Depression

Friday’s are a difficult day for me, especially gloomy winter rainy ones like today. I was laid off on Friday September 12, 2008 so each Friday marks another week of unemployment. Today marks week 78. To add to the gloominess of the day my wife and I will be heading to Pennsylvania this afternoon for her uncle’s funeral. He was diagnosed with Leukemia last week, had a stroke two days later and was gone. Life is so fragile. My wife’s side of the family has endured much sorrow and grief these last few years.
Like stress, depression is also common in people who get laid off. This life is a wonderful thing filled with much beauty and joy that should never be taken for granted, but there is also much sorrow and pain. We focus on and enjoy the pleasures of life (sometimes in unhealthy ways) to numb the pain, even deny it in our lives. There is always a wake-up call though, a death, a diagnosis, a lost career.
I loved the movie “Life is Beautiful” because the main character was able to extract the joy of life out of a horrid situation. I want to live life in such a way that I’m not living in denial of the reality of pain. I want to look it straight in the eye, recognize it for what it is but not let it rob me of the joy life brings.
This is what my faith enables me to do. It gives me the strength, peace and hope that is necessary to overcome the sorrow in life and reminds me that “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord” (Rom. 8:28)
Today I will have victory.