Hope for the Depressed Woman: Week 5 – Running Away Sounds Divine
Welcome to Week 5 of Hope for the Depressed Woman. If you missed the first few posts of this series you can view them here – Week 1: Slow Down, Week 2: Breaking the Silence, Week 3: Medication or Meditation and Week 4: Triggers and Tips for Success. Throughout this series I am sharing my personal experience with depression and the things I learned along the way. I don’t share this to glorify myself or to give medical or physical advice (I’m not a doctor or counselor), but I share from a deep place of my heart that once ached with feelings that I could not understand. God has freed me from depression and I hope sharing my personal experience will encourage you if you have struggled in this area of life.
WEEK 5: RUNNING AWAY SOUNDS DIVINE
We have all been there wishing we could escape the issue at hand. Running away from problems, pressure and pain sometimes makes sense in our foggy minds. We think if we could get away from the mess of our lives then we would be able to relax and feel relief. Difficult situations in life can lead us into depression and leave us in a dark place with the desire to run.
I have tried to run before. I have pushed down feelings and buried grief until I physically could no longer hold the mounting pressure that seemed to burst forth from my heart. I wanted so badly to be okay. I thought if I could just get through one more day without facing my reality, then I would be able to move on.
I was trapped and eventually came face to face with myself. I looked deep in the mirror and saw a woman who was hurting and full of pain, but so broken and devastated that there was no tangible answer to all of the feelings emerging at once. They were too complex, too complicated and too difficult to understand.
The day I admitted I needed help, I slowly began to realize there was hope beyond my messed up thought pattern, feelings and pain. My heart ached every day and I didn’t know how to make it stop. I then felt guilty for feeling so down. Somewhere in my life I had convinced myself that pain and heartache equalled a person far away from God and His perfect will.
When I realized that God was not mad at me or disappointed at my heartache, I was able to release control and invite God into the hurting places of my heart and mind. This is when healing began.
When I finally stopped running and faced the pain, pressures and problems with God’s help, I began to realize God was bigger than the messiness of my life. I was not miraculously healed overnight and delivered from every part of me that ached, but God set me on the path of hope. God gave me hope that I was going to find peace, and I did. I found peace.
If you are running, pressing down everything real in your life, you will never reach your destination. Reality will follow you. It’s not about escaping, it’s about learning to rest in the restless seasons of life. We all have them. Some look darker and last longer than others. Running will only complicate and exaggerate an already complex situation.
If you need to run, set your eyes on one goal: JESUS.
Run to Him.
Talk to Him.
Cry to Him.
Tell Him all about it.
He hears, He sees, and He knows the deepest ache and cry of your heart. Don’t press it down any longer. God loves you and wants you to know it.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39(NASB)
God won’t stamp “depressed” on your permanent record, but He will give you a constant prescription of peace and love from the Holy Spirit. That’s where hope is found. (See Week 3 for Micah’s post on Meditation or Medication.)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13(NASB)
If you are struggling to find and maintain peace in your life, please reach out for help. We all face tough problems and difficult circumstances. You are not alone.
If you have overcome a difficult season of life, I would love to hear about it! Please share your story in the comments below!
You never know whose life you will impact by passing these simple words of HOPE along – Share this with someone you love!
Love & Blessings,
Micah
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absolutely spot on. thanks for giving a voice to a minimized reality. visiting you this week from Mommy Moments link up. feel free to visit back anytime.
Shandra, just followed your blog! Thanks for visiting me this week!
Oh my, how well you wrote exactly how I felt at the beginning of the depression and how I still do sometimes . But the steps through where confirmation of what the Lord has been speaking to my heart. I am so thankful. This series was timed by God for me to help face how I feel with my youngest starting school and my roles changing. God bless you!
Wow Gina, thank you so much for sharing that! I’m so thankful God is using this series. I hope the school transition is smooth for you and your little one!
It is so easy to want to compress the emotions, push them aside and try to move forward with avoidance to the root problem. How long have we just put a front on and simply gone through the motions because we feared showing our true emotions? I am so grateful for a God who knows how emotionally ” messed up” we are and can become, yet He still loves and takes time for us. So many times, we as Christians get so busy doing things for God that we don’t take time with God. He is our source of strength and life. Without His strength and direction I will become an emotional mess and will not have the strength to accomplish anything for Him. I am learning not to fear my emotions, but not to let them guide and direct my life.
Rachel, thanks so much for your words here! We do get busy doing for instead of being with the one who can truly heal every part of us. Our emotions can be so deceiving. Praying we don’t go back into that emotional mess of a place, but that we continually lean on and rest in His strength and grace. I’m thankful to have you as a friend!
