By Pastor Andrew Farland
I remember a season of depression that was so strong it felt like I was holding onto a cliff by my fingernails.
After I began experiencing regular panic attacks, and at the recommendation of a mentor, I visited a professional counselor. It was in that counselor’s office that I shared my entire story, what I had been feeling and thinking, my deepest struggles, and my darkest fears.
Some people might say that when they unloaded their baggage for the first time, to a counselor, they immediately felt better. That was far from the truth in my case.
Instead, my panic attacks remained consistent and I had the same amount of minimal joy as before. The difference was that I had a prescription for medication that would increase the serotonin levels in my brain. I hoped the medicine would help me feel somewhat normal again.
The catch? I would need to take the medication for 42 days before I could see glimpses of its positive impact. So, I buckled down and, with the help of my mentor, declared this milestone the 42-yard line.
I would have to wait. Nothing was going to happen overnight. And, I’ll be honest with you, the first 41 days were extremely tough.
Something amazing, almost miraculous, happened when I reached the 42-yard line. I noticed a change. Things weren’t perfect by any means, but after the 43, 44, 45, 46 yard-lines, I could see some serious progress. Though I’m still an unfinished project, I tell you my story because there is definitive light at the end of the tunnel. God wants you to hear this: It’s going to take time, but you’re going to get there.
The important phrase to remember today is “you’re going to get there.” God is with you every step of the way. It’s going to take time, but things are going to get better.
2 Thessalonians 1:4
“Therefore, among God’s churches, we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.”
Be encouraged today because God is with you.
