Monday, February 17, 2014

An appropriate, Godly response...


As many of you know, I travel a life-journey with a condition called 'anxiety and depression'.  I have recently returned to the church and have been blessed with new insight into Biblical teachings. This has had a major impact on my life and the management of my condition. After-all, we are all innately spiritual creatures.

I realise that there are many, many people around the world (approximately 125 million) who suffer from depression. The difficulty, however, is that we all suffer uniquely and differently.  It is with this in mind that I would like to share some of the profound teaching from our pulpit yesterday. I really feel that sufferers can benefit from this teaching.

This wonderful message was particularly focussed on 'ANGER' and was prompted by an unfortunate road-rage incident which happened in our city on Friday.  Sadly, one person was killed and the other suffered serious injuries. A murder charge now hangs over his head.

While I sat listening to the message in church yesterday, I couldn't discount the fact that it applied to all our human emotions and our responses to life-incidents.  I found too that all the elements of the message can be applied to those of us who suffer from ANXIETY & DEPRESSION. It is with a deep sense of love that I share some of the points from the sermon with you:
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TITLE OF THE SERMON:
"KEEPING YOUR COOL WHEN YOUR ANGER IS HOT"

* We must begin to realise that we need to SLOW DOWN in our emotional responses to life-incidents; take a deep breath before we react

* It is important to ACCEPT our condition (in our case - ANXIETY and DEPRESSION) and UNDERSTAND our heightened responses.  

* We should take the time to develop an ACTION PLAN so that we can apply it when we notice the darkness of DEPRESSION descending. We are encouraged to sit down this week, during our quiet-time, and to seriously think about this.  Here are the points to consider for our ...
PERSONAL ACTION PLAN:

 - To ACKNOWLEDGE the intensity of our emotions in particular situations.
- To take time to assess the SOURCE of these emotions
- To analyse our RESPONSES to different life-circumstances.
- To admit and accept our universal need for LOVE, SIGNIFICANCE and SECURITY...and to realise that God can and will provide for all these needs:


"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:19 NIV)

- To resolve to make a PERSONAL RESPONSE ADJUSTMENT to the life-incidents which are catalyst to our heightened responses.  This skill is perfectly available to us and can be enabled by sincerely "Practising the presence of Jesus" and by asking the Holy Spirit to intervene.


---xXx---


So, dear friends, if you are in this boat, please join me in putting this action plan into your life.
Sending lotsaluv
Caryl


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I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the teaching from our pastor Calven Cilliers  (NEW HARVEST CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP) and for his love and commitment to bringing us this Godly-inspired message.

2 comments:

  1. Dearest Caryl, You are such a bright angel to post this for others-I know it will help someone out there. Although I don't suffer from these, I do suffer from low self-esteem(caused from childhood abuse)and also fear confrontations. I had a big one back in Dec. and seriously don't want to be around the person who was verbally attacking me. Thank you my friend, I count you as one of my most treasured blessings.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  2. I have finally had time to read this post and digest it. I'm glad I waited because what I just went through in and with my family showed me just how dark my own thoughts can become and how self-focused I can be. I'm glad you posted this. I know I'm being vague,,,sorry. But, God has re-directed me with a devotional when the question was asked. How much time do I spend thinking about God? myself? my circumstances? Who do I take my questions about my circumstanced to? God, my friends, others? If I do anything but take myself to God I won't even be asking the right questions and certainly won't get the right answers.
    love you, Mrs. JP

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