The simple things are most precious

:: An Initiative Against Depression - Oswald Chambers

6:52 PM, 2006-Feb-16 .. Posted in The Heart of God .. 1 comments .. Link

Arise and eat

1 Kings 19:5

I know that this little bird has no representation in the above scripture but  God's word does tell us that we should not worry over what we should eat or drink because, if He supplies the needs of the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, and they do not worry over  their provision, then why should I. 

The angel did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable; he told Elijah to do the most ordinary thing, viz, to get up and eat.  If we were never depressed we should not be alive; it is the nature of a crystal never to be depressed.  A human being is capable of depression, otherwise there would be no capacity for exaltation.  There are things that are calculated to depress, things that are of the nature of death; and in taking an estimate of yourself, always take into account the capacity for depression.


When the Spirit of God comes He does not give us visions, He tells us to do the most ordinary things conceivable.  Depression is apt to turn us away from the ordinary commonplace things of God's creation, but whenever God comes, the inspiration is to do the most natural simple things--the things we would never have imagined God was in, and as we do them we find He is there.  The inspiration which comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression; we have to do the next thing and do it in the inspiration of God.  If we do a thing in order to overcome depression, we deepen the depression; but if the Spirit of God makes us feel intuitively that we must do the thing, and we do it, the depression is gone.  Immediately we arise and obey, we enter on a higher plane of life.

I've been in a funk lately.  Don't know if it's just general depression or if it's an infection/illness that won't go away.  My EBV titers may be high in which case the mono would explain the extreme tiredness and need to sleep enormous hours.  It is not very often that I find a book, written on a christian theme, especially a devotional, that addresses depression in black and white.  For some reason, we think that if we are saved that we should not have depression or that it is something we have the control to NOT give in to.  Some think it sin.  Others think that we can just think past it, push past it and it will go away, as if it was not there.  I know better.  It's a battle I have fought for over 20 years.  At least 20 + years that I've known what it was.  As a teenager I'm sure I fought it, know I fought it, but chose to self-medicate.  I did not know the Lord back then, and no one around who would have understood so as to get me the help I needed.

When I read todays devotion and it spoke of the Spirit of God coming and telling us to do the most ordinary things conceivable I found relief.  For that is all I have been able to do for the last 2 weeks.  It's been really bad this week.  And I've been beating myself up over it something terrible.  The depression has turned me away from the ordinary commonplace things of God's creation.  A creation that always brings me such wonder and joy when I can get out to enjoy it, feel it, smell it.  The statement that whenever God comes, He inspires us to do the most natural simple things, things that we'd never imagine Him in, as we do them there He is.

It's the simple, natural, commonplace, ordinary everyday things of life, that when He inspires  us, is the initiative to chase away depression.  And it's so true, that whenever I purposely initiate an action to chase away the depression, the depression just deepens.

So another confirmation of living the simple life, finding the beauty in the commonplace things, arising and eating, doing wash, vacuuming, dusting, washing dishes, cooking, baking, all of the things that are my regular chores of the day, these are where He is, what He is in, and those that rid the depression from my mind and heart.  Doing them, the work of my hands, prevents me from isolating.  I feel alive, that life will go on, that I will feel better, that this too shall pass.
Can you relate?  Do you feel alone or depressed tonight?  Arise and eat.  Do the commonplace, simple things of life and find joy in them for He is there.
living simply and for Him,
~~Sherri
   
Some of my most favorite ordinary simple things to do.





Thanks Carla

5:47 AM, 2006-Feb-18 .. Posted by karatemom
You are right. To just sit quietly and listen. That too is a message I read yesterday. Having lupus for so many years, gets to me at times. It's a constant battle to measure my time so that I have enough for family and home. When I get sick on top of it, sometimes it seems that I'll never be well again. Feeling like a lump of nothing for days on end, with barely the energy to put two words together, is very irritating to me. I think about all I want to do, and then all I can't do right now. I forget that this too shall pass. And then God reminds me to just get up and do one thing. One thing at a time. Hearing him does come from sitting quietly and listening for Him. Initially, when I first got sick, the illness was the only way God could get me to sit quietly and listen. I was always too busy doing this, that and the other. Many times all at the same time. The white tornado, the true modern day Martha. I've had to learn to be Mary, to sit at His feet and just hear Him. Really hear Him. Sit because I had exhausted myself to the point that this was all I was able to do. Chronic illness is not always the terrible thing we think. If not for it, my spirit would still be oh so sick. And I would not be here in this place today.
Thank you for the reminder Carla, and for the encouragement.

sherri

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