Nougat 24

In many instances, one does not snap out of depression naturally. An affected person may have to follow a specific course of action so that they might overcome depression. For the prophet, the process was simple: find or restore hope in God. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat

Lamentations 3:21-22 CEVDCI

[21] Then I remember something that fills me with hope.

[22] The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed.

Depression is Real 5

After twenty verses of depressive ranting, there is a shift. The prophet sought a way out and in the process realized that God was not as aloof as it seemed. It’s ironic that the shift includes recognition of God in the process, as the prophet’s sense of disconnectedness with God was stated clearly as late as verse 18. At the moment the tenor of the chapter shifted, the prophet saw life more realistically.

Self-Check

What could have caused that kind of sudden shift in attitude for us?

Deeper Dive

Siblings, this is a clear reminder that as dense and un-navigable our course may seem, there is hope. I don’t fully know what the specifics of an individual’s situation, but I can confirm that there is hope. And the author/creator of that unfailing hope is YHWH.

For some, that hope looks like specific medications to regulate the nervous system, accompanied by counselling. Others of us might not have been formally diagnosed, so no medications were prescribed. In such cases, counselling might be all that is required. Some others might only require a shift in our location or circumstances – separation from abusive friends or family – for that necessary shift to occur. Again, I would recommend that counselling is included in the transformation process. For counselling you’ve us tools to recognize and overcome the depression should it try to visit again.

For the prophet, we don’t hear of counselling in so many words. But the shift from the depths of despair to the certainty in God’s provision suggests that something triggered his memory. That’s not just about finding the bright side siblings. It is all about acknowledging God’s side. Inasmuch as God didn’t make us as robots or identical patterns in an assembly line, God addresses each of us and our circumstances individually.

Our prophet reminds us that God’s mercy never fails. Not ever. We don’t negate God’s presence and provision in the medication, counselling, or relocation. When we permit God to intervene in our life situations, God uses different methods to restore us. Each situation demands its own response.

If we were to think back on different times that God rescued us, we’ll see that even if they were similar, they might not have been the same. But, God in God’s mercy kept us. That holds for us if we’re the ones facing depression, or for others if it’s their circumstances. God’s merciful kindness is ever present.

Point to Ponder

Let us encourage ourselves and each other with that blessed assurance. God’s mercy has kept us from destruction.

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May all we seek be found in Christ