Do You Trust God To Provide?

Don't Let Satan Silence Your Voice

Dear Depression

Dear Depression,

  You are a lie. A lie that slips out of the mouth of the accuser into the hearts and minds of the children of God that whispers "be sad, be defeated, have a heavy heart, just because." You bring your friends fear and anxiety to step in and make everything worse. They cripple our hearts, bodies, and minds from going, from doing, from being, from loving. Our hearts become a restless pit of questions and emptiness. We become numb and weak, feeling as if there is no reason to fight. You cripple our dreams and passions and say "no." You kill, steal, and destroy. But not anymore. For God refuses to let the enemy shout in triumph over us. (Psalm 30:1). And depression is the enemy. I have watched you enter into my life slowly and silently. I have listened to your lies that cloud my vision from the truth. I remember those times you used to take away my appetite, my sleep, my passion. But I serve a victorious God who promises to take back everything that the enemy has stolen. And that is exactly what He has done for me through Jesus. The blood of Jesus has redeemed my mind back from the pit. His sufficient grace has proven to be strong in my weakness. His Word that is full of promises for my life has out shouted your screams. One night that I'm sure you're very familiar with, I was sitting in my friends bathroom crying out because I had let you hurt me so much, and with the power of the Holy Spirit the words "Depression you can't have me," came out of my mouth and I felt a release. In that moment I felt the hands of depression let go of my neck in fear as if I had just pulled a weapon on it. Because I did. You like to silence our voice so that we can not proclaim victory with our mouths. But Jesus did not die on the cross for us to be swallowed up in defeat and for our mouths to be silenced. His love casts out all fear. When Jesus was nailed to the cross He took our depression on Him. For those agonizing hours that He was on the cross He felt the weight of our depression, He felt the crushing emptiness of its attacks. But when He rose from the grave He threw of the weight of depression. So today I stand with confidence that as depression tries to defeat me, tempt me, and cloud my vision it will only end up shrinking back in fear at the blood of Jesus that covers my mind and my life. Depression you have been defeated.

I wrote this to speak to the hearts of those that have been battling depression. It is real but it is also a lie and I wanted your hearts to know that Jesus has come to set you free and that depression does not have to win or take mastery over your everyday life as it tires to do. I know that it is a fight but you are not alone. God sees you and knows you and has come to part the waves of your depression as you victoriously walk through them and turn to see your enemy swallowed by the waves. Praying that every lie of the enemy is silenced and that your mind is healed in Jesus' Name. "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

  -Sofia

Unashamed

"Suffer, yes. Be misunderstood, yes. Be shamed, yes. But do not be ashamed. You will be shamed, but you need not be ashamed. Because the message of God's saving work in Christ is the only final triumphant message in the world. Short-term pain. Long-term gain. For the joy (of salvation!) set before you, take up your cross, follow Jesus, be shamed and despise the shame." -John Piper

What do you do when your heart is hurting and you feel like there's no hope? Worship Jesus.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed by the weight of this world? Worship Jesus.
What do you do when you have no money but tons of payments? Worship Jesus. 
What do you do when people laugh at you, mock you, persecute you, lie about you? Worship Jesus.
Unashamedly take up your cross and follow Him. Because your worship breaks chains and it holds the very glory of God that says to the sinner "Come. I will give you future and a hope and a new life." When we as Christians are unashamed of the gospel we are not just making a bold statement about ourselves or our faith. We are putting our dirty, sin filled, shameful lifestyles on display for all of the world to see saying "Without Jesus I would be left to bathe in the filthy rags of my righteousness." Being Unashamed is actually a stance of humbly professing I was tore up from the floor up, living in all types of mess, but Jesus.... 

Grace and Redemption