In Giving Thanks

I woke up this morning feeling wonderful. And it was amazing because really yesterday was a pretty bad day. And really this whole past three months have been pretty bad. With so much going on these days it is easy to get discouraged, and depressed. The politics, economy, jobs (money), churches, relationships, family, etc,... Can you relate?

Depression seems to be one of Satan's favorite devises to disable me, a child of God. Satan probably sees it as a slap in Gods face. But yesterday I saw in my own life how dangerous depression can be. Depression blinded me from seeing (and therefore assisting) others right under my nose, who desperately needed encouragement. It blinded me from all the blessings God has poured out into my life. It stole all the joy in my relationship with God and replaced it with bitterness.

A few times I have come to the point in total depression that I can't think of anything for which to thank God. I know, I know isn't it terrible! What kind of a Christian cannot think of something for which to thank God? Hello, Grace, LIFE. Hello, ETERNAL SALVATION! I obviously was NOT thinking.

During my last semester in school, my math professor found himself in such blind depression to the point that he no longer saw his life as a blessing. He took his own life one night after class. All of his students, though we didn't know him well, were very sad for him. I was grieved that I didn't share the gospel (joy) with him before he decided to do this. And Satan, who hates men, and hates our lives wants depression to drive you and me to the same point as my professor. The ultimate goal of all Satan's devices including depression is death. That is scary.

I have a very dear friend from Nigeria, who has the most joyful, thankful spirit I have ever known. She is the one who introduced me to real African music (beautiful, happy music). :-) It astounds me the way that she can be so cheerful in the midst of difficult situations. She works so hard at school and work that many nights she doesn't get to sleep. I know that she must have at least as many money difficulties as I do and yet I have never heard her complain even once. Also she is very far from her family and isn't even sure when she will see them again... Yet her joyful faith in God's goodness toward her is unshakable. She never seems to be affected by depression or blindness to the gifts God has given her. She has a beautiful trusting relationship with God.

In the Old Testament when the Israelites were setting up the temple they had a whole group of people whose only job was to praise and thank God. That didn't sound like a full time job to me. But apparently it was. In the Psalms (100:4) it says,"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. " The Israelites took thanking God very seriously.

Sometimes I have been so ungrateful and depressed in my heart that it took losing some of those blessings before I knew they were blessings. I think everyone at one time or another knows what it feels like to be in a nice warm shower and all the sudden it turns freezing cold. My first thought is "Umm,...COLD!" Then the shivers come and I think for half a second about waiting it out like a trooper. But as my breathing becomes more rapid and the water more chilling I pop like popcorn out of that shower and start begging people from the door to turn off the hot water. As soon as the heat comes back on I begin to thank God for everything from warm showers and towels to toenail clippers and a toothbrush. All of the sudden I can magically remember all the blessings I have been taking for granted every day, and things no longer seem so dismal.

It wasn't until I realized by the slow disappearance of security, money, school, clothing, books, friends, family, church, etc., how blessed I am. There is one huge blessing (salvation through the blood of Christ, and a real relationship with God Himself) and innumerable little things that I was forgetting/ignoring/walking by each day. Obviously the only way God could get my attention was by taking some of those bigger blessings out of the picture for a while so that I could see the others. I hope that tomorrow when I am tempted to feel depressed I will remember this: That when things are being taken away and they seem to be falling completely apart it is time to look more closely at my life and start saying "Thank you, God". Also I hope to remember to be merciful to everyone in my life who is going through depression. Because there are people who are depressed due to illness (chemical or hormonal imbalance), or particularly difficult times (deaths in the family, ill treatment). If you have been there you know how they feel, and they need lots of hugs (if they are touchy person), kind words (if they are not), special attention and prayer. I want to be one of the people they thank God for when they are feeling better. Yup! I hope I remember these things.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 " In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Psalm 33:1 "Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous..."