Keep Calm and Carry On: Five Secrets to Overcoming Depression

Coffee mugs, t-shirts and other decorative items have advertised this popular meme for a number of years. This phrasal fad extends to a wide variety of spin offs "Keep Calm and you-fill-in-the-blank". Originally produced by the British government in 1939, this slogan was intended to boost the spirit of the British people on the brink of the Second World War.

Why has it become so popular in today's culture? Is it just a clever quote with numerous spin offs or is this meme pointing to a deeper need in our messed up world? Last December I was going through a stressful time trying to juggle the normal holiday busyness while also preparing for our trip to Australia. I was busy, stressed, worried and sleep deprived.

A week before we left for Australia I received a Keep Calm mug as a gift. Late nights at my desk, my gaze would drift to the writing on that cup. "Keep Calm and Carry On!" but to tell you the truth, I was too exhausted to "carry on". 

Our culture has adopted a positive thinking attitude with the mindset that we are invincible. But research from the Anxiety and Depression Association of American shows otherwise: Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population).

Whether you and I admittedly label it a bad day or a difficult season of life, the fact of the matter is that we all struggle with depression at some point or another.

Even in the last week I wrestled with some issues that caused me to sink deep into the dark hole of melancholic misery. Am I proud of this? No. Good Christian girls aren't suppose to struggle with despondency right? Why then am I not exempt from bouts of this? (maybe you are asking the same thing?)

Webster's Dictionary defines depressions as: Severe despondency and dejection, typically felt over a period of time and accompanied by feelings of hopelessness and inadequacy.

In the story of Anne of Green Gables, Anne called it "the depths of despair" while Marilla Cuthbert wisely retorted that "to despair is to turn your back on God". If depression is the state of turning away from God then peace is found by turning towards God! Here are five secrets God is teaching me on overcoming depression:

Find a place of quiet rest. (Psalm 46:10, John 15) This world is rushing at a pace that is sucking the life out of us. Unless you intentionally block in large sections of time to be still and alone, your day will rush by before you can blink. My place of quiet rest is kayaking on my lake, enjoying God's creation and spending time in prayer.

Fix your eyes on Jesus! In Psalm 57:7 it says, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." (Fix: of a person's eyes attention or mind. Direct one's eyes attention or mind steadily or unwaveringly toward.) There have been many times that I've fooled myself into thinking that I was trusting God and keeping my focus on Him but in reality my heart was in turmoil. The first step to fixing your eyes on Jesus is realizing your great need for His grace. Apart from His grace you will never overcome depression and you will never find peace.

Take hold of the weapon of praise.  The best way to throw cold water over the despondent soul is to take up the weapon of praise. Twice in the Psalm 42 David coaches his soul, "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again, my Savior and my God!" Praise has a way of shrinking our problems down and magnifying the God who controls all things and works them for our good. (In our next post I will be covering this in more depth in my series on the Lord's prayer.)

Meditate on the promises of God. This step goes hand and glove with the weapon of praise. In the verse I quoted above, David tells his soul to hope in God and the only way we can have hope is take hold of God's promises. Find the attributes of God in scripture and ask yourself this question, "what does this mean to me personally?" If God is merciful, He gives me grace when I fail. If God is a strong tower, He protects me from the enemy that wants to destroy my soul. One of the best ways to meditate on the promises of God is to read through the Psalms. David was one of the most emotionally men in scripture and yet he knew the importance of resting on the promises of God.

Find a Cause Worth Dying For. Why are we here on earth? Finding a cause worth dying for will give us a cause to live for. Depression is a place of hopelessness but beyond the fog there is a God who is calling us to action. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven He gave His disciples one last command to go and preach the gospel and make disciples. To overcome depression is to find hope in God...but it doesn't stop there! We must give hope to this world that Jesus Christ has come to set the captives free. 

In conclusion, these five secrets are ways God is personally teaching me as I journey to find contentment in Him alone. Do you have a personal story to share regarding depression? I'd love to hear from you! You can either email me or leave me a voicemail or text with my google number: 646-504-6263