Real Depression Treatment God’s Way
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by Harvey L. Diamond
Depression has long plagued the human race. While there has been much research on the subject, depression knows no simple cause, nor does it have a simple solution. For, there are many forms, many causes, and likewise, many ways depression is treated.
One of the most overlooked sources of healing from depression is God. While there are many who may point to God’s word as a place to discover “how to” be healed or “what to do” about it, less understand the nature of God and way God works. For, as His word in fact says, His ways are not our ways, but higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:8)
Truly, depression is not unknown to God. He does have real answers, real solutions because He created us! Please believe me, this is not meant to be a cliché. With faith in His word and real solutions from the Holy Spirit, depression can be dealt with and cured. For, God has real solutions, and wants us to seek Him for His solutions. In fact, the book of Psalms is chock full of examples of how people have experienced depression, and received God’s comfort. I can testify.
Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
(Psalm 42:11)
How Can You Hope and Trust in God for Real Healing from Depression?
There are four parts to God’s healing process:
- Being honest with yourself, choosing to be healed, seeking God’s way
- Discovering the root causes of why you are depressed
- Engaging with God in a real way—His way—to receive His healing
- Acting in faith and with courage as you walk through His solution
Choosing to Be Honest with Yourself and Wanting God to Heal You
Pain of heart is very real to me. I’ve also known many people who have experienced pain of heart. It, therefore, amazes me how many people suffer from depression and anxiety but either won’t admit it or seek to truly be healed. In many cases, there is a real spiritual stronghold preventing one from being able to see, admit or desire healing.
We, therefore, sometimes choose paths that appear to be therapeutic or in reality, help us avoid dealing with the real issue. The truth is avoiding confronting the issue that plagues our inner being only causes more harm—to us, and also to people around us.
Discovering the Root Causes of Depression
Researchers have long theorized the factors causing depression. They acknowledge that depression works differently in individuals, and that there is typically never one single cause. They do, however, point to physical and external causes. While some symptoms may signify a medical condition, most symptoms result from a variety of external influences and the way we respond. That makes depression a real spiritual issue.
The root causes of many symptoms of depression often occur during one’s childhood. For, that’s where our behavior systems are largely influenced, formed and affected. The path of discovery, therefore, often points to our relationships with family, friends and other influential people as well as critical events that occurred that had significant effects.
We must understand that things happen in life beyond our control. Whether they happened early in life or during latter parts of our life, why things happen as they do is not the issue to focus on. As soon as we get over the “why” question, we can begin going down the path of healing.
Difficult crises and traumatic events will happen. We may also be put in situations and have to live through painful and difficult circumstances for inordinate periods of time. Such things produce fractures in our hearts and confuse our minds. If we don’t experience true healing and learn how to cope, we become high risk candidates for depression.
Unfortunately, we typically fall into the trap of blaming someone or something, or finding alternative means of soothing or masking the pain. For, it makes us feel better. Truly, however, nobody wins the blame game or pain-avoidance game. It only prolongs real healing, and keeps us in bondage.
Engaging with God His Way to Receive His Healing
God is the business of delivering people from bondage. His love compels Him to do so. One of the most dramatic stories in the Bible specifically relates to how God delivered the Hebrew people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. He used that event to mark the beginning of His pattern of healing.
Just before God was about to deliver the Hebrew people out of Egypt, he called for a plague of death on the firstborn in Egypt. In order for the Hebrews to be spared, the man of every family was to select and sacrifice an unblemished lamb. Its blood was sprinkled over the doorpost to mark the home that was to be spared from the plague of death.
God also commanded the people to celebrate a feast commemorating this event of deliverance. It was to be celebrated on an annual basis, as the beginning of a cycle of seven feasts. This was the Passover feast.
Following this feast are six additional feasts. These feasts would mark specific ways the people were to relate and interact with God. Each had a specific purpose. Truly, they establish a pattern and process God established as a way of engaging with Him. They, in effect, serve as a blueprint of the way He planned to relate and engage with His people on a continuous basis.
The Lord's feasts, as Paul relates in Colossians 2:17, "a shadow of things that are coming, but the body is of the Messiah." As shadows, they may be viewed as a reflection of a blueprint illustrating God's plan of engagement revealed through the Messiah.
Using the Pathways to Zion Process to Bring You from Depression to a Victorious and Vibrant Life in the Messiah
Psalm 85:13 relates how His footsteps are our pathway. The PATHWAYS TO ZION process, therefore, serves to illuminate ways to relate to God and engage with Him. In fact, Lamentations 1:4 reflects the heart of God yearning for God's people to follow such a course: "The roads to Zion mourn because no one comes to the set feasts."
We are all wired differently. There are many routes along the spiritual journey. To accommodate our different needs and styles, God will, therefore, lead each of us through a variety of processes. We all have our own questions for God, and issues to address with Him. The Bible does have the answers! The Holy Spirit is our guide, comforter, teacher and healer.
The PATHWAYS TO ZION process, therefore, marks a multi-dimensional path of engagement with God. It in essence, facilitates a path of study by key topics, integrating Old and New Testament passages. In addition, it provides thought-provoking questions for reflection. In total, it facilitates a healing and spiritual growth process across six different dimensions, each following God's general pattern.
How to Use the Pathways to Zion Approach
The PATHWAYS TO ZION process provides the flexibility of tailoring a plan of study, reflection and engagement according to your time constraints and style. While it may be used on a horizontal, vertical or random basis, to begin a process of being healed from depression, the HORIZONTAL approach is recommended. Therefore, start from the top left side, and move across the grid focusing on one topic at a time. Be patient and honest with yourself and God as you allow the Holy Spirit to heal you, and lead you along His path to joy and an advancing and progressive life in the Messiah!
You can download a free PDF copy, or use it online as an interactive guide.
To use the grid, you will simply click on any box. A pop-up window will open; providing a brief introduction and links to Scripture references, thought-provoking questions, and pages in our companion books providing greater insight.
CLICK HERE TO BEGIN
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