For years I was in such darkness, such extreme mental anguish and pain, isolation and loneliness. I’ll share with you later more as to the reason why, but this darkness had me in such bondage and captivity. I felt locked up in a prison of darkness with no apparent way out. I tried many different man-made solutions - pills, programs, therapies, etc. - but was no better off in the long run. I was captive, mainly to myself! To my thoughts, my feelings, my emotions (that seemed way out of control). I felt that I was truly captive.
But you know what I found as the answer? It’s very simple, yet very powerful. My pastor invited me to come to the cross and to look at it. That’s what the Bible tells us to do: “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV).
Notice from Hebrews 12:2 that we are to “fix our eyes on Jesus”; that is, we are to look at Him, to focus on Him, to stare intently at Him.
Becoming purposefully preoccupied with Jesus is how we take our eyes off of ourselves and our feelings, off of our weaknesses and failings, off of how we are doing at any one point in time, off of any progress or lack of it.
And notice what specifically we are to focus on about Christ. It’s not just His perfect life, His healings and miracles and His teachings, rather we are to focus on how He “endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.” We are to look at Jesus’ suffering, His agony and blood, His death in our place. We are to see His love, His perseverance, His refusal to turn back because of the shame of the cross. And we are to look at His victory over death, His resurrection from the dead, His ascending into heaven and sitting down at God’s right hand.
These are the things on which we are to focus. And as simple as it seems, this is how God both mends our broken hearts and sets us free.
The cross. The resurrection. This is where the power of God lives, and this is where you will experience genuine love, heart-mending love, as well as power to free you from depression and fill you with joy.
Notice what the Bible says about the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Please read the following passage and answer the questions below:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. (2) By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (3) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (5) and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. (6) After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:1-6 NIV
Question 4. Reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 above, what does it say is of “first importance?”
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Yes, that Christ died for our sins and rose on the third day is of first importance. It is the most important thing in the Bible, the most important thing in the whole world, and the most important thing for healing our hearts and setting us free.
It seems so simple that many people don’t believe it. And instead they run to man to receive a more complex diagnoses, something that involves brain chemistry, and they learn all kinds of big and important sounding words. And yet when all is said and done, they are no better off, are still dazed and confused, still hurting, and still captive.
Note: I am not saying that there is never a time to seek medical care. There are a variety of organic issues (brain tumors, thyroid problems, etc.) that may cause depression like symptoms, and medical doctors may be able to help in these situations.
But I can tell you that after a lifetime of turning to man and his solutions, that the most important thing for healing is the gospel of Jesus Christ. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…”
Question 5. How are you doing today? Do you have any prayer requests? We love to pray for our students so please share and we will pray with you.
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Question 6. Have you received the gospel of Jesus Christ today in your study of God's Word?
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Question 7. Have you applied the gospel of Jesus Christ in your life today?
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