Psalms 40:4-5 NIV — Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

When I am feeling downtrodden, my natural inclination is to withdraw and turn inward. How about you? I think at first I want to feel sorry for myself and eventually I just want to be antisocial. However, I have learned that when I am feeling this way, the best medicine is connection. Recently when I was in a dark hole, I realized I was withdrawing. After dinner each evening I got into the habit of retiring to my room instead of staying in the den and watching TV with my family. I also began making excuses and reasons to not do things with my friends. In yesterday’s post I shared that for me the first step of digging out of my darkness was calling out to God and getting back to spending time in His presence and word. Once I began that, God opened my eyes to my new habit of withdrawing and lack of connection. 

Next I worked on reconnecting. I was intentional on reaching out to some friends to schedule time to walk and talk. During our time together, I shared some of my daily struggles. Just that little bit of connection and sharing helped me to restructure my evening time at home, thus changing my new habit of withdrawing.

My experience of digging out of darkness: 

Step 1: Cry out to God and read the Bible

Step 2: Connect and share with others

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for opening my eyes to times when I am withdrawing and turning inward. Help me to stay connected and share my struggles with others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

If you feel that you are struggling with depression, you don’t have to struggle alone. You can call The National Mental Health Hotline at 866-903-3787 to speak to a professional about depression and get help with mental health resources.