{"id":178,"date":"2023-06-16T15:11:29","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T15:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pagesofhope.co.uk\/?p=178"},"modified":"2023-06-16T21:18:51","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T21:18:51","slug":"joy-and-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pagesofhope.co.uk\/index.php\/2023\/06\/16\/joy-and-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"Joy and Depression"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Blog<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is easy to see joy and depression are opposites. However, the Bible says,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds<\/p>\nJames 1:2<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing<\/p>\n2 Corinthians 6:10a<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

These verses show us it is ok to be sorrowful. Joy is not the same as happiness. It is possible to feel joy even when depressed or suffering. How is that possible?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joy is being in God’s presence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I looked to John Piper, who coined the phrase “Christian hedonism<\/a>“. He points us to Psalm 16:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You make known to me the path of life;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    you will fill me with joy in your presence,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.<\/p>\nPsalm 16:11<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We experience joy when we are in God’s presence. This would suggest it is possible to be depressed and be joyful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joy is from the Spirit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Holy Spirit lives in believers (1 Corinthians 3:16). If being in God’s presence is the source of joy, it makes sense that we experience joy through the Holy Spirit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 <\/sup><\/strong>But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control<\/p>\nGalatians 5:22-23<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Joy provides strength<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Do not grieve [your sin], for the joy of the Lord is your strength.\u201d<\/p>\nNehemiah 8:10b<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Joy in the Lord gives us the strength to keep fighting depression. And God is much more powerful than any illness!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bChoose Joy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Joy is not just a mood. It’s a mindset. We can choose to look to Christ. We can choose to rejoice in our salvation…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do we receive joy when while depressed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By being in God’s presence. Joy is not something we can cultivate on our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, we are always in God’s presence. The illness of depression twists and distorts the truth. What we feel is not always what is true. So how can we know the truth of God’s presence with us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can know God’s presence with us by immersing ourselves in Him. Such as…<\/p>\n\n\n\n