Are You There?

Would it surprise you to know that there are Christians suffering with depression? Would you be shocked to know that approximately 10% of this country are diagnosed? Imagine the number that are unaware of what it is or are too ashamed to seek help and receive a diagnosis. We have a hard time with acknowledging depression in the church but it’s a reality.   It’s the holiday season and a lot of people are excited and upbeat at the thought of family, gifts and celebration. But there are many others who can’t quite get a smile to stay, much less laugh. There are some that can’t stop crying or thinking about what has been lost. It may not be you and it may not be depression but I have seen so many people recently that are involved in a quiet struggle. The heaviness emanates off of you and there is no clear understanding or answer as to why. But today, God is speaking to those of you that are weighed down. His message is simple and clear. “I am here.”

My life changed when I learned the names of God and how to call Him what I needed Him to be. You commonly hear people say Jehovah Jireh (Provider), Jehovah Shalom (Peace), or Jehovah Rapha (Healer). But sometimes you need to call His presence forth. You need to acknowledge that He is with you. In those moments, call Him Jehovah Shammah. We only find this name used once at the very end of Ezekiel 48 where they describe the gates of Jerusalem. “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’”  (Ez. 48:35 NLT) Isn’t it awesome to think of being in a place where God’s presence is there? God wants that place to be you. When everything around you seems overwhelming and discouraging, His presence is able to calm you and center you. The key is to call for Him and allow yourself to be covered. You see, when you don’t open yourself up to His presence, you cannot feel the recovery. You get caught up in the circumstances and the memories and the hurt and then the takeover happens. But when you say, “You are my Jehovah Shammah! Your presence reigns in this place. I welcome you!” Watch God replace that anxiety and pain with His loving presence.

You may remember when the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites to leave Sinai and head to the Promised Land. After the Word came forth, Moses went to meet with the Lord in the tabernacle for guidance and understanding. God answered his request with a promise.   ^“And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Ex. 33:14 NKJV) God’s presence is where you can find rest and refuge from the enemy’s tricks. You see, Satan is determined to take advantage of any opening he sees. He desires to steal your peace, your joy and your mind and replace it with fear. He wants to remind you of all that is not right in your world. He wants to get you to a place where God is the last place you look for relief. That’s often what happens with people that commit suicide. They feel alone and rejected and unloved. They can no longer feel the joy or peace of God. It’s not to say they don’t know God or love Him but the enemy has gotten them to a place in their minds where the circumstances are bigger than God. It happens quicker than a lot of people want to acknowledge. I believe that’s why God gave this message today. He doesn’t want to lose any more of His people to a struggle that doesn’t have to be yours. He wants you to call upon His presence and find rest.

It’s time to stop quietly struggling. It’s time to let go of the guilt and shame that is holding you back. It’s time to stand up to the power of those memories that are holding you captive. It’s time to look forward to the manifested promises and stop dwelling on the length of the wait. Your responsibility is not to fix what is broken but rather to be available to be fixed. God is the ultimate healer and restorer and He is saying to you, “I am here.”

May the God that gives joy, fill you with His strength and may His perfect peace rest in your mind and spirit.  Amen.