Put a Dent in Depression

By Jill Krueger Wagner

In 2022, within a 7-month period, I lost my mother, our son, and a good friend. In addition, I had several other trials, among them was a dental condition that resulted in the loss of a front tooth and several months of visits to an endodontist to get a replacement tooth. I was reeling emotionally. One with whom I shared my burdens and received godly counsel was gone and, although I had many supporting me, I was plunged into a deep sorrow. Having been through other trials in my Christian walk, I knew God still loved me and, having learned from the book of Job to cling to God in difficulties, I did cling to Him. Still many days the sorrow seemed to overwhelm my entire being.

I had always been a joyful person yet, after this, many days when I opened my eyes a deep sense of overwhelming sorrow consumed me. I began to affirm the truths I knew from God’s Word out loud. I would say this upon awakening: “This is the day the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice & be glad in it! I will resist the devil & he will flee from me. Jesus is the way, the truth, & the life, He will show me how to overcome today. I am not my own, I was bought at a price; therefore, I will honor God with Kingdom thoughts. God has good plans for me so whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, I will think on such things. I will seize the day for Jesus dressed in the whole armor of God, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the Spirit, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation & my feet ready to spread the Gospel. If God be for me, who can be against me? Private Wagner reporting for duty.”

Some days that was enough but on others, I needed more. Then I recalled a radio show I’d heard years before of another mother who had lost a child. She said the only thing that brought her out of that “deep night of the soul” was listening to the Bible on tape. Tapes have gone the way of the dinosaurs but I downloaded several YouVersion translations of the New Testament onto my phone and while brushing my teeth, washing my face, and getting dressed, I listen. It’s amazing to me how that can reorient my day. On really hard days, I would listen longer. I would carry my phone with me while making meals, doing dishes, cleaning, etc.

You Version is found at https://www.youversion.com/. Not all of the versions there have audio but many do.

If you have difficult days, try listening to the New Testament and you, too, might just put a dent in depression. HOWEVER, a word of warning. The first time I read the Bible, I was overwhelmed with guilt. Before that I never understood that God’s standards are unbelievably high. When I saw clearly how many ways I didn’t measure up, I was undone. I went to my minister to see what I should do. I had already made Jesus my Lord and Savior but oh the angst I felt when I realized I was in the wrong on many levels. I will never forget Rev. Bill Worman’s response. When I told him I could never measure up, he slapped his knee and said, “Praise God, you’ve got it!” I’m sure it was the dumbfounded look on my face that told him – “nope, I haven’t a clue.” So, he explained, “Jill, if you could ever measure up to God’s standards, Jesus would not have had to die for your sins. The reason He came was mankind couldn’t hope to achieve God’s demands. We needed someone to cover our faults and Jesus did that.” The blinders fell from my eyes and I saw the truth that no matter how hard I tried to please God, I would always need a Savior who could stand in the gap between God’s righteous demands and my futile attempts to be good enough. So now when I read something in the Bible that reminds me that I don’t make the grade, I confess then recite 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful & just & will forgive us our sins & cleanse us from all righteousness.” Amen!!!