Down But Not Out

Down But Not Out

Have you ever felt beaten down? Has it ever seemed like everything was just against you? Me too.

Even recently I’ve had those days where it just seemed that it was the world against me.

What do you do in those situations?

Can I be a bit vulnerable here and tell you, I haven’t always handled those times well. I’ve often let circumstances dictate my mood and my behavior, including what I have said. Unfortunately, that didn’t usually yield positive results.

Those days when it has seemed that nothing was going right, and in fact many things beyond my control were going wrong have in the past left me in a wallow of self-pity.

I have come to realize, however, that there is a better way…

I don’t have to take such situations so personally. 

I can make the conscious decision to thank God that He is bigger than my adverse circumstances, and that because of Him, I already have everything I need for life and Godliness.

Just recently I had one of those days: I was learning something new but it seemed like I was in a dance…one step forward, two steps back. Things I tried went from bad to worse for no apparent reason.

I was at first tempted to get frustrated. But that would be giving my power and my purpose away. Instead, I walked around my house declaring God’s truth and thanking Him that He works ALL things together for my good – even the frustrating adverse events.

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The next morning as I read my morning devotion, I came across Deuteronomy 33:27 & 29, and it gave me such hope and confidence. It reads, “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying ‘Destroy him!’…Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and our glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you and you will trample down their high places.”

Most of my frustration during the unforeseen circumstances comes from not knowing how to overcome the situation in my own strength. What comfort it is to know that God will drive out our enemy before us, and they will cower before us—not because of anything we do, but because of what God does. It’s almost as if He’s saying, “It’s ok Baby, I’ve got this!”

No matter what you are going through right now,

He loves you and wants to be your shield and helper. Will you let Him?

 

 

(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)

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A short brief about Hope Prevails.

Hope Prevails
Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey through Depression
Dr. Michelle Bengtson

Speaking from personal and professional experience, a neuropsychologist unpacks what depression is, shows how it affects us spiritually, and offers hope for living the abundant life.

Neuropsychologist Offers Hope to Those Struggling with Depression
-By 2020, depression will be our greatest epidemic worldwide

  • An estimated 350 million people worldwide suffer from some form of depression
  • As with the bestselling My Stroke of Insight, the author experienced the same condition she treats
  • Helpful features include personal stories, biblical truths, prayers, and music recommendations

Hope Prevails Book cover vertical 536

In Hope Prevails, Dr. Bengtson writes with deep compassion and empathy, blending her extensive training and faith, to offer readers a hope that is grounded in God’s love and grace. She helps readers understand what depression is, how it affects them spiritually, and what, by God’s grace, it cannot do. The result is a treatment plan that addresses the whole person—not just chemical imbalances in the brain.

For those who struggle with depression and those that want to help them, Hope Prevails offers real hope for the future.

Hope Prevails is available now wherever books are sold. To find out more, see: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-prevails-book/.

 

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