Have you ever had one of those days like a cloudy, rainy and gloomy one that we sometimes have in the natural? You know the kind I mean. You know that high above the clouds shines the sun, but everything you see with your eyes tells you otherwise and to make matters worse it seems like the day will never end. Depression has set in and is desperately trying to squeeze all the hope out of you. What will you do? What can you do? On A Cloudy Day!

What is depression? It is actually a spirit. The Bible calls it a spirit of heaviness. In this verse, in Isaiah 61:3, Isaiah tells us to “put on a  garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (despair).” It is the anointing through praise that breaks off this spirit.

A spirit of heaviness and despair can come after a triumphant victory as in the case of Elijah. It also accompanies fear and dread. It can also come through some traumatic event such as death of a loved one, bodily harm, loss of a job or something like this.

A cloudy day can last from a few moments to weeks, months and sometimes even years. It all depends on the circumstances, the depth of the pain and the ability of the person to overcome. I have personally gone through those cloudy days that lasted up to three years. Two of these times involved divorce and one included loss of a job and an injury. Sometimes it seems that you will never be able to see the sun again, but it does shine again.

I have been working on this post now for over two weeks. Sometimes the words flow quickly, but this time has been more difficult. In fact, I’ve had a few days where the clouds have tried to overtake me and in this came the discouragement to even write, but the clouds are gone again and quickly. Some of the reason that we can overcome quicker has mainly to do with decisions like I will praise You, Lord. This garment of praise magnifies the Lord higher than the cloudy day and lifts me up higher to see above the clouds. It is then I see them for what they are and Him for Who He is. But what do you do when the pain in your heart or body drags you down again and again like a never ending battle and you are so tired you just want to give in and let it be over?

Let go. Place yourself in His hands and rest. First of all, it is He that brings the healing and sometimes healing just takes time. During the times I was in, the more I struggled with what I thought I should be doing the harder it got and the more worn out I became. The fact was that I wasn’t changing anything anyway. Everything around me was still the same, but I did have some people who were trying to help and for a while I wasn’t letting them because I was focused on being strong and independent. Then there were others who were telling me what I should be doing and that I just needed to rise up above it. Rubbish!

Life is about life. There are too many people with doctorates who are trying to tell us how to live. Most of them have never experienced what they are even talking about. They go to school for years hearing lectures of other people who have done the same. They are ever increasing in knowledge but never coming to understand the truth. They are so high and lifted up in their pride that they just don’t get it.

Life is about dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ and being interdependent with one another. When a person comes to the realization that he can do absolutely nothing without the Lord’s help, he is at the beginning of wisdom and has found the basic foundation of truth. As a teenager, I could do almost anything I put my hands to do. In my twenties I found out what I could do without him, nothing.

It was during one of these times I got the chance to go to Colorado to the mountains. I spent a lot of time just looking at them from a distance towering over everything else. They were so majestic and they towered over everything that man could ever build. There were times I was able to go up on the mountain and see the clouds down below over the valley, but the sun was shining on me.

The storms must come because they bring the rain that the ground so desperately needs along with the lightning that clears and refreshes the atmosphere. It is also like this in our lives. It is not about being punished but rather about flourishing and growing up into maturity. When the storms come now, I remember the mountains. When I am almost consumed by this manmade jungle of the city I am in, I remember the mountains. Find something you can key in on that will help you overcome. Ask the Lord for His help. Ask Him what He would like you to learn through this situation. Sometimes the storm isn’t even about us but it has to do with helping someone else who might be going through the same thing.

I have been through many storms in my life but the things I remember most are the victories in them and the relationships that have developed with others because of it. Life goes on. There is a purpose to everything eventhough we might not be able to see it now. Try not to judge things too quickly. Sometimes it takes a few years before we discover why something took place in our lives. Paul said it like this in 1Cor. 4:3-5, “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” This is a very good tip. It has made all the difference in my life and I hope it does for you too.

If I have any encouragement for you today, it is this. You can make it if you don’t give up. There is someone who loves you more than you could ever imagine. Ask Him to make Himself known to you. Get ready for a journey that is second to none. Always remember that no matter what you go through, He is more than able to see you through and to give you a life of joy, peace, rest, love and understanding. I am speaking from what I know and have walked. This is why I write the way I do. I want to hear from people who have been there and know what it is like, not from someone who simply reads a textbook and takes some tests. I hope that you have been blessed by this post.

Joseph James