Change Your Surroundings
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-11)
It is easy to fall into a state of depression when you have been praying and believing for something for X amount of years and nothing has happened. The desires of your heart just seem so far out of reach. Your circumstances are still very much the same with little to no improvement. Friends and family are going ahead of you. Coworkers getting bonuses and promotions and you’re still working at the same salary you started barely making extra. Rent, groceries, and gas prices increasing but not your paychecks. Applying to job after job and yet no callbacks. Longing for your own apartment or home but the steps to getting one are overwhelming. Or maybe you’re like me and wondering if you will ever get married and have children one day. When frustration and disappointment sets in, it is not uncommon to want to feel defeated focusing on all that you do not have and what you feel is “wrong” in your life.
The spirit of depression is no stranger to me but I have learned how to push through after years of refusing to settle in it any longer. I don’t want depression to be the reason why I gave up on life because I know that God has so much in store for me if I would just hold on. I am not perfect nor do I have an A+ in this area. There are still days where it is a struggle but what I have been doing lately is CHANGE MY SURROUNDINGS. Rather than stay in one place, I force myself to go somewhere. Whether it is to go out and sit on the balcony or by the pool, take a drive to the park and walk the trail, visit a friend, stay at my sister’s place for a few days, walk the mall window shopping, or grab a bite somewhere to eat, I make it my business to GET UP and GO SOMEWHERE. Times when I cannot go out, I force myself to write, put on a movie, binge watch a series, put on music and dance, talk to my sisters, or write out some goals that I want to accomplish for myself.
We cannot always readily change our current situation especially when God is trying to teach us something in it but what we can do is not stay depressed. We can choose not to become another statistic. We can choose not to give someone who is beneath us (the enemy) power over us. What we can do however is choose to talk to God so that He can help us through it. We can also follow these next verses of instruction that were written to help us through tough times and appreciate the good moments.
Learn to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8)
When we focus too much on our circumstances, it gives the enemy room to tell us lies. What we think we end up believing if we are not careful and our actions will eventually follow our beliefs causing us to walk right out of our greatest blessing. I want to encourage you to remain strong in this season. Spend your time and energy on things that you can change like your surroundings. Yes it may be temporary but those small moments make a huge difference in how you continue on. Get out a piece of paper and pen and write down your visions. Think on the positive. If the enemy is attacking you this hard, that just means that your miracle is right around the corner. He wouldn’t be after you this hard if you didn’t have favor, purpose, and the hand of God over your life. The enemy wants to take your testimony but DO NOT LET HIM. Someone out there needs what you have. If it is hard for you to hold on for yourself, hold on for God. Hold on for that person who needs your story to become their survival guide. You are about to come into contact with hundreds and thousands of people whose lives you’re about to touch in so many ways. Your presence is a blessing to someone.
Depression may come but remember that our God is bigger and greater than anything you and I will ever face. Nothing is too big for our God. Cast all of your worries, fears, and depressed thoughts to Him because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). He wants you to be free right now so that you can enjoy the life He wants to give you.
Things change when your mindset and thought process changes. Be encouraged today and know that you are not alone in this fight.
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