Scripture Thursday ~ Remedy for Distraction, Discouragement, Depression

My friend Natalie, is a guest here today with a devotion on what she calls the 3 D’s.  She shares with us, a biblical perspective on Distractions, Discouragement and Depression.  Natalie lives in California with her husband who is a pastor, is active in women’s ministry, an avid papercrafter, and loves spending time with her grandchildren.   She has been a guest here before.  Thanks Natalie, for sharing with us again.

In her words:

Distractions, which are often times disappointments and frustrations….
can lead to discouragement….which can lead to depression.

Sometimes the skirmishes with the “3-D’s” come frequently, which is exactly why it’s important to stay focused on Jesus.  Stand guard!

1 Peter 5:8 says Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Dwelling on the past can be a distraction, as can destructive habits such as:

Negative thinking (of ourselves and others)
pride
dependence on – pills, food, alcohol, people, anything other than God
No stick-to-it-ism

Sometimes we get so distracted with disappointments we look right past God’s grace. Some of God’s answers are no, but there is always a reason.  Don’t be distracted by the no, but rejoice in God’s grace!

I think we are all guilty of NEGATIVE THINKING from time to time and this leads to DEPRESSION. The battle ground is in the mind and so we must be “mind-ful” of that.

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  Isaiah 26:3

Pride is ugly!!  C.S. Lewis wrote (Mere Christianity) There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine they are guilty themselves.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.  Romans 12:16

We have a constant choice as to whom we “yield our members.” Will we yield them to God and His Will or will we yield them to “self” to do our own will? It’s our willpower – moment by moment – that determines whose life will be lived in our souls.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  Romans 6:12-13

We are called to “endure hardships as a good soldier”, we truly are in a battle, a spiritual warfare that rages on during our life. Whoever said the Christian life was an easy one was living in another dimension! The difference is that we have Christ at the center of our battle.  If He is in the center of our lives, he will be giving us peace, joy and His overwhelming love in the midst of that warfare.

Don’t give up because you are in the midst of a heated battle, the Captain of the Lord’s army is standing with you. He has your back (He is the hedge/wall around you) ENDURE!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Ephesians 6:10-11

God has all the love, all the wisdom and definitely all the power we need to live a life that is pleasing to Him. However to be cleansed and pleasing to Him we must make right choices to be a clean vessel so that we can live and glorify Him.

What is the remedy for the 3-D’s?

God’s Word & Promises (The Bible)

Prayer & Praise

Endurance  (Hebrews 10:23-25)

STAY FOCUSED & INFORMED (2 Corinthians 2:11, 10:3-6)

From remedy to the victory! The battle is the Lord’s and He never loses.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14




Thank you so much Natalie for guest posting here again at Little Birdie Blessings.  If you'd like to see her previous guest post, you can find it **here**.    If this has encouraged or helped you, please leave her a note here in the comments, visit her blog, or if you're receiving this via email you can reply to this message.  The scripture graphics in this post were photographed and designed by me, and are free for personal use or sharing.   Click on each for a larger size, right click and save to your computer.  Feel free to "pin".  ~ Abby