DEPRESSION STOPPER #1:
KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
Galatians 4:1-11
1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Whenever I talk about the subject of depression, I never cease to be amazed at the number of people who respond by saying, "Yes, that's a picture of me. I don't know why I'm depressed but I am." And more times than not the letter or e-mail message will have some kind of a postscript saying something like, "By the way, I am a Christian and I know that I shouldn't be depressed, but I am, and then feel guilty because of it."
Analyzing some of those cries which come from way down deep, I can't help but feel that some of our dark moments could be avoided by understanding exactly what our relationship is with our heavenly Father, and how important we are to Him. One gentleman wrote saying that he had struggled with bouts of depression for thirty years, but then he found Christ as his personal Savior, which gave him new hope and helped him to overcome depression. That's how it should be. Knowing who you are can help you overcome depression. That's depression stopper #1: Knowing who you are--in relationship to your heavenly Father. Here's the foundation of that truth.
Do you remember the statement of John 1:12 that says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"? Here John says that your relationship with your heavenly Father is that of child with his paternal father. It is the picture of an orphan who has been adopted into a family and then becomes the heir of all the father possesses. Understanding the concept of adoption under Roman law helps even more, for under Roman law the adopted son had equal rights of inheritance with the children who had come into the family by natural birth.
Furthermore, under Roman law the past of the adopted individual was legally wiped out. If he had committed crimes, those crimes were absolved. When he received the name of his adopting father, he literally became a new person, with the past forever forgotten. Understanding that your past is forgiven and forgotten should help you deal with depression. When God forgives you, the past is wiped out forever. "As far as the east is from the west," wrote the Psalmist, "so far has he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). The east and the west never meet, so why allow yourself to become depressed over deeds which God has forgiven and thus will never be held against you?
Paul in Galatians 4 further developed the concept of adoption. Here he says God sent Christ, "to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons," says Paul, "God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, Abba Father. So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:6-7). The word Abba doesn't mean much to us today, but it does take on great significance when you understand that this Aramaic word was a term of great affection. Perhaps the closest equivalent is the expression, "daddy" or "papa." Nobody goes around calling just anyone "papa" or "daddy," yet this is the warmth and closeness of a relationship that can exist when we have become God's children.
As the adopted children of God, our heavenly Father wants us to grow and mature, yet when we fall; He will forgive us and help us up, just as our earthly fathers did when we were learning to walk. Friend, knowing who you are and what your relationship to your heavenly Father really is can be a great depression stopper. It's the first step towards healing and peace of mind and heart.
The Signs of the Times September 1, 1890
Adversity and trial will only give them an opportunity to show the sincerity of their love. When depression settles upon the soul, it is no evidence that God has changed. He is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever." You are sure of the favor of God when you are sensible of the beams of the Sun of Righteousness; but if clouds sweep over your soul, you must not feel that you are forsaken. Your faith must pierce the gloom. Your eye must be single, and your whole body will be full of light. The riches of the grace of Christ must be kept before the mind. Treasure up the lessons that his love provides. Let your faith be like Job’s that you may declare, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Lay hold on the promises of your heavenly Father, and remember his former dealing with you, and with his servants; "all things work together for good to them that love God." {ST, September 1, 1890 par. 3}
The most trying experiences in the Christian's life may be the most blessed. The special providences of the dark hours may encourage the soul in future attacks of Satan, and equip the servant of God to stand in fiery trials. The trial of your faith is more precious than gold. You must have that abiding confidence in God that is not disturbed by the temptations and arguments of the deceiver. Take the Lord at his word. You must study the promises, and appropriate them as you have need. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Become rooted and grounded in the word, and then you will not renounce the important truths for this time, which are to exert a sanctifying influence upon your life and character.
The Signs of the Times September 5 1895
Christ found himself in fashion as a man, that he might represent to man in human life and character that which was expressed in his holy word. He was one with the Father; his life corresponded with the life of God, and his character was like unto that which was represented in the standard of righteousness, the ten moral precepts. Righteousness is living the law of God as Christ lived it; it is the health, the activity of every spiritual energy in the service of God. It is the uplifting of the soul of God in prayer, the turning of the soul to God, even as the flower turns to the light. There is health and heaven for the soul in abiding under the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness; for thus shall we be uplifted from the low, dark cares of the earth, which bring depression and gloom, to dwell in the light that is above and beyond them. Righteousness is the possession of increasing usefulness. It is the hiding of the soul in Christ with God. It is experiencing fellowship with God. It is exemplifying to the world the fact that God has vindicated his word to the world, and has fulfilled his promise in saying, "We will come and make our abode with him." Righteousness prepares the human agent for the mansions which Christ has gone to prepare for those who love him. {ST, September 5, 1895 par. 7}