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Commentary on "Hope Against Depression"

GRACE CARLSON

 

Day 2: Sunday, February 6, 2011 - The Downcast Soul

 

Overview

In Sunday's lesson, the author addresses "catastrophic thinking", where a depressed person sees oneself negatively, looks at the world with pessimism, and views the future as hopeless. The author then discusses several ways to interpret things in light of God's plan and messages.

The first alternative he discusses is changing the way one looks at themselves. He reminds the reader that we are created in God's image, and that because Jesus rescued us through His death, we are given privileges of a chosen people. He states that through God's eyes, we have infinite worth.

The second alternative he discusses is looking at the world with different eyes. He affirms that there is evil in the world, that there is also good and noble people in the world. And as Christians, we know that evil exists and we are also aware of it's source and it's fate.

The third alternative he addresses is remembering our future. He states that there is a beautiful future for God's children, and the Bible is full of promises and the assurance of salvation.

 

Problems

While the author touched on some valid points regarding catastrophic thinking, he oversimplified the solution. For someone who is struggling deep with depression, it does no good to instruct that person to view themselves and the world differently, and to focus on the hope of the future. The solution to depression is not positive thinking. A person who is deep in depression is unable to "will" themselves to think positively. It is not about the will, and emptying one's mind of negative thoughts. That is an extremely worldly solution. Modern psychology and new age practices focus on emptying one's mind, but Christianity focuses on replacing those negative thoughts with God's truth.

First, it is important to define what those negative thoughts actually are. It is more than just a pessimistic attitude. They are lies from the devil intended to hold us captive. John 8:44 says, "...When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." Satan has to use lies because he is a defeated foe, and it's all he has. Therefore, he uses every opportunity he can, through our thoughts, to speak lies. So the first step to counteracting negative thoughts is to recognize them as lies.

The second step is to take those negative thoughts captive. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Taking negative thoughts captive to Christ does not mean we will never have those thoughts again. But it does mean that we learn to "think the thought" as it relates to Christ and who we are in Him. When we are able to do this, the thoughts no longer control us; with the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to control them. It is important to remember that having a steadfast mind is not a matter of denial. In fact, it's the very opposite because it begins with admitting truth. When we are able to surrender ourselves so that we can be open to truth, God strips the power away from our controlling thoughts so that they no longer have destructive power over us.

The third step to counteracting negative thoughts is to replace them with truth. This is an extremely important step to freedom. We may recognize the lies, and take them captive, but if we fail to replace them with truth, in time, those lies will reappear again. John 8:32 says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

God's Word is truth, and only through His Word are we able to discover and find truth. His Word is filled with encouragement and exhortation, but it is only beneficial to us if we absorb it by studying it, and actively connect it with our lives. It is guaranteed that the more we use God's word, the clearer our minds will become.

Summary

  1. Healing from depression does not come merely from positive thinking.
  2. Negative thoughts are actually lies fed to us from the devil.
  3. We must take those negative thoughts captive with the power of the Holy Spirit.
  4. We must replace those negative thoughts with truth, which comes from God's Word.

 

GO TO DAY 3

 

Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised January 18, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

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