Only God can heal the soul.

Fall is a beautiful season. Everywhere you look, tones of brown, yellow, and red capture your eyes and bring color to your world. I love walking outside in the crisp air and admiring God’s canvas. Sadly, the trees’ beauty is only temporary as hundreds of their leaves rest lifelessly on the ground. Though the colors of fall bring much warmth to my heart, I find myself battling with sadness sometimes. As I struggle to embrace the change that’s happening all around me, depression fights to win my heart. Could it be because fall brings with it many memories from the past that I wish I could forget? Or is it just because I have a hard time accepting change? Whatever the cause may be, I know I’m not the only one feeling like this. Do you know what it feels like to be lonely even when you’re surrounded by people who love you? Have you ever felt so sad you don’t even want to let the tears fall because you know they won’t bring healing? As I’m typing this I realize just how real depression is. Even though there’s the temptation to cover up what I’m feeling, I want to be real. If you’re human, you know what depression feels like, yet how many of us dare to admit what we’re truly feeling? We live in a world that runs from pain by seeking comfort in things that don’t satisfy. When people see that the pain is resurfacing, they run from it even more, often trying to cover it up in the hopes of becoming numb to it. I never want to become numb. I would rather feel pain instead of feeling nothing. Did you know God sometimes uses depression as a way of drawing us back to himself? What may seem to us like pointless pain could actually lead us straight into God’s arms! As Christians, we tend to get shy when it comes to the issue of depression. I think it’s because we feel guilty for not having it all together, but have you ever read the book of Psalms? This book is filled with prayers of Christians who chose to be real with God. I love reading Psalms because it helps me realize the fact that I shouldn’t be ashamed of feeling pain and sadness. Even David, a mighty man of God, experienced depression. In verse 6 of Psalm 38 he writes, “I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning.” I love his sincerity as he pours out his heart in verses 9 and 10, “All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes.” Wow, how comforting it is to be able to identify with the pain David experienced! The resounding question is, how do we deal with depression? The answer lies in verse 15, “LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.” Other translations substitute the word “wait” with “hope.” Hope in God and pour out your heart before Him in a prayer that is honest and real! How encouraging to know that God hears our prayer and He will answer us! Are you looking to Him for healing?