How to get back up (1) 

 ‘Though I have fallen, I will rise.’ - Micah 7:8 NIV 

We all get despondent from time to time. It can happen on the heels of a great success or victory. Counsellors say that for every high there is a corresponding low. Or it can be caused by disappointment in people; someone we trusted lets us down and we experience anger and resentment. When we lose a job, we don't just lose our financial security; sometimes we lose our identity and sense of worth as a person. The cause of our despondency is often physical. When we don't get enough rest, proper food, and exercise we get run down. Sometimes the cause is chemical. When the brain's chemical messengers that are called neurotransmitters are healthy, we are too. But when some of those transmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are absent, low, or imbalanced, we struggle and feel depleted. In this case medication may be needed to correct the chemical imbalance. And the cause can also be spiritual. Jesus said that Satan comes to 'steal, kill and destroy' (John 10:10 GNT). That's why the Bible says, 'Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against...spiritual forces of evil' (Ephesians 6:10-12 NIVUK). Often spiritual warfare is either at the root of our problems or is exacerbating them. So each morning when you get dressed, be sure to put on your spiritual armour and draw on 'His mighty power' throughout the day. When you're down, that's how you get back up. 

Prayer Point: Pray for those who are feeling despondent. 

Acknowledgements: Merritt, James, Still Standing: 8 Winning Strategies for Facing Tough Times, (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2012), 45, 46.