Senior Pastor’s Devotional
Day 83 Movement Control Order – “Strategic Psalm 91 Watch”

A person who had anything but peace in her heart, wrote, “I’m a follower of Jesus, but I’m tired of being lonely, depressed and stressed out. I want to be happy and enjoy life, and not be so miserable.

We may sound like that too at times. Unfortunately, both for Christians and non-Christians, there are times when life does get us down, and we need help to get up again. When we are down and feel miserable, we need to understand the causes. Let’s take a quick look at each of these areas:

Physical. At times like this, it pays to have a good physical examination by your doctor to make sure there is nothing wrong physically, or if there is a chemical imbalance in your body. Either one of these can be a cause of misery and depression. We once counseled a lady who thought she was under spiritual attack, only to find out there she was going through menopause! Never be afraid to consult a doctor or even a psychiatrist. You are not out of your mind!

Spiritual. It is also important that your life is right with God and that you are living in harmony with his will. For instance, unresolved guilt can cause havoc with one’s emotions and it gives a foothold to the evil one. Thus, any sin need to be confessed and resolved so that you know in your heart that you have been forgiven by God.

Relational. One common reason for unhappiness in life is impaired relationships. It is critical that any and all impaired relationships are resolved. Unfortunately, it isn’t always possible to resolve broken relationships especially when the other person involved isn’t interested in fixing the relationship. When this is the case, it is imperative that we do all that we can to resolve our side of the conflict and not harbor any negative, hurt, or angry feelings.

Emotional. Furthermore, if one’s depression is long-standing and the cause is not physical, relational, or spiritual, we need to identify what is triggering the emotions. This is where counseling and cognitive therapy will help.

“HE is the Glory and the lifter of our heads!” (Ps 3:3 KJV)

Ps Lawrence Yap.