"Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Matthew 11: 28 - 30 NKJV
I've been reading quite a bit lately of a spike in the rates of suicide and depression in our country. We have also seen a increase in domestic violence rates as well, but that's for another topic. What hits close to home for me is the rise in the rate of depression. There was a time in my life where I experienced more than a few dark days. My own depression sprung out of what I perceived as nobody liking me. Again, this is what I thought was happening. In reality, it took the encouraging words of a few friends and co workers to show me that I had been dead wrong in my thinking. Now, along with a rise in the rates of suicide and depression comes the thoughts, fears and stories behind those behaviors. I believe in my heart that the longer that our society remains socially distanced and locked down, that the suicide and depression rates will continue to rise. Why? Because too many Americans are beginning to feel as if there is no hope left to be had. By the grace of Jesus I have remained employed through this period, but I cannot imagine what my state of mind would be if I were not. I recently saw a friend post a Facebook post which read..."So giving up is the only option left." This grieved me because my friend is normally a happy individual. Sadly, however, he has been out of work for as long as there have been police state Kate Brown lockdowns. So, what are we to do when our accuser comes knocking upon our door speaking doubt and fear into our hearts? Well, we could give in to his suggestions, or we could come to the realization that it ultimately is not we who are carrying that load...but Jesus. Many Christians, when facing hard times, have traditionally turned to the gospel of Matthew and taken courage from the passage where Jesus invites us to place our burdens upon Him {Matthew 11:28}. I get it. After all, Jesus is our Savior and can handle any issue we bring to Him can He not? Well, in this passage Jesus was inviting those who were listening to see that it is He who shoulders our burdens, something the apostle Paul introduces to us as well. It is Paul who introduces us to the reality of Christ in us {Galatians 2:20}. So, if Jesus indeed is living in us, isn't it He who is carrying the burden?
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1: 7 NKJV
If we were to get down to the roots of the issues of depression and suicide we would come up with one common factor...fear. I was afraid that I had nobody who cared...so I became depressed. The man who has been out of work now cannot provide for his family...he fears that he no longer has hope. One thing which we can be assured of, is that fear is never of God. In fact, fears are almost always attacks brought forth by our deceiver Satan. We all have fears which keep us from enjoying life. I personally have a overwhelming fear of heights, which keeps me from more than a few activities. Yet, on a hiking trip to the 1, 300 foot Angels Rest trail in the Columbia River gorge a few years back a good friend reminded me that fear...was not of Jesus who was in me. Therefore, I could live strong without fear! I did...but I was extra careful climbing back down. It is no secret that fear can do many things to our bodies and minds. The enemy will tell us that your job is gone...while God reminds you that He will provide {Philippians 4:19}. The accuser will tell us that our life is worthless...but God assures us that we are precious to Him {Ephesians 2:4-9}. He has created us in His own image {Genesis 1:27}. He breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}. God has been a intimate part of us from the very beginning. We might have our own doubts about whether others are concerned for us...but we should NEVER doubt that God forever has His love upon us. In the love of Christ, there is no room for fear {1 John 4:18}.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2: 4 - 9 NKJV
~Scott~
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