“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.

Dear Child of God,

             I steal hope from you.  And without hope, you are powerless, burdened, and ashamed.  You are broken.   You stare blankly into my eyes, and all you see is your fear staring back at you.    That fear breeds an emptiness that aches so deep in your soul that you can’t see a way out.   You FEEL defeated.  You FEEL alone and worthless.   But that’s not truth.   You do not have to be enslaved to that fear and emptiness.  God has better plans for you.   Down in the deep of depression, the best and most precious gift that He gives is hope.   And with God,  there is always hope.   Child of God, don’t surrender your gift of hope.   You are worth so much more.  God has great plans for you.  He gives you, just as you are, a hope and a future.  

                       Sincerely Yours,

                                      Depression

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

He Heard my Cry for Mercy

Dear Child of God,

  I watch you seek help in all the wrong places.  And I know that as long as you refuse to wholly give your burden over to Jesus – you will never step out of the hurt.  And into life….. your life as God has always intended for you.  I encourage you to pull away from others and further into darkness.  I lie to you and tell you that you are not relying on God when you allow others into the tough, dark places.   But, God doesn’t want you in isolation.  In fact, God chooses to work through people.   He beautifully orchestrates your life with others’ to glorify Himself through your healing.  He WILL bring wholeness in your life.   Just keep your eyes on Him and I will not be able to destroy you.

   Always yours,

                    Depression 

 

 

 

 

 

I love the Lord, for He heard my voice;  he heard my cry for mercy.   Because He turned my ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.      Psalm 116:1-2

You will know the Truth and the Truth will set You Free

Dear Child of God,

Sometimes I whisper in your ear.   Disguised as your own internal monologue.    But sometimes, I use others to sabotage you. I’ve already convinced you that you do not have worth.   But then, I enlist others to do my work for me.  I don’t even have to whisper “worthless”  or  “broken” in your ear anymore.  I use the judgment of  others.  And after being the sounding board of  criticism and judgment for decades – you believe that’s how all other people think. You think judgment and condemnation are normal and it lays heavy on your shoulders wherever you go.  It is hard  to wrap your brain around an alternate reality.  The true reality.  Not a warped vision of the truth.   A reality that says that those who are so judgmental are also deeply hurting and sick.  A reality that says that you are NOT broken beyond repair or worthless in God’s sight.   A reality that is kinder and gentler than one you had ever envisioned.    And a reality in which, when those judgmental people do come, you can dismiss them.  A reality in which you have a choice.  You can choose to believe what the sick world says or what the word of God says about you.  The truth that God dearly loves you.  Hold that truth close to your heart.   And when I try to contradict that truth… when I try to twist it – hold it up next to The Truth.  And you will be set free. 

                                            Sincerely,

                                                Depression

 

Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  John 8:32  NIV

Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power

Dear Child of God,

       I whisper in your ear all day long.  I tell you how much you hate yourself.  I interpret your own awkwardness for rejection and failure.  I stab your heart and convince you that you are not strong enough to survive.  And you carry my heavy burden.  I distract you and overwhelm you with emotion.  Because I don’t want you to know how much Jesus loves you.  I want you cold and disconnected.  But, the truth is that you have the power of the God of the Universe living inside you.  If you refuse me, He conquers me.  If you listen to my voice whispering in your ear, you will continue to struggle.  The choice is yours.  As God’s chosen, you have the power to overcome.  You are strong.  Because He is strong.

 

 Sincerely,

    Depression

   Finally be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.                                                        Ephesians 6:10

---

 

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

Dear Child of God,

    I put that suffocating shame and suffering in your soul.  You want nothing more to be free from your own self.  I overwhelm you.  Sometimes it’s grief.  Sometimes it’s rejection.  And sometimes I give you no reason for the burden that lays so heavily on your chest.  And for a time, I overpower you.  I relentlessly put the obsession in your mind to cut.  Just to end the searing emotional pain.  And I win you over.  You argue with me.  But in the end, I win.   And then, you regret the mark of pain .  And yet, at the same time, the physical pain was such a relief from the condemning hurt that usually tears throughout your body.  I whisper hate into your heart for what you do that you do not even desire to do.  And that hate turns to shame.  But I am a liar.  God does not condemn you.  Not even when you make the wrong choice.  And He also gives you freedom.  Freedom to change.  You CAN do the next right thing and let God change you from the inside out.  He CAN deliver you.

                     Sincerely

                              Depression

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.                                                                                                                                                  Romans 7:15

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.   Psalm 107:6

 

 

 

 

 

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Dear Child of God,

When I find you crying, sobbing and alone, I smile.    Especially when you dry your tears, put on a strong countenance, hide the emptiness inside…… and act as though you are perfectly healthy and strong.   I smile because I know as long as you pretend to be strong, it’s a lie, and that lie isolates you.  And you were not created to be hurting alone.  But when you finally allow yourself to be vulnerable, I cringe.  Because I know how God works. Transparency eventually finds healing as you as reach out and your shame dissipates a little at a time.  You will see all the hurting around you.  And your heart will be softened and encouraged as you let others into your story.   Into the raw places of your soul.  Your tears are no longer alone.  The aching in your heart, the emptiness, the shame – it’s shared.   And when it’s shared, you WILL overcome.  God will heal your breaking heart.  And your story, well, it’s no longer in vain.  The shattered, broken pieces of your life are restored, in the glorious light, to life.

 Faithfully Yours,

                    Depression                                           

 

                                                                                                                      

                                       

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2

Therefore, there is no Condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Dear Child of God, 

       I cover your heart in shame.   Your life in shame.   Your very existence in shame.  It seeps and oozes out of your every thought and word.  That shame suffocates you as it covers you in that bleak darkness that envelops you wholly.  Because of my lies, you truly believe there is something so very wrong inside of you.   It’s as if people can see through you into the darkest parts.  Where you hurt the most.    Fear surrounds you.  But, dear child, you don’t have to hurt.  You don’t have to drown in your fear.  And live your life in shame.   Instead, trust in God to take away that judgement, that condemnation.  It might not even feel true.  Yes, the truth is going to feel like a lie.  Simply because I have spent so much of your life whispering rejection, shame, and fear.  But, ultimately,  I don’t have power over you.  You can be liberated from my control.   You don’t have to feel it, but you can KNOW this to be true……..  In His perfect love, God has rescued you from your shame.  You are free.

    Sincerely,

                                     Depression

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..                                                                                                                                                Romans 8:1