Finding Hope in the HeavinessSample

You Can Find the Root!

Hello, and thank you for sharing this journey with me. Our heart at A Miracle Every Day is to encourage and inspire you. This is a tough challenge when we are transparently sharing about the tough topic of depression! However, the hope of Jesus is our miracle, and we know that out of our struggle, God can do miracles!

On my journey towards hope, I had to seek out the root of my struggle. I discovered there were some common causes of short- and long-term depression. Factors such as long-term erosive stress, profound loss or trauma, unresolved chronic problems, pressure to excel, spiritual warfare, and medically verified challenges and imbalances were all at work in my life (to varying degrees) as I continued to battle for joy and hope.

Once again, Jesus reminded me that I was not alone! David, King of Israel, wrote from a very dark place in his soul, “Save me, O God, for the floodwaters are up to my neck. Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I can’t find a foothold. I am in deep water, and the floods overwhelm me.” (Psalm 69:1-2, NIV). David was drowning in despair. Oh, how I wish he had turned to other trusted helpers who could offer both wisdom and encouragement.

Another strategic step I took on my journey was that I talked it out with a wise counselor. Proverbs 11:14 ESV says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14, ESV)

Dr. Paddy Ducklow came into my life when I was on sabbatical. He helped me talk about my perfectionist tendencies and the need to stay busy. I will never forget our first session. I was ready to GO and he asked me, “What did you have for breakfast?” What a stupid question! He asked me the same thing every time we met. I remember responding, “Bacon. Who cares?” The last time we met, he asked the same question, “What did you have for breakfast?”

But this time my answer was different, I said “a bagel, that tasted like cinnamon and nutmeg. I also had coffee, and when I make my coffee I add cream and I always stir my coffee three times in a counter-clockwise direction, and then I tap my spoon twice before I lay the spoon down ladle first so that I can hear the little “ting” sound it makes when it hits the table. His response? Finally! He pointed out that I was savoring. I was noticing. I was living life again. I started making choices about life-giving and life-draining activity. I started making choices about life-giving and life-draining people. I started talking it out with a trusted counselor, and it made all the difference.

Who do you need to reach out to today for wisdom and perspective? Yes, Jesus is always there, but He has also given us others who can encourage and show us a better way than trying to handle it on our own.

My prayer is that you will open your heart to a new person, of God’s choosing, who can show you that you are not alone!

You are a miracle!

Grant