I was almost to the point of being engulfed because of circumstances. Ministers are not exempted from depression. We are human too. Remember a couple of weeks ago I posted about fear being a liar and a thief? You can substitute "depression" for "fear" here. I'd forgotten to do this and was sinking fast without truly recognizing it for what it was. I was in a sticky, smelly quagmire of despair. It happened so slowly. First one thing then another compounded it, then another and so on for months. The creeping nature of this depressive bout could easily be discounted for other things like chomping at the bit waiting, or even chronic pain. I ignored the fact that I was going into a depression Of course, these factors played heavily into my depressed state.
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I remembered I'm not alone in this fight which was feeling like someone had stole my lollipop mid lick. I had allies in my corner. I'm not discounting God, but He had my back also. Who do you think rang the alarm bell that woke me up in the first place? I had hand picked my doctors also, hadn't I? A simple phone call from them was all it took to get a rope to pull me out of the quagmire of depression. In other words, steps towards forward progress. Nobody speaks doctor like doctors. I come close, but it's not the same.
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It's amazing what a little hope does to depression. Almost instantaneously, you are doing the Snoopy dance of happiness that depression can't stand. Sure there is a long road ahead, but with a renewed spring in your step it seems doable. Depression melts away. The same goes for living post stroke. Being active in your recovery, no matter how long it takes, you have a ultimate goal in your mind and soul. It doesn't mean that you sit by the wayside and wait. You take the steps (exercises and repetition) to reach your goal while living your life to the best of your ability while you wait to reach your goal. Yes, I'm back touting the same old lines again.
Life abhors a vacuum. Depression is an equivalent to a vacuum. While depressed you are standing still. You are listening to the liar and a thief who is telling you, you can't. I'm telling you can. Can't never could.
So get off that chair and get to it. Make some forward progress today and get off that slippery slope of depression. One small step leads to another. You have to claw and crawl before you can walk or run. When facing living post stroke, we are all infants who stand holding onto something. May we continue to have the courage to let go and run.
Nothing is impossible.
Depression pulls us away from life and people and that's not healthy. The devil wants to isolate us and take all hope. Glad God sparked that hope back into you.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the truth. Thanks Alex
ReplyDeleteJo, I imagine that God provides my ability to let go of situational problems, thinking that my non-depressed state has to do with my internal joy, rather than my external circumstances. As my 10-year-old daughter said after she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and I asked her why it didn't ever seem to bring her down, "I have a choice. Why would I choose to be miserable?" At 10, she said that. At 60, I think I've learned to live that.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you've come out of your funk.
Barb, While I have abundant internal joy, there are depressed moments also. It's it great who children teach us.
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