Overwhelming

"He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed."

2 Peter 2:24

The experiences of depression and anxiety are overwhelming. The symptoms related to these experiences are manageable at times. And other times are not. Both are 100% okay. Depression finds you: isolating, feeling down, wondering, crying, losing hope, becoming helpless, and feeling lost. Anxiety finds you: worrying, shaking, wondering, questioning, second-guessing, becoming worked up, and feeling lost. Some people may relate. Others may have their own experiences. And still some, may never feel this way. But someone you know, has. To the degree in which these feelings are felt are unique to each person, each experiences, and each moment in time. All are valid and valuable to what comes next. And what comes next is up to the individual.

As you observe the resurrection of Christ, you see this overwhelming experience through the eyes of the "perfect one." Hebrews 12:2-3 "Let us keep looking to Jesus. Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect. He did not give up when He had to suffer shame and die on a cross. He knew of the joy that would be His later. Now He is sitting at the right side of God. Sinful men spoke words of hate against Christ. He was willing to take such shame from sinners. Think of this so you will not get tired and give up." Can you appreciate for one second that the one who did nothing wrong, bore these experiences too? As He walked the path to the cross, He had to have felt isolated, down, wondering, crying, losing hope, becoming helpless, feeling lost, worrying, shaking, wondering, questioning, second-guessing, becoming worked up, and again feeling lost. He experienced the most overwhelming moment on that cross for you. He bore the symptoms that you experience for you. I once heard someone say (and I truly wish I could recall who said it to give credit; but it is too good not to share) "in that moment on the cross when Jesus was dying He experienced the pain of every single person on this earth and every single person to live on earth from that moment until forever." Listen to those words the sins that you have committed and the pain that you are going through--He experienced on that day He died. It is overwhelming. It is overwhelming in the most heart aching and the most beautiful way.

For some depression and anxiety will be the cross. For others it will be a blink in time. But for Him, time has no limits. The pain that you feel from the experiences of depression and anxiety are valid no matter the length of time in which they are experienced. 2 Peter 3:8 " But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."

To know that His journey is a reflection of your own. To see that His pain is a reflection of your own. And to know that He took it all on Himself, so that you did not have to bear it. 2 Peter 2:24 "He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed." This is love. This is hope. In the moments that you are feeling the symptoms of depression and anxiety, know that He is right there beside you. He may not take the experience away, but He does not leave you while you go through it.

Know this truth. He loves you. And while the experiences of depression and anxiety are overwhelming, finding truth in His love for you is also overwhelming. Imagine the intensity of the feelings that may be experienced through depression and anxiety, as the same intensity of His love, and then multiply it.

Repeat after me: He. is. for. Me.

Scripture:

2 Peter 3:8

Hebrews 12

2 Peter 2:24

Questions:

How can Easter be a reflection of your own resurrection from the experiences of depression and anxiety?

How does knowing that He is for you, and does not leave you change the way you experience depression and anxiety?

Why might reflecting on His love, change the reflection of personal experiences of depression and anxiety?

How do you accept that He is for you?

Prayer:

Lord, Heavenly Father. I come to you in thanksgiving for bearing my sins on the cross and dying so that you may rise from the dead, conquer the grave, and give all who believe in you eternal life. Lord, I pray for those who are still fighting the fight. The fight that is real in depression and anxiety. Lord I pray that they may find hope in you and your love for them. Lord, I am in awe of your love, your promises, your guidance, and your determination to have a relationship with me. Of all the people in the world, Lord you want me. I give all the glory and praise to you. In your name. Amen.