One of my favorite quotes is the quote by G. K. Chesterton that says, "Fairy tales are more than real, not because they tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be beaten." Obviously the dragon is anything that you suffer with that seems too big to be beaten on your own. Truth be told, it probably is. However, what you may not see is that you are not in fact the valiant knight fighting this dragon. You are the damsel in distress that has already lost to the dragon and your only hope is the knight fighting to rescue you. Now here's the fun part, the knight already won two thousand years ago when he died on the cross for your sins. That doesn't mean that the damsel will not be tormented by the dragon still. That won't stop until Christ's return when he calls his children to him. But it does give the damsel hope that her dragons will someday end, she just has to put her faith and hope in the knight who will rescue her and bring her out of her tower to a new place.
Now you may be asking yourself, "Why all this talk about fairy tales, damsels, knights, and dragons?" Well truth be told I'm a bit of a nerd and enjoy using fairy tales as an analogy and that is that.
One of the dragons that I struggle with is depression, I know from all the TV commercials you see and all the talk you hear it is fairly common. But that doesn't make it any less painful for someone going through that time. It takes a lot to admit when you are depressed and it takes even more to admit just how depressed you get. When I am depressed all I can think of is how worthless I am and how much of a burden to my friends I am. All these thoughts crowd into my head and it terrifies me and I feel like running but my feet are stuck to the ground. It's in those moments when trusting in the knight is vital because without him, it is hopeless. Without the knowledge that Christ loves me and values my life, I have no hope to fight back this dragon. I've had days when the depression has been so bad that if I were not leaning on Christ and if he was not helping me keep my mind clear, there is a possibility I may have harmed myself to try and end it. Praise God that he did not and will not let me fall that far. Because he is watching over me I will push through those circumstances however tough they may get. I am grateful to God for giving me such loving and patient parents who have helped me through this who knows how many times. Without them constantly pointing me to scripture and prayer there is no telling where I'd be today. If you struggle with depression or with anything else that you just can't seem to push out of your mind I urge you to run to God and to throw yourself on him because he will guide you and keep you safe. God will never leave you and he is working everything for the good of those who love him. If you're like me you may be asking "how can my depression be worked for good?" And to tell you the truth, I don't know. What I do know is that God is faithful and true and if he promises to never leave you, he won't. And if he promises that he is working all things for good, you may just have to say "Okay God I'm trusting you and if you choose never to show me how this was worked for good then so be it but I will trust in your faithful promises and I will believe that you will bring good through this." I hope and pray that if you are reading this it will encourage you and you will be blessed. I want to share a poem I wrote when I was in a deep depression, I hope it will give you the encouragement to endure as it has me.
My hear is deceitful, it whispers me lies. It tells me everything would be better if I would just die. It tells me there's no point in living, I'm unloved by all. However, Christ's song is different. He tells me He loved me enough to die. To Him my life has meaning, He helps me fight off Satan's lie.
As the pain sets in and the tears well up, I feel friendless and empty, my life I should give up. The feelings close in and my mind is a blur, but in all this my life You still deserve. I am not my own so it's not mine to take. I was bought with a price that I should not forsake, because You washed me and made me whiter than snow. Your love is amazing and Your grace I now know. I am Your bride and You are my groom. So please Lord, help me by healing this wound.
