Author: Servants of God

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.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

The movie Groundhog’s Day is about a weatherman who gets caught in a perpetual time loop, reliving the same day over and over again. It’s a comedy for sure, but it can be a reality for some people who experience daily depression or anxiety. They wake up every day struggling to find the energy to get started, struggling to find the motivation to go to work, school, or church.

Have you been there?

Have you ever made it through a day only to wake up and feel like the universe is playing some cruel joke on you? If so, you’re not alone.

I understand because I’ve been there before.

Most importantly, God understands because He is right next to you as you go through it all.

Psalm 23 says, “though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with us; His rod and staff comfort us.”
The Bible tells us that in those moments when we ask, “Is it always going to be like this?” God emphatically tells us, “No!”

Does it mean that we will never go through a valley? No. Does it mean that God will keep us from facing challenges? No. It does mean, regardless of how we feel, God is walking next to us, always, through the middle of the darkest times.

So, if you feel like you’re not making any progress, remember that 3 steps forward and 2 steps back is still 1 step forward. It will take time to get through the valley and to feel the comfort of God’s rod and staff. But, trust in the words of Psalm 23 that God is with you and won’t let you down.

Matthew 28:20
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

Like millions of you, I deal with depression and anxiety. It’s a constant battle that I face every day.

On one of those days, as I was driving in my car during a season of depression, I had an “aha moment.” It was one of the first times I had ever felt God stop me in my tracks and say, “Look. I have something you need to hear.”

So, as any normal person would do, I ignored the voice the first time and kept driving. But again, I felt God yelling at me, “Stop what you’re doing. I have something to tell you!”

At that point, I figured I should probably stop and pay attention. I pulled over to the side of the road and heard God tell me, clear as day, “One person filled with hope can minister to millions.”

It was my aha moment.

God had given me a clear direction for my life.

As someone who had gone through serious bouts of depression and anxiety, God told me that my job isn’t to run out of the burning building and never look back. Instead, my job is to turn around and try to help as many people as humanly possible. I’ve found that you don’t know how many people are suffering from depression until you’re struggling with it yourself.

Since we’re just beginning this 40-day journey together, I want you to know that I understand what you’re going through. I have walked in those shoes, I’ve walked through the darkness, and I’ve come out on the other side. Over these 40 days, I want to help you, and other people like you who are struggling, catch a glimpse of the peace that surpasses all understanding that only God can give.

I am grateful you’ve decided to walk with me. I am praying for you as you take steps toward God because I know how difficult each step can be.

Let’s pray these words from Psalm 16 today:

Psalm 16:1-2
Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.

By Pastor Andrew Farland

I’m convinced that one of the biggest tools the enemy uses against God’s people is selfishness.

Why? Because when we’re self-focused, we miss everything going on around us: the neighbor in need, the friend with anxiety, the family member who needs prayer. When we focus too much on ourselves, we can even miss the divine appointments God has set up for us.

Honestly, the most difficult time to focus on others is when we’re tired or we feel like our tank is empty. After all, we can’t fill someone else’s tank when we are running on “E.”

Do you feel like your running on empty?

I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, but fatigue is just a lame excuse! When you are connected to God, you can reach into His tank, when yours is empty, and bless the people around you.

God has put something inside each and every one of you to give away. Ask yourselves what gifts, talents, skills, and passions you have that you could use for the benefit of others? They are the very things placed within you by God and He will give you the energy to use them.

In Psalm 37:34,
David gave us the two prescriptions for getting through those seasons when our tanks are empty when he wrote “Hope in the Lord and keep His way.” In other words, trust God and do good.

Do your best today to fight against selfishness by trusting God and finding ways to serve. Keep the blinders off of your eyes so that you can see the needs around you. And, if your tank is empty, lean into the gifts that God has given you to bless other people.

He will no doubt give you the strength to build others up.

Luke 10:27
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Be encouraged today because God is with you.