THE CRY OF DEPRESSION

ISAIAH 40:2

A. "WHY SAYEST THOU, O JACOB, AND SPEAKEST, O ISRAEL, MY WAY IS HID FROM THE LORD, AND MY JUDGMENT IS PASSED OVER FROM MY GOD"
  1. To a degree that we can hardly understgand, God and land were connected in antiquity:
    1. A nation could suffer almost any punishment, so long as it was living in that country
    2. But when Israel was driven out of their homeland into exile, they thought that God had forgotten them
  2. There are tow things to bear in mind if we are to understand how utter was Israel's desolation and the first in thought is the Exodus:
    1. The great hour of Israel's history was when God delivered them from Egypt and planted them into the promised land - Ex. 15:1-27
    2. Then that terrible experience of having to go into exile which brought sorrow and deep agony for most of them - Ps. 137:1-3 B. The cry of depression - let us think of some of the reasons that tempt us to utter this cry, "My way is hid from the Lord"
  3. Our stupid ignorance of the way of the Lord is partially responsible for our depression:
    1. That was the difficulty of ancient Israel
    2. Note these questions by God, "Hast thou not know? Has thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is He weary" - Isa. 40:28
    3. Ignorance of God's ways seems to be at the bottom of man's despondency - Is. 1:3-6
  4. But ignorance breeds a misconception of God and His attitude toward us in time of trouble:
    1. We are tempted to feel that God is not interested in us else He would intervene to deliver us from what troubles us
    2. We forget that God is very nigh unto us and is ready to deliver us out of our difficulty - Ps. 46:1; Jer. 30:7; Isa. 33:2
    3. We overlook the ministry of the angels Ps. 34:7; Heb. 1:14
    4. God's cure for the cry of depression
  5. Depression is very harmful and endangers our spiritual life:
    1. It brings despondency and that in turn paralyses, disables us in the normal performances of our duties to God and our fellow men; Examples: Elijah became so despondent that he wanted to die - I Kings 19:4; Israel became discouraged by the evil report of the twelve spies - Num. 21:4; Deut. 1:28
    2. It doubts the promises of God; this is a very real danger - 2 Pet. 3:1-6; Ps. 73:11
  6. God's remedy:
    1. Our Lord, who knows our every weakness, invites us to "Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"
    2. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly or heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" - Matt. 11:28-30
    3. The prophet of God gives a similar invitation not only to the individual or a single nation but to the whole world - "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth" - Isa. 45:22
  7. Many of our discouragements are the effect:
    1. Of harboring sin in our lives
    2. Sin is a yoke of bondage that will depress and destroy - Example: Ahab and Naboth's vineyard - 1 Kings 21:1-6; Judas and the betrayal of the Lord - Matt. 27:1-5
  8. Some of our discouragements are the result:
    1. Of the neglect of the prayer life - no prayer, no vision
    2. Family worship is the very life of a true Bible Christian - when we neglect worship things will go wrong for us
    3. These and other contributory factors are the cause of the cry of depression and despondency
    4. The above suggestions should deliver us from those soul-sickening miseries. Let us apply them in our daily lives


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