In the middle of one of the darkest time periods of my life I had absolutely no hope that resolution would come quickly, or that it would ever come. My car was approaching a busy intersection. My light was red. The thought quickly entered my mind, “Why don’t you just press the gas instead of the brake? If you get lucky enough, you just might be able to end all your pain in one fatal accident.” I didn’t hit the gas, but it did finally enter my brain the deepness and seriousness of my depression.
FROG COOKING 101
How had I gotten to that point? There is the old story of how to cook a live frog. You place it in a pot of cold water (if you suddenly turn up the heat and bring the water to a boil, the frog will jump out immediately to escape the danger). However, if you begin with lukewarm water and gradually increase the temperature, the frog won’t perceive the danger. It will remain in the pot, unaware, and eventually be cooked to death.
THE SAD NEW NORM
That’s the way it can be with depression. It enters one’s story, but gradually becomes such a normal part of one’s life that this becomes the new norm. That was me driving through that intersection.
DEPRESSION ROBS
Depression slowly makes gains day to day. It commits the crimes of robbery of wonders such as joy, peace, sleep, or the ability to just cope with regular life. I was that frog in the pot – life was a mess but I didn’t realize that gradually I was being robbed of my ability to cope. I just wanted the pain to stop.
DEPRESSION ISOLATES
The problem for many people who are massively depressed is that they don’t have someone true and faithful they can confide in. Someone who will not only listen, but can be trusted to be upfront when the truth needs to be told but loving at the same time. The only person I knew who I could confide in was stuck in the same mess as myself. Depressed people are lonely and the depression just intensifies the isolation.
CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK
So what is the challenge for this week? Avoid traffic intersections!!!! (Just kidding) Ask God for a friend. Not just any old friend, a friend who loves Jesus totally and will extend to you the same grace that Jesus extends. To find this friend (or friends) may mean you will have to get out of your comfort zone. You may have to volunteer somewhere, begin attending a church, engage your neighbors in more than the “Hi” “Bye” typical conversations, or maybe make a phone call to someone who you used to be able to connect with. Possibly none of these will work out for you – but what have you lost by trying??? Begin every day with the prayer, “Lord, please help me to begin being open to people and also lead me to someone I can help.”
DON’T STAY IN THE POT!
Try it and please let me know what happens. Don’t just stay stuck in the pot.