Where is your trust?
“Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.” – Proverbs 11:28
Depression is defined as “anger turned inward” and that anger comes from making the wrong choice on trust.
I can trust in all kinds of riches – my works and a legalistic checklist, my money, my power, my minister, my physical body or world, my wisdom or intelligence, some cause like anti-abortion. All these things look really good and they provide a veneer of a feeling like I have done something for God – but they will all cause you to fall!
Let me illustrate how this works. A man named Tom is the leader of an anti-abortion group at his church. He preaches against it, teaches against it and spends every waking moment telling people how evil this is – good works! Everyone looks up to Tom and he is feeling great about what he has done! But what he forgot in his good feelings about his effort to save the world is that his righteousness comes from God – not his good works – they are only filthy rags. So because God radically loves Tom, God allows for Tom’s daughter to get pregnant and because she cant talk to her father since he is so busy – she has an abortion and when Tom finds out he is crushed. Praise God!
Tom may well be on the road to Grace because he has finally figured out that it’s the cross and not the picket line that saves.
Grace – God’s pure unadulterated gift of Love, Forgiveness, Mercy, Healing, Cleansing and the end of a legalistic life for us – IS the only way to have a relationship with the Devine!
I find that one of the most if not the most common reason for depression among Christians isn’t their lack of effort at trying – It is their effort at trying that causes it!
If the Christian life was about human effort – why is it called “the Christian life?” This life comes from Christ alone!
BeGraceFull.com
At first I thought you were talking about clinical depression. I love these great points for “spiritual” depression.
That is a Great point Cindy – I am not sure where the line is drawn officially but I do know that I was diagnosed with clinical depression – however I believe mine had a spiritual root which was legalism and not following the Grace of God!