Depression Help is Available

Christian Counseling Online is your resource for depression help and signs of depression as well as all kinds of emotional and mental health information. We're glad you found us and we hope we can be of some help to you...

That's why we have included this article on depression. Keep reading for some suggestions on coping with depression from the book of Ruth...

Depression help from the book of Ruth

Depression is a state of despair in which people feel they have no hope. Along with feelings of hopelessness people who are depressed may also experience a host of other symptoms... For more depression help on signs of depression click here.

As we examine the book of Ruth you will learn several principles that can help you manage your depression. If you are unfamiliar with the book of Ruth you can find it by clicking here.

We need to associate with emotionally healthy people

We need people. God created us as social creatures. And although some of us are introverts and some of us are extroverts...we all need to associate with emotionally healthy people. For depression help, associating with emotionally healthy people will help you maintain your own emotional health.

However, if you are depressed, you may feel like withdrawing from people. That's what Naomi did. She began pulling away from her loved ones. After the death of her husband and 2 sons, she urged her daughters-in-law to remain in Moab while she went back to Bethlehem alone. Naomi fixed her eyes on her circumstances which were pretty grim...Afterall she had lost her husband, her sons, and most likely her dreams...

Naomi said, "Return home my daughters. Why should you come with me?...it is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord's hand has gone out against me!" Ruth 1:11, 13

Depression will distort your perception of truth

Naomi mistakenly put her faith in her feelings. She had forgotten the promises of God. Her despair was so great it clouded her mind and her ability to see truth. You must remember depression is a powerful mood...it can and will distort your perception of truth...that's why you need healthy people around you for depression help...

Naomi tried to push Ruth her daughter-in-law away. But praise the Lord, Ruth would not take "No" for an answer. She knew what God was calling her to do...among other things, she was providing depression help for Naomi. Ruth was an expression of God's faithfulness to Naomi...God has said, "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5.

Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you...where you go I will go....May the Lord deal with me ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." Ruth 1:16, 17

If you are depressed, remember it is likely you won't feel like socializing...but spending time with people who care is one of the best depression help things you can do for yourself. Don't miss God's faithful provision to you through His people.

Don't be deceived

If you are depressed, you are in emotional pain. You may feel you have no more energy to perform for others. The effort to put on the happy face for appearances is just too much. Additionally, there may be feelings of shame...You may even contemplate, "what would people think if they knew I was depressed? What about living the victorious Christian life?"

Getting depression help means we must not let the Devil deceive us into this trap of denial and secrecy. That's Satan's strategy for keeping us bound in the chains of depression.

Acknowledge your feelings

Naomi and Ruth were both vocal about their feelings. They not only spoke their feelings to one another, they gave full expression to their feelings by weeping together. Acknowledging our deepest feelings of hurt, resentment, bitterness and despair is to allow the light of God's truth to shine on these previously hidden parts of ourselves.

When you allow the light to shine in those dark and secret places of your soul...you will begin to find freedom. Often people have a sense of feeling weak and ashamed about their private thoughts and feelings. However, when these things are exposed to the light through confession to a trustworthy friend, pastor or counselor several things can occur...

If there is a lie embedded in that feeling it can be exposed and dealt with
You can be affirmed and validated in your feelings
Friends will know better how to respond or minister to you
You can begin to deal with your depression in a fruitful way

When we suppress or deny our feelings it is like garbage sitting at the bottom of our trash can that begins to stink. Leaving our feelings to rot in our soul only causes us to feel worse...and everybody around us.

Click here to glean more valuable lessons on depression self help from the book of Ruth.

Symptoms of Depression • Overcoming Depression • Christian Help for Depression

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