This is the fifth in a nine part series entitled “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Responsibility Paradigm.” For the various counseling options available from this material visit www.summitrdu.com/counseling.

The complementing studies are also available in a video and podcast formats at the links below:

  • “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Responsibility Paradigm”// video and podcast
  • “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Suffering Paradigm” // video and podcast
  • “Towards a Christian Perspective of Mental Illness” // video and podcast

“I Don’t Want to Battle Alone Anymore”
CONFESS TO THOSE AFFECTED and enlist help.

“I have not represented God well in your presence. [List] You have been effected by my un-God-like emotions, attitudes, and beliefs. [List] My goal in life is to make God’s character known. That starts with this request for forgiveness. I value our relationship more than my pride. I am currently working on submitting my life to God’s control and understand if you need time to consider my request for forgiveness.”

Memorize: Philippians 4:6-7, 9, 12 (ESV), “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus… Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you… I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” As you memorize this passage reflect upon these key points:

  • “Do not” – Outside the context of Paul’s relationship with these people this command seems emotionally unrealistic.
  • “Guard your hearts” – One way God guards our hearts is to call us to break the barriers of shame and isolation.
  • “From me” – Paul reveals that his readers had seen him need to implement everything he was instructing them.
  • “Practice” – Notice the patience. God realizes that we will not automatically “get right” everything we learn.
  • “In need” – Paul honestly identifies with their challenges in order to help them feel less alone with their fears.

Teaching Notes

“When we’re the main character of our storyline and it is all about us, then we justify pursuing what we think makes us happy, even if it makes those around us… very unhappy. But we will never find true happiness at the expense of others. That will only lead to more heartache (p. 29).” Leslie Vernick in Lord, I Just Want to Be Happy

“Any journey back to the kingdom of God must go through confession. Anxiety is a string around our finger reminding us that money has become our refuge… Confession acknowledges that we still invest in both kingdoms, hoping to minimize our risk (p. 163).” Ed Welch in Running Scared

“Impatience is a form of unbelief. It’s what we begin to feel when we start to doubt the wisdom of God’s timing with the goodness of God’s guidance… The opposite of impatience is not a glib denial of loss. It’s a deepening, ripening, peaceful willingness to wait for God in the unplanned place of obedience, and to walk with God at the unplanned pace of obedience—to wait in his place, and to go with his pace (p. 171).” John Piper in Future Grace

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”  Corrie Ten Boom

“Over time, Eve had become extremely focused on her own problems and needs. She spent most of her waking hours thinking about her desire to be healthy. The change had come so gradually that she barely noticed it, but he had become amazingly self-centered. If she was going to escape the sadness that had come with her losses, she was going to have to switch her focus from herself to other people (p. 117).” Charles Hodges, M.D. in Good Mood Bad Mood

“You can’t promise them that you will never experience another manic episode. But you can tell them your goal is to learn to love and listen to others in all circumstances, including mania (p. 16).” Ed Welch in Bipolar Disorder

Other podcasts on emotions are available at:

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