God's Promises for Every Need Series: Depression
Isaiah 43:1-2
#EveryNeed
SERMON SERIES INTRODUCTION
I wanted to share with you where we are going in terms of sermons and thoughts as we finish out 2020. In October and November, we are going through the series we are starting today, “God’s Promises for Every Need.” We will go over topics like depression, anger, unsaved loved ones, and lukewarm faith. Then Braeden and I will focus us on Thanksgiving around the end of November. Then we will focus on Christmas and the wonderful gifts we have through Christ because of His birth. Then in the New Year… 2021… I thought I would freestyle it a little bit and see where God takes us.
INTRODUCTION
Today, we start thinking about God's Promises for Every Need. 2020 has been a banner year that has brought many emotions for all of us. Here is what I remember so far…
January: mysterious drones flew over the skies of Colorado and Nebraska, some as big as a car.
January – March: there were huge fires in Australia.
March – April: COVID19 hit and is currently still a concern with so many deaths and sickness.
April: DOD officially released UFO videos to the public
May: Poland accidentally invaded the Czech Republic
May: Graduations are all canceled
May-June: George Floyd is killed and riots and unrest begins along with protests and violence
June: Feral pigs eat a stash of cocaine in Italy and run rampant and crazy
June: A woman’s body was found in a suitcase on a beach in Philadelphia
July: Two words… ‘murder hornets’
August: There were 2 hurricanes at the same time in the Gulf of Mexico that hit
September: Brain eating amoeba in the drinking water in Houston
September: A massive deadly fungal disease is killing off frogs on every continent and a new never-before-seen species of frog was discovered in Peru.
September-October: Huge fires in California and the west coast with a side of earthquake.
October: 2 full moons in one month
None of that even mentions politics. None of that even mentions personal things such as relatives being sick, surgeries, loss of jobs, reduced hours at working causing financial stress, social pressures to conform, not to mention Taco Bell stopped selling the Mexican Pizza.
There is so much going on around us right now that the world is definitely all over the place with reactions and feelings and attitudes. Our families may not have much peace or stability. Emotions are all over the place. I would like to focus on one emotion today that you may be dealing with. It might be brought on by circumstances. It might be brought on by this unsettling year we are living in. It might be brought on by a chemical imbalance in your body and so you deal with it often or all the time well before the world endured the craziness of 2020.
The feeling of being depressed is what I would like to talk about today. The emotional, physical, and psychological state of depression is what I would like to talk about today. I want to share with you one promise God gives in the midst of depression.
SOURCE: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007 [adapted]
Although depression may occur only once during your life, people typically have multiple episodes of depression or it could be something you deal with on a regular basis and may or may not take medicine to help try and control.
Depression can be:
* Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
* Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
* Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as hobbies or sports
* Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
* Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
* Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain
* Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
* Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
* Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
* Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
* Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
* Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships with others. It is a disruption. We notice. Others notice. Some of us may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.
SOURCE: https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/inside-head-depressed-person-0110134
Even if nothing was wrong before depression descends, everything seems wrong when it descends and settles into the heart. Suddenly, no one seems loving or lovable. Everything is irritating. Work is boring and unbearable. Any activity takes many times more effort, as if every movement requires displacing quicksand to make it. What was challenging feels overwhelming; what was sad feels unbearable; what felt joyful feels pleasureless and flat—or, at best, a fleeting drop of pleasure in an ocean of sadness.
There is terrible shame about the actions depression dictates, such as not accomplishing anything or snapping at people or losing one’s temper. Everything seems meaningless, including previous accomplishments and what had given life meaning. Anything that had given the person a sense of value or self-esteem vanishes. Everything is overshadowed by negative self-images. Anything that ever caused the person to feel shame, guilt, or regret grows to take up most of his or her psychic space and dictates the heart. Feeling irredeemably unlovable is foremost.
WHAT I WILL NOT TELL YOU ABOUT DEPRESSION
I’m not going to tell you to just pray away the depression and turn it over to God.
I’m not going to tell you that your core problem is a lack of thankfulness.
I’m not going to tell you that you turned away from God and depression is a sin.
I’m not going to tell you that God will take away the depression.
WHAT I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT DEPRESSION
God is with you.
READ ISAIAH 43:1-2
“But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
OUTLINE
What claim is made about God in verse 1?
1. He is the Creator and so He knows what emotions are all about. He created them. He formed us and we can trust that His commands about life are best and good.
2. He called Jacob/Israel into existence and His commands for them were best and good.
What command does God make in verse 1? What is the basis for this command?
1. He commands us to ‘Fear not.’
2. The basis of this fear is that God has redeemed us. God has saved us from anything that wishes to tear our soul to pieces.
What ownership does God make in verse 1… twice?
1. God has called us by name. He knows our names.
2. God claims us as His. We belong to Him.
What feeling or thought does God want us to know when reflecting on verse 1?
1. He wants us to have a great sense of support and love. God knows what we are going through (depression) and He sees us. He is not unaware.
What is important about the first word of verse 2?
1. “When” shares with us that life is rough. The things about to be described are going to happen unfortunately. There is no “if.”
Metaphors about trouble:
1. “waters” = The word picture is when we are treading water in the ocean/lake and the water is just about over our heads. We are not treading water alone, but God is with us.
2. “rivers” = The word picture is when we are trying to cross the river and a current wants to take us away from God, He jumps in and links arms with us and we are not overwhelmed by the things that want to take us away from Him.
3. “fire” = The word picture is when we have fire around us (walking on hot coals?) the fire will not cause us pain. Sharp pain happens when we are burned. The flames are there, but God will guard our hearts. See Paul’s thorn in the flesh.
4. “flame” = The word picture is when we are in a forest fire and we are completely surrounded by fire in all directions. God promises we will not be burned up. See the three men in the fiery furnace.
What is the promise of God shared in these verses?
1. I will be with you.
2. Not overwhelm you… God is with you.
3. Not be burned… God is with you.
4. Not be consumed… God is with you.
RE-READ ISAIAH 43:1-2
“But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
