Fighting the Beast of Spiritual Depression
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The end of year blues can creep up and hit you when you least expect it - like right in the middle of exams. Get on top of the blues beast with a quick and easy faith blitz! Anglican student minister Elizabeth Sheppard shows you how.
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Fighting the Beast of Spiritual Depression
- 1. OVERCOMING SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION otherwise known as Acedia, Burnout,or the Sloughof Despond
- 2. WE ALL KNOW THE SIGNS . . . Listlessness, irritability, that unloved, hangdog expression . . .
- 3. We talk to and pray with trusted friends, & check these things Prov. 9:1-12 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out her seven pillars: she has killed her beasts: she has mingled her wine; she has also furnished her table . . . LIFE BALANCE CHECKLIST Healthy, regular food Sleep & rest Medical check Finances Relationships Support networks Clothes Household Recreation
- 4. THEN IN FAITH, WE PRAY . . . Psalm 23: The Lord is my Shepherd We shall not want We rest in green pastures, beside still waters God will restore our souls and comfort us We go where Christ leads us, without fear God’s anointing will help us, even in conflict God’s goodness and mercy are always with us We stop worrying & ask Jesus Christ to lead
- 5. AS WE LISTEN TO JESUS, WE . . . Matt. 5:3-38: The Beatitudes count our blessings rejoice in Jesus’ encouraging words examine our actions and thoughts find friends and life companions sing to lift our hearts to God seek whatever is good and beautiful share our possessions and serve others
- 6. AS WE LISTEN TO JESUS, WE . . . Matt. 5:3-38: The Beatitudes gather and share worship, experiences, song realize that God loves us just as we are identify our mistakes, and name them work to discard harmful habits and attitudes forgive ourselves, since God forgives us learn to love ourselves as God loves us learn to love others, even enemies
- 7. THEN WE PUT ON GOD’S ARMOUR . . . Ephesians 6:10-18 As Christ’s disciples, we must be belted with truth be armed with righteousness be shod with the Gospel of peace be shielded with faith wield the sword of the Holy Spirit wear the helmet of salvation pray at all times
- 8. AND WE REJOICE THAT GOD LOVES US 1 Jn. 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. In God’s faithful love for us (hesed) we are affirmed as God’s creatures encouraged for service rewarded by redemption strengthened in Christ’s Body and blessed through Christ’s Eucharist
- 9. GOD RENEWS US THROUGH GRACE TO DO CHRIST’S WORK Acts. 1:8 But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come on you: and you shall be witnesses to me both in Judaea, and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.
- 10. AND SO WE ARISE INTO SPIRITUAL HARMONY C IN HRIST otherwise known as Holy Communion
Notas del editor
- Christians have many ways of overcoming Spiritual Depression, otherwise known asAcedia, Burnout, or the Slough of Despond
- We all know the signs . . . listlessness, irritability, that unloved, hangdog expression
- So we talk to and pray with trusted friends, and updateour Life Balance Checklist of basic essentials for good health and spiritual balance. Without healthy, regular food, enough sleep and rest, accurate medical diagnosis of ailments and remedies, sensible budgeting, attention to relationships, building reliable support networks, maintaining clothes and household needs, and developing enjoyable recreation, stress and illnesscan overcome us, and lead us into spiritual depression.
- Then, in faith, we pray. Psalm 23 is a good place to start. This Psalm tells us that our good, merciful Lord cares for us as a good Shepherd looks after his sheep. So we can follow him fearlessly and be comforted, and God will provide for us, even when we are confronted with enemies, or when we face death’s dark valley.
- In Matthew chapter 5, verses 3 to 38, we listen to Jesus as he preaches the Sermon on the Mount, and tells us about the blessings God showers upon those who love and obey him. Reading this text, we can count our blessings, rejoice in our Lord’s encouragement, start to examine our own actions and thoughts, follow Jesus’ advice to seek friends and life companions for life’s journey, and sing to lift our hearts to God. As we seek whatever is good and beautiful, share our possessions and serve others in small ways, we may find our depression beginning to lift.
- As we listen to Jesus, we gather and share worship, experiences, and song, and we realize that God loves us just as we are. We identify our mistakes, name them, and laugh about some that are just plain ridiculous. We work to discard harmful habits and attitudes, and we forgive ourselves for being human and fallible, just as God forgives us. We learn how to explore and love ourselves as God loves us, and we learn to love others, even our enemies.
- Then, turning to Ephesians 6, verses 10 to 18, we put on God’s armour.As Christ’s disciples, we must be belted with truth, armed with righteousness, shod with the Gospel of peace, and shielded with faith.We must wield the sword of the Holy Spirit, wear the helmet of salvation, and pray at all times.Sounds like a tall order, but if we trust in God, it can be done.
- And turning to the first book of John, chapter 4, verse 10, we rejoice that God loves us and sent Jesus Christ to beour Redeemer, the only one who could pay the price of our sins and raise us up by affirming us as God’s precious creatures, encouraging us to serve him as well as we can, rewarding us by grace with redemption, strengthening us in Christ’s Body, the Church, and blessing us through the Eucharist.
- So God renews us through grace to do Christ’s work of spreading the Good News of God’s peace and love to the whole world, in the power of the Holy Spirit that came to the Apostles and the Church at Pentecost
- And so we arise into spiritual harmony in Christ, otherwise known as Holy Communion