“God, help me want to truly live again.”
••••••
My sister-in-law so kindly snapped some pictures of my husband and I opening up our churches Awana program. As I looked through these pictures I remembered dreams I had years ago. I was reminded of the times I did not want to live and the time I tried to take my own life at 15. This is hard to post… but I believe it will help someone else out of the darkness of depression.
I can’t even begin to tell you just how much joy and grace I feel in our lives! 😭😭🙌🏼
Seeing many of our leaders coming together to make disciples… 😭😭🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
As I walked through depression in 2019 then many times there after struggling as I was striving to find a balance and natural way to deal with it,
I remember asking the Lord many times, “God, help me want to truly live again.”
I truly believe the Lord showed me these five steps that lead to a life a TRUE joy, love, strength and peace;
thankfulness,
repentance,
forgiveness,
surrender
and obedience!
Thank God for another day full of new MERCY (mercy is love that responds to a need in an unexpected or unmerited way.)
Repent- if there is ANY sin in your life, GET IT OUT! Confess your sin to someone you trust… (if you don’t trust anyone, ask God to help you trust! Ask Him to show you who you can trust. Keep in mind people are people. We all make mistakes. ALL of us! There is grace for that! ❤️❤️❤️)
Forgive- this one is a tough one right? Especially when it seems the hurt goes deep do the core of your soul from someone you loved deeply.
There is good news, we cannot forgive on our own. We MUST lay down that heavy weight of hurt at Jesus feet. We must lay down the judgment and “penalty” JESUS HAS ALREADY PAID on our behalf! He will make all things right!! HE WILL!
Trusting in Jesus helps us forgive.
Putting on love and asking His power to take over our lives helps us forgive.
IT’S all JESUS power. Not us!
So lay down the flesh and take hold of the power of the Holy Spirit, my friend!
Surrender by definition is “cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority.”
the Bible says we were enemies of God
When we strive to live our own way against all God has called us to, it is SIN!
Surrender your want for His and FIND JOY!
This too is by the power of the Holy Spirit. Struggling to surrender, ask the Lord to help you as you dig into His Word!
Lastly, obedience. This goes right along with surrender. Now that you have said, “Lord, use me. Lord send me.”
He will tell you the next step. Many times it is unexpected and not what we **planned. Obey anyway. You may think you’re unequipped but God WILL equip you.
LISTEN. Go to a quiet place and just listen. He is right with you every step of the way.
This world is not our home. One day we will be in a place with no more sorrow… yeah, girl no more depression or anxiety! 🙌🏼 YES AND AMEN!
These scriptures below are a reminder of how we groan for eternity.
It’s not about “loving life” it’s about how “loving Jesus helps us LIVE life!”
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”
Romans 8:22-26
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