BY FAITH, peace may be experienced in anxiety,
hope in depression, and joy in affliction — all as biblical principles of
promise.
Peace in Anxiety
During the few seasons of anxiety
that I’ve had, there was always a search going on to identify the cause in
order to fix it. Some anxiety appears difficult to pinpoint, but there are
always possible causes that can be identified. Peace comes as a result of a
productive search. Anxiety otherwise is the antithesis of peace. But peace also
comes in acceptance — to know that the heart can be slowed manually when we do
relaxation techniques.
Peace in anxiety is possible when
we have discovered some of the causes of our concerns.
Hope in Depression
If there’s one thing that’s of
scant provision in depression it’s hope. Hope is a blessing in the present and
critical for the future. Hope rests easy knowing things, as they are, are good.
Rarely can a depressed person, or someone in a depression, say they are hopeful
or hope-filled. Hope in depression is contingent on replacing our fearful
thoughts with something motivational and positive. As soon as we’re able to wrest
the fearful thoughts from our thinking we’re able to see and experience God’s
wisdom, goodness and grace.
Hope in depression is about our
thinking processes. Thinking in truth, guarding against fear, we have the
capacity for hope.
Joy in Affliction
Many times in my life I’ve
struggled not so much with mental health concerns, but with the courage or
insight to remain joyful in hardship. Such times I have had no issue with
energy or motivation, and I was able to knuckle down in the hardship
confronting me. But I didn’t often have joy. Until that is I faced the truth
that I was bearing up really well under the pressure, considering, and I knew that
that pressure would not last. Affliction never lasts indefinitely, especially when
we begin to look for the silver lining in the dark cloud overhead. Add to this
the quiet satisfaction, that, if this present struggle hasn’t defeated us yet,
it’s unlikely to happen.
Joy in affliction is simply about
mindset. The hardest things you’ve ever felt or suffered are happening to you
right now: consider it pure joy that you have capacity for it.
***
Peace in anxiety, hope in
depression, joy in affliction: all are possible through a cogent faith in God.
© 2015 Steve Wickham.
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