Reflections
Treatment for Depression.
At some time or another most of us have been hit by Depression. No one is immune to it, not even a Christian. Some people experience it on a shallow level, whilst others plunge to the depths of despair.
The first clinical description of depression was made by Hippocrates in the fourth century B.C.
He said, a depressed person has feelings of pessimism, discouragement and dejection. This is an area that Satan delights to work on for he often finds little or no resistance for his attacks
as the person concerned is unable to fight back or to even consider fighting back. Elijah had this problem and the ways in which God treated Elijah's depression might be helpful to you in applying to yourself, or assisting someone you know and love who bears this burden.
The first phase of God's treatment with Elijah was physical. Elijah asked for death, but God gave him the essentials of life. Bread and water were delivered by an angel. The provision here was a proper diet and sufficient sleep. Indeed proper food and rest are essential to psychological health. The second part of God's treatment was psychological. Elijah was given the opportunity by God to get everything off his chest. A depressed person needs to be listened and to talk out the feelings that lie submerged under the depression. God then gently councelled
him to see that Israel wasn't trying to kill him. Jezebel was the only one. In a quiet, definite, but positive way God put all the facts into perspective and changed his whole view of the situation.
Treatment for Depression.
At some time or another most of us have been hit by Depression. No one is immune to it, not even a Christian. Some people experience it on a shallow level, whilst others plunge to the depths of despair.
The first clinical description of depression was made by Hippocrates in the fourth century B.C.
He said, a depressed person has feelings of pessimism, discouragement and dejection. This is an area that Satan delights to work on for he often finds little or no resistance for his attacks
as the person concerned is unable to fight back or to even consider fighting back. Elijah had this problem and the ways in which God treated Elijah's depression might be helpful to you in applying to yourself, or assisting someone you know and love who bears this burden.
The first phase of God's treatment with Elijah was physical. Elijah asked for death, but God gave him the essentials of life. Bread and water were delivered by an angel. The provision here was a proper diet and sufficient sleep. Indeed proper food and rest are essential to psychological health. The second part of God's treatment was psychological. Elijah was given the opportunity by God to get everything off his chest. A depressed person needs to be listened and to talk out the feelings that lie submerged under the depression. God then gently councelled
him to see that Israel wasn't trying to kill him. Jezebel was the only one. In a quiet, definite, but positive way God put all the facts into perspective and changed his whole view of the situation.
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