"Pursuit"

Back there in the shadows,

But not too far away,

I’ve felt them always chasin’,

And barely kept at bay.

If you listened closely,

You can sometimes hear ‘em growl,

No matter where I’m going,

They are always on the prowl.

What, you ask, is back there,

Making such a threat,

Could it be imagination,

‘Bout what ain’t happened yet.

And, yes, sometimes it might be,

But the thing is real enough,

To keep one eye from sleepin’,

And hanging on when tough.

Those wolves of depression,

They rarely make a sound,

Mostly silent hunters,

When sadness comes around.

But, see, I have escaped ‘em,

And come so long a way,

Maybe time to face ‘em,

To make the distance stay.

How can someone do that,

Face the thing they fear,

Maybe with the Lord’s help,

Find a new faith gear.

So in the name of Jesus,

And the power of the blood,

I’m castin’ out depression,

And by the Spirit’s flood,

Who gives to me the power,

And all authority,

To make the wolves all turn around,

And finally leave me be.

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair…” (Ps. 40:2, NLT)

Sometime we feel as if despair dogs our every step. Even when things are going well, we feel the threat that it won’t last very long, and our depressed norm will return. Sometime medication is needed, as well as professional counseling. If you have struggled for very long, I suggest you consider getting help both ways. The spiritual component is also very important. God is in the business of lifting our burdens and helping us to feel better about our lives. He does not want us to be overwhelmed with sadness, and offers us His peace and joy. Allowing ourselves to at least consider the possibility that God’s love can bring healing is an important start. Why not ask for His help, too?

Lord, lift us out of the pit of despair, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Dane, dondane.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.