WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE PERIODS OF SADNESS AND DEPRESSION, WHAT DO YOU DO?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
(Ephesians 2:10)

MEDITATION:
Have you ever gone through a period of depression and wondered
what your purpose is in being here? Most of us have times when
we basically feel useless and with no hope.

Fortunately, most of these times are short lived, and can be replaced
with gladness when someone who knows us well says just the right
things to cheer us up. How great it is to have those who know just
what to say to lift our spirits!

While waiting for the feelings to go away, or someone to shine
brightness into our lives, how can we cope with our moods of
depression and uselessness? We simply need to open God’s
Word to Ephesians and read about our relationship with Him.
And, when we do, we find out that we are His handiwork and
realize that He would never create a useless creation. In fact,
before we were even born, He had plans for us to do good works.

In order to “do good works”, we need to be “in Christ Jesus”.
Or maybe we should say that Jesus Christ should be in us.
Happiness and all of the unlimited benefits which flow from
the storehouse of heaven are contingent upon our relationship
with God.

The conditions of being His child include our dependency on Him
and our yielding to His Will for our lives. As His children, we are
entitled to receive those things that lead to our happiness. In order
to become His child and receive His blessings, we must admit we are
poor, so we can be made rich; we must admit we are destitute, so we
can become children of adoption.

Our road to happiness begins when we:
    – realize that our own goodness is as filthy rags in God’s sight;
    – become aware of the destructive power of our stubborn wills;
    – realize our absolute dependence on the grace of God through faith.

We do not come to know God through our works;
we come to know Him by faith and through His grace.

We cannot work our way toward happiness and purpose;
we cannot moralize our way toward happiness and purpose;
we cannot reform our way toward happiness and purpose;
we cannot buy our way toward happiness and purpose.

Happiness and purpose for our lives is a gift from God
through Jesus Christ. It is an expression of His consistent
and never-ending love for us.

ACTION:
Are you suffering from the doldrums of life and feeling useless?
Rather than sinking into a deeper state of depression, read God’s
Word so you can be reminded of His reason for your existence.
Never forget about His love and purpose for His children. Find
other scriptures that explain His relationship with His children.
Focus on His Will as opposed to your own will.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for having a plan and purpose
for my life. Thank You for Your promises of happiness for
those who belong to You. Show me how to increase my faith
and improve my relationship with You. Just knowing of Your
love for me, brings happiness into my life. When I am down,
remind me of Your love, Your presence, and Your purpose for
me. Remind me that it is through Your grace that I came to know
You.”

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