Coming Out of Darkness

Isaiah 45:3 "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

Nobody gets depressed overnight and nobody overcomes depression overnight. The journey out of the pit is a process of steps uniquely planned by your Father. Let's look at some of the steps we must take in order to find our way out of the dark. 
Wait. The psalmist simply says, "I waited." Waiting is not passive. Waiting is a time of preparation, a time of rest and healing, a time when God covers us with the shadow of His wing. 

To wait means to accept the pit.
Isaiah 45:3 is a compelling verse, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

Any time the word, "LORD" is capitalized, it means "Father" or "Dearest Daddy." This verse indicates that our Father has gone before us and, in every dark moment or painful circumstance, has buried a treasure or stored a secret. The only way we can find the treasure or learn the secret is to pass through that darkness. Some things cannot be learned in the light. The pit of depression has become a hedge of protection in my life, a warning light that something is wrong or out of balance. To wait means to accept the pit, knowing it is for our good.

To wait means to admit there is a problem.  Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak."  
    
We must be willing to admit we are struggling, but pride often prevents us from doing so. Emotional health begins at the point of emotional integrity, being willing to say, "I need help!" and being honest with ourselves and with others.  A shared load is a lighter load because we were created to need each other.

To wait means to be still. "I waited." To wait means to hope in and look for someone or something that will rescue us.
So much about God can never be known on the run. We can get so wrapped up in everyday life that we fail to be wrapped up in Him. The busier we are, the more stillness and rest we need. During those years in the pit. The Father taught me an important truth. He is more concerned with who I am than what I do. 

Cry out for help.  Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry."
People struggling with depression often look for help in the wrong places. Let me share with you some of the right places.

• God. Your Father stands waiting to hear your voice; and when you cry out to Him, He comes running - through His Word, through prayer and through His people. There was a terrible storm and the little girl was afraid. When she cried out in fear, her father came running down the hall, into the bedroom and scooped her up in his arms as he said, "Honey, God will take care of you." The tearful child replied, "I know God loves me and will take care of me but right now, I need somebody with skin on." If you cry out to God, He will come to you in some way.

• Doctors and counselors. Proverbs 15:22 gives us an important truth when it says, "Plans go wrong with too few counselors; many counselors bring success." I encourage anyone experiencing depression to get a physical because depression is often rooted in a physical problem, requiring medication. The medication does not eliminate the depression but simply levels the playing field so whatever is triggering the depression can be addressed. Christian counselors are a gift from God. He knew we would need them.

• Others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 instructs us to "encourage each other and give each other strength." I would never have survived the pit of clinical depression without the help and encouragement of family and friends. You may be thinking, "I have no one in my life that will help me." If you cry out to God, He will bring you help.

Count on God to come through.  One of the promises I clung to while sitting in the darkness of depression was Psalm 107:13-14. "Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains." The Psalmist promises that when you cry out to God, He will:

•  "lift you up out of the slimy pit"
•  "set your feet on a rock"
•  "give you a new place to stand"
•  "put a new song in your heart"
•  "use your pit so that others will "see and trust God"

God is drawn to broken people. Psalm 40:1 says, "He turned to me." Notice it does not say David turned to God. Honestly, I doubt David had the strength to turn to God - so God turned to him. God heard the cry of David, and He will hear yours. I was angry with God but He never turned away from me. Instead, He surrounded me with His love and compassion and as Psalm 56:8 promises, He knew every tear I cried. "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." You can count on God to come through.

Be patient. "I waited patiently for the Lord." The word "patiently" means "without tiring and with perseverance." To come out of the darkness takes time and requires patience. It took me many years to hit rock bottom. It took me two years to climb out of that pit and I am still climbing. I have asked God to deliver me, anything that makes me cry out to God can be counted as a blessing. When we come to the end of ourselves, God begins.
    

Still Hungry? Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns."

Philippians 4:7 (NIV) "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Make a list of the dark places in your life today. Surrender each one to God. Ask Him to bring light into your heart and mind and help you walk in His peace. Now, walk in that peace today. When the waves of darkness come, remember each one now belongs to your Father.