a good book, not THE good book, but a good one nonetheless
reading a book at the moment called; Going the Distance, Staying Fit for a Lifetime of Ministry.
and it is most excellent. it talks a lot about different kind of stuff, but mostly about how people involved heavily in ministry often "burnout" ie. wear themselves out, emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and they stop ministering, in whatever capacity they were. as someone who is keen to go into fulltime ministry hopefully soon, i thought it might be wise to wise up on this sort of thing. so far so good. i read a chapter today on depression which was very much enlightening.
post reading it, i am happy to say depression is something i struggle with. and ironic sentance if ive heard one. the book helped me realise that depression is the way of dealing with loss, and it is not a bad thing unless you let it be. but the thing i liked the most was how it pointed out depression is not born of the absense of the thing or person you love, but the attatchment you have to it slash them. it explained that we are going to experience people we love in our lives, who have to leave, for various reasons, but if we are relying on God before all else, our dependance on our friends slash loved ones shall change to a dependance on God and an appreciation and thankfulness for the friends we are blessed with. we can enjoy all that God gives us while still having a sense of detatchment from the world and all which occupies it.
its strange to think about depression being a good thing, but i think i have come to realise that its really not that bad. i did a talk last term at jackos about relying on God through the hard times, and i think that depression is probably one of the hardest times and yet most common ive ever experienced. i can see how people leaving my life in the past, and people leaving at the moment, and people who will soon or in the future, are just people. i love them more than anything else in the world, but they are just people. God is the only constant thing, the only eternal thing, the only one who loves me, unswervingly, constantly and unconditionally, and He is always there. Hebrews says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. i can love those around me, and mourn when they have to leave, but loving the one who will never leave is the best and easiest thing to do when you think about it. He cant ensure a life void of depression, but He can ensure the way to cope with it.
Through Him.
peace out team.
and it is most excellent. it talks a lot about different kind of stuff, but mostly about how people involved heavily in ministry often "burnout" ie. wear themselves out, emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, and they stop ministering, in whatever capacity they were. as someone who is keen to go into fulltime ministry hopefully soon, i thought it might be wise to wise up on this sort of thing. so far so good. i read a chapter today on depression which was very much enlightening.
post reading it, i am happy to say depression is something i struggle with. and ironic sentance if ive heard one. the book helped me realise that depression is the way of dealing with loss, and it is not a bad thing unless you let it be. but the thing i liked the most was how it pointed out depression is not born of the absense of the thing or person you love, but the attatchment you have to it slash them. it explained that we are going to experience people we love in our lives, who have to leave, for various reasons, but if we are relying on God before all else, our dependance on our friends slash loved ones shall change to a dependance on God and an appreciation and thankfulness for the friends we are blessed with. we can enjoy all that God gives us while still having a sense of detatchment from the world and all which occupies it.
its strange to think about depression being a good thing, but i think i have come to realise that its really not that bad. i did a talk last term at jackos about relying on God through the hard times, and i think that depression is probably one of the hardest times and yet most common ive ever experienced. i can see how people leaving my life in the past, and people leaving at the moment, and people who will soon or in the future, are just people. i love them more than anything else in the world, but they are just people. God is the only constant thing, the only eternal thing, the only one who loves me, unswervingly, constantly and unconditionally, and He is always there. Hebrews says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. i can love those around me, and mourn when they have to leave, but loving the one who will never leave is the best and easiest thing to do when you think about it. He cant ensure a life void of depression, but He can ensure the way to cope with it.
Through Him.
peace out team.
posted by toj at 2:34 pm
1 Comments:
Wow yes i struggle with that all the time and very interested in reading that book! Keep chargin! Xox
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