Hi, it’s Joni Eareckson Tada and watch out, there’s a full moon tonight!
I was reading last weekend about the statistics that support how a full moon with its gravitational pull can really wreak havoc on your emotions. Apparently lots of people struggle with depression when a full moon is on the rise.
Man, not me. I don't have to wait around for a full moon to experience depression. For me, depression sets in when there’s a gap between my talk and my walk. I start feeling down when I think I'm being a hypocrite. I mean, it’s just convicting just listening to the tone of voice in Jesus when He says in Matthew 7, “You hypocrite...” For me, that’s when I can feel myself sinking into depression…
That’s why one of my goals in life is probably exactly the same as yours. Neither you nor I want to be a hypocrite, right? As believers, we want to shorten the distance between what we profess and how we actually live. We want no gaps between our "talk" and "walk."
It's why I'm repeating every day for the next month; this is what we call a "Test for Self-Evaluation" put together by John Wesley. It’s a series of questions that reflect the heart of Scripture, and, boy, this will keep you out of depression. I mean, listen to these things Wesley asks us to consider – ask yourself: "Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I'm a better person than I really am? Do I laugh at the mistakes of others, reveling in their errors and misfortunes? Do I insist on having my own way? Is there a tendency for me to put others down so that I'll be thought of more highly? Do I pass on to others what is told to me in confidence? Am I thoughtful in expressing 'thanks' to people for what they've done for me, no matter how insignificant it seems? Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits? Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying? Did the Bible live in me yesterday? (Boy, these are some questions, aren’t they?) Did I insist on doing something about which my conscience was uneasy? (That’s a hard one.) How about this: Did I handle discouragement well or did I have to be coddled? Am I enjoying prayer? When did I last speak to someone about Christ? (And these last couple of questions, oh wow, listen to this.) Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize or hold resentment toward? If so, what am I doing about it? Is Christ real to me?"
These are such powerful questions. And don’t you agree that depression and discouragement would be a thing of the past if we would but follow this advice of John Wesley? So I tell you what I'm doing – go to joniandfriendsradio.org when you get a chance and download this little self-evaluation test, tuck it in your daily journal, and refer to John Wesley's questions often. Purpose to shorten the gap between what you say and what you live. And then, live and walk in the light… knowing that depression will never be able to grip you as long as the Holy Spirit is helping you walk your talk, okay? And secondly, while you’re downloading this powerful little test for yourself, ask for a copy of Dr. Edward Welch’s book that I'm offering this week on depression. It is so good! It has helped me so many times. I mean, just listen to this: Dr. Welch writes, “If you are God's servant – and you are – and He asks you to do something, then you’ve just been given a reason, a purpose for living. It’s only when God says He doesn’t need you anymore that your purpose is done and this, of course, God would never do until He calls you home.” That’s good advice. So visit me today at joniandfriendsradio.org and arm yourself for either the next full moon… or the next time you feel depression tugging at your heart.
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