you feel guilty. He knew you before the foundation of the world. You can count on him – the great I AM. God loves you, Jesus is praying for you, and the Holy Spirit will help you walk through the valleys and climb the mountains. He will never leave you without support. God is effectually at work in you, energizing and creating in you the power and desire both to will and to work for his good pleasure, satisfaction and delight. You are a delightsome land, a joy to the heart of the Father. Arise and shine, for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you!
Copyright © Germaine Copeland July 2005
Germaine Copeland is the author of the best selling book series, Prayers That Avail Much. She has written scriptural prayers for the family. Read your Bible, pray and attend church where you can soak up the love and faith of God. You will receive emotional healing, experience spiritual growth and become more intimately acquainted with your Heavenly Father, and your relationships will grow stronger.