So true. We need to run to Jesus. Thanks for sharing, neighbor. Blessings upon blessings!
You are so welcome!
It’s so easy as moms with young children to neglect our own health, but we need to stay strong and healthy for your own sake as well as our kids’. We need to eat well, drink enough liquids, exercise.
I’m glad you brought up sunshine–Vitamin D is important. When you mentioned hormones, it reminded me that women may need to check their thyroid levels.
The thyroid can definitely be an issue! Thank you for bringing that up!
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I want to reach my hand out to him. I need to do it – again and again. You rock Micah. Keep speaking the powerful words that you do.
Amen, Kelly! I need to too! Every. Day. Thanks for your encouragement!
Your story as it continues to unfold on this page, touches me. It shows such vulnerability and it teaches that there is hope which is something everyone needs. I pray that this hope reaches others and we all learn that running away is not the answer. God is! Blessings and hugs to you!
Thanks so much Mary!
Love this series on HOPE… Hope makes an eternal impact on each of us…
Thanks, Sue!
We all have probably experienced these things in one form or another and some for longer periods than others, but oh, that desire to run and escape! How strong that can be sometimes. I love that you use that verse in Romans – it’s one that has gotten me through a lot!
Me too, Carol! Thanks for joining the conversation!
Thank you for sharing your heart. And, yes, there is nothing in life more precious than the availability of His love and fellowship and healing when we need it the most. GB~
Amen!
Fantastic post – thank you for sharing! I’m visiting from Wonderful Wednesday blog hop. Have a lovely day!
Angie
PS – If you haven’ t hopped on board the Great Blog Train (blog hop) yet there’s still plenty of time – we are traveling to St. Helens, England this month!: http://www.godsgrowinggarden.com/2015/08/the-great-blog-train-32-giveaway.html
Thanks, Angie! I’ll check it out!
I guess a lot of times in life I may want to run away from the problem but I have come to realize that running to Jesus is the safest place to be even during the restless times. Because with Him I find the rest and peace I need to keep going. I’m your neighbor at Women with Intention Wednesdays.
Yes, the safest place – I love that! Thanks for visiting!
Oh, Micah, this series you have written is beautiful. Run to Jesus! That is where we all need to go, especially when we are in that cloudy, foggy, uncertain place.
Thank you for leading us in grace.
Many blessings,
Dawn
Dawn, praying so many will learn to run to Jesus! It’s so hard when you feel paralyzed by life. Praying this morning for those who needs to be freed from the bondage of uncertainty and confusion. Jesus’ arms are wide open.
Yes. Jesus IS our escape; he is our safe place; he is who we run to. Beautiful truths here, Micah. Thanks for your testimony of God’s faithfulness.
Amen, Lisa! Praise His Name!
Though everything -to me- is still in that very foggy place, that I don’t know what to do, I do always run to Him, cling to Him. Thank you for sharing your very inspiring story. You have helped me in two ways today. Everyday, I am looking for things to fill the day and everyday I’m looking for hope, and you give me both those today.
Keep clinging to Him! And reach out for help. It’s okay to get help. We all need it at some point.
Thank you for sharing so openly and your struggle. Depression is something I’ve struggled with in the past, and at this current season of my life it continues to try to rear it’s ugly head. I appreciate you sharing at Weekend Whispers.
Barbie, you are so welcome. I pray you find peace. It seems to hit when we least expect it.
I have only had depression for about 6 months now and it has been hell. I have only just found your blog and its so encouraging. Its such a struggle to see God in such a dark place but there is hope; there has to be!
Micah, you have a genuine way of sharing your struggles so that others can relate and find hope:) When I read your series, I can’t help but think of all the young girls today who also suffer from depression. Your advice is so helpful! Thank you for following God’s leading and sharing to help others. Blessings:)
Thanks, Kristine. This one was a tough one to write, but I pray it gives even just one person hope.
Micah, I can’t tell you how much this post meant to me today. I’m going through a difficult season and that fog you speak of threatens to consume me sometimes. Sometimes I think it would be easier to just run away, as you speak of. Thank you for speaking straight to the heart of the matter. I need to dig deep and let God do the work only he can. Thank you.
Sweet Abby, I pray your season brings light soon. I know how difficult it is to walk through a troubling time. You will be in my thoughts and prayers this week!
Micah, thank you for speaking life with your words! It is encouraging to read, “God won’t stamp “depressed” on your permanent record, but He will give you a constant prescription of peace and love from the Holy Spirit.” Thank you for that reminder! May God continue to pour out His blessings on you and your writing!
Thank you so much, Leigh Ellen! And you are so welcome! Blessings to you!