“Defy Depression!” Blog #219
Am I the sum total of all my experiences?
Do I admit I must learn from all past situations?
Can I say I am spiritually strong in the midst of my challenges?
Close to 70% of all Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Ironically, close to 70% of all
Americans are on prescription drugs right now. 62% of most Americans now claim to be
Christian. The average life span in the United States of America is 77.2 years old. Did you
know a recent study found people who regularly attend religious services live
approximately four years longer than the average person? Researchers built this study
from people who also go out and interact with other people, volunteer at their local
community and find ways to “stay active”. Depression cannot survive when I am trying
to help another person find joy. They also found there is a “unique benefit to going to
church” and church attendance which is hard to define. By being around a consistent
engagement of community of believers, this deepens our faith, enriches our soul and is
actually the real key to longevity.
Where am I going with these figures? Nothing gives me 100% assurance in my life that I
can live every day healthy, safe and financially secure. It is up to me to find a way to make
the best life I can. It is up to me to find a way out of any depression. It is up to me to find
my way to God, and to his son, Jesus Christ.
There is a myriad of band-aids out there for depression and anxiety and sadness. For the
most part, they are temporary. A pill must be replaced with another pill. An alcoholic drink
needs more. Relying on negative, codependent, “know it all” people is a means to an end.
Depression will lift when I am determined to lift my awareness to “higher self thinking”
right now. The spiritual steel armor of strength I am given is my belief in Jesus Christ
my Lord.
The following survey is fascinating. Researchers from Ohio State University studied 1500
newspaper obituaries first from Ohio and then from across the United States. They found
that people with documented religious affiliations lived up to 9.45 years longer than those
with no religious affiliation. This study also found that church goers have low rates of
alcohol and drug abuse” in addition. “Religious support and coping skills which help with
avoiding depression, are related to positive outcomes in mental health”
When and If I have time to sit around my home all day, think depressing thoughts, and give
in to my anxiety, I am fueling and feeding my own depression. I can defy depression with
the knowledge of all of the above. I am aware of how important it is to transfer the focus
away from my own depression and find a way to funnel light into the dark spectrum of
depressing thoughts. Then I go out and see who I can help!
By finding a church affiliation, I can find a community to relate to and go to on a weekly
basis. I am not meant to sit at home by myself and worry, fret and be depressed. It is my
responsibility to take care of myself in a healthy way. I have to admit I am the sum total of
my whole being - my mind, my body and my spirit. What feeds all three? Well, healthy
activities are an outcome of a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ who gives me the
answer, so then I am able to defy depression, one day at a time.
Can I defy my own depression with a new outlook on life today?
NOW LISTEN TO SONG FOR TODAY - CLICK PLAY BUTTON IN VIDEO BELOW