Overcoming Depression, Loneliness And Fear

OVERCOMING
Depression, Loneliness And Fear

“He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.’ ” Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV

Ever been depressed, lonely, or afraid? This is like asking if we’ve ever been tired, thirsty or hungry. We have been, and will be again! We fail at something and depression sets in. We lose a friend and loneliness results. We are threatened and fear overwhelms us. And these are just a few of the causes.

I met a Christian young woman who had been depressed for a long time. I understood why, when I heard her story: she was illegitimate, unloved, and her newly divorced parents were disinterested in her. Her past is depressing. Her present is lonely. And the future scares her.

I got a letter from a young Muslim who recently became a Christian. His family disowned him. His employer fired him. His friends rejected him. Depression, loneliness, and fear attacked him.

What holds these two lives together? The very words that encouraged Joshua before he entered the promised land. And the same words that Joshua used to encourage those about to face the enemies there. And also the words David used to encourage Solomon to build the temple: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Dt. 31:6,8; Josh. 1:5; 1 Chr. 28:20).

This fact is vital to helping us overcome problems, pain, and fear. When we know He will never leave us nor forsake us, we can exclaim: “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.” And when we let these words sink in, we are well on our way to overcoming depression, loneliness, and fear.

By Larry Ondrejack