By Pastor Andrew Farland
One of the most enticing things about the Bible is its realness.
In its pages are men and women, deeply flawed and imperfect, who are trying to honor God in their lives. These people make mistakes and have to ask God for forgiveness. Sometimes, they have to make the same mistake repeatedly before they finally learn their lesson.
I don’t know about you, but I can relate to that. We are trying to follow God, but many times, our humanity gets in the way.
One of those human realities that can get in the way is depression and anxiety. As something that is out of our control, depression can negatively affect our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Let’s call these the “3 tanks.”
When we’re battling through depression, these are the areas of our life that we need to work on, step by step.
If that’s you if you feel like your 3 tanks are depleted, follow my advice for starting the process of crawling out of the mess and back into a life with God.
Physical.
Deal with your physical tank first: your diet, relationships, exercise. Work on your health. Go to a doctor and take a physical. Do everything in your power to get yourself in good shape. You’ll find that all three tanks are connected.
Emotional.
After dealing with your physical health, start working on your emotional health. Talk regularly with a seasoned mentor. Go see a professional counselor. You will find that as your physical health gets better, your emotional health will get better, too. But, take the necessary steps to intentionally nurture your emotional well-being.
Spiritual.
Wait until you’re ready to receive spiritual growth before working on your relationship with God. Don’t force open the Bible. Take care of your physical and emotional health first and spiritual growth will come.
Work through depression by going through your three tanks. And remember, spiritual questions can drain you before you’re ready. So, begin today by focusing on your physical health and watch what God will do.
Proverbs 3:7-8
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
