6. Love and Depression pt.1
Bless you reader! Bless your hopes and thoughts!
Continuing on in the ‘Love Chapter’
Verse 6
“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” 1 Cor 13:6 NIV
Pretty simple.
Not exactly. I did a lot of research on this verse and I found that all the writers and commentators missed a major theme evident here and that is what we shall discuss. The theme is two fold: depression and, though everyone who knows me will laugh, loving ourselves. I have, as you may by now know, said many times that loving ourselves is not a problem that most people have. Well, I was wrong. People are hurt and sad everywhere. And we are going to help this! (Pray amongst yourselves a minute before we begin.)
This article will be very unlike the worlds wisdom on this subject. And that sounds like a good start.
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A story: A friend told me in conversation recently that she started a kids program. I was impressed and she could tell. She then immediately told me very ashamedly that she only started the program because she was in trouble. And she thought it would help to testify to her character and lighten any punishment she might receive. It didn’t. But the program is still there helping children’s lives and it was spearheaded by someone who cared about my friend personally. Without this person the program would have stall for lack of leadership. My friends trials were already over and she no longer needed to ‘help children’ anymore.
So how much good came of it? Lets look at just what I can see from down here: Obviously the program and all the lives it would affect and different programs it may spawn and the affect of those programs on the receivers and the givers (thats a lot right there); the affect in my friends heart seeing God’s goodness in this way; the fact that she repented and was honest immediately when bragged about the program (repentance is humbling and very good for us); this story going out via this blog to affect so many; and if my friend is honest with our ‘spearheading leader’ it will be a powerful witness to God’s goodness; still, the biggest good is that God is glorified in ALL of this. Especially considering the following …
What did God use to bring about all this good? He used my friends fear, selfishness, and deception. He used fear to bring support and courage. He used selfishness to bring about selflessness and good will. He used deception to bring honesty. And He never left the human heart! Praise Him for how He works in us. My friend was understandably ashamed and disheartened (depressed) when she told me of her real motive. But I said, “Praise God!” And told her to glorify God that He used her to bring all that goodness out of her badness. His plans were not frustrated at all. Not for a second.
Joseph said to his brothers: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Gen. 50:20
God’s plans are not frustrated by our failures. He can (and should) be glorified in all things knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
In part 2 will discuss how this all relates to depression.
June 22nd, 2010 at 8:39 pm
I think the interesting insight here is that the truth was working and impacting others by spreading love before your friend was ever even in a place that she could realize it. God’s truth is not always our own. Sometimes the evil in our lives clouds our ability to really see the truth as God intends. But God has a way of working this out, and it eventually shows itself to us, either in gentle, subtle ways, or if we really aren’t listening, and he needs to, I don’t think God minds knocking us in the head with it now and then! Tough love, I guess you’d say…
June 22nd, 2010 at 8:55 pm
“I don’t think God minds knocking us in the head”
-Stacy Shull, the delicate artiste, ladies and gentlemen.
June 24th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Slacker! You are two days behind! And you need to fix those possessives.
June 24th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
This is such a great example of God’s Refiners Fire in our life..giving Beauty for Ashes…Like a Goldsmith God takes us from the filth we reside in, and with the intense fire of life’s circumstances along with results of possibly selfish choices weve made he brings us to that place of brokeness. It’s under that intense heat and pressure that Gold can actually liquify seperating the good from the bad.. the Goldsmith than goes through a process of skimming everything off the top until the liquid is finally Pure enough to see his reflection in..Thank God for that conviction in our own hearts to help seperate the Spirit from the Flesh…