Depressed to Loved

Date: December 07, 2025

I may not feel it, but I know that I am loved, valued and treasured. I have a future to look forward to!!!

Introduction: Have you ever faced moments of despair, questioning God’s love during challenging times, or your in a particularly difficult situation. Through prayer, scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I began to shift my perspective, discovering that even in my darkest moments, God’s love and purpose were ever-present. You can go from despair to hope and experience the transformative power of faith when we trust in God’s unwavering love.

Scripture:

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

I read the book titled “In the Presence of My Enemy by Gracie Burnham.". At one point she says, “I realized that my depression and anger against God weren’t doing anything to make my situation more bearable. In fact, it was only making it worse for me and everyone around me.”

I remember there was a time when I felt the exact same way. Like her, I believe in God, and Jesus is His Son who sent us the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus died for me, but I didn’t believe that He loved me. Because He wasn’t changing anything that I was struggling with. My situation wasn’t changing. I wasn’t changing. Have you ever felt like you were stuck in the mud of life, going nowhere fast? That was me. I was depressed and hopeless.

I kept hearing in my head, “If God loved you why would He put you in this challenging situation with hard, mean people. You’re in a marriage situation where you are not loved or valued. They think you’re fat and you can’t make enough money fast enough. You’ve prayed and prayed. You’ve read books, listened to teaching series on Godly marriage, and still...where is God?”

I started feeling sorry for myself. I started to think, “Ya! I’ve read books, listened to teachings, went up for prayer, sent messages to the Pastor through my offering envelopes and went to conferences. Still, here I am in a marriage with His best choice for me but all I get is more critiquing, arguing and screaming.” I can remember crying and wondering why didn’t God love me anymore?

This kind of thinking and believing caused me to feel hopeless. I didn’t want to sin, but I didn’t want to stay married. I prayed that I would become anorexic so that I would be thinner. That prayer wasn’t answered. I prayed that I would die. That prayer wasn’t answered. I said to the Lord, “Even college students get to come home for the holidays” and He said, “No, once you come home you won’t come back”.

Then during a sermon on Romans 8:28-39 I felt enlightened.

Romans 8:28-39

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

I thought, “That’s me! That verse is talking about me. I love God, I was called according to His purpose, He foreknew me, He predestined me and called me into this marriage and these situations. But best of all, He is conforming me to the image of Jesus.

So, right then, I pictured me taking a hold of this part of the scripture and saying, “This is me and this is mine, I’m not letting go!” I had to decide, and I did decide, to believe that He does love me, and that the Holy Spirit is with me. At that moment I promised Him, the Holy Spirit, that I would never believe the lie that He didn’t love me.

When your thoughts and feelings are not agreeing with the Bible, I suggest saying out loud, “devil you are a liar and I believe the Bible is true right now and it’s true for me. Get your hands off devil because I’m none of your business.” Then tell yourself, “I am what God says I am, I have what God says I can have and I will do all that He calls me to do by the power of the Holy Spirit which He sent to me to help me. In Jesus Name! AMEN!!!”

The enemy tried to pull that same thing on me again. Thank You Lord Jesus for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit reminded me of this time and of my promise. I did take a step back and look at my situation through the eyes of a child of God instead of from the perspective of a victim. I think there are times when all of us get snagged and feel like we are invisible to God and that we are forgotten and unloved. We think and feel that God could/should do certain things a certain way and He doesn’t. We don’t consider that He, after all is God and when He works things out, it is magnificent. Our lives touch so many other lives that the one way we think things should be, might mess up someone else. But God sees how a thing or a situation will touch and affect others and know which way to go. Trust Him!

Father God, in the name of Jesus,

Thank You for the Holy Spirit who never leaves us. Help us to keep our eyes on You and our hands on Your word so You can be the God. Please give us eyes to see and ears to hear what You have for us. Anoint our ears and our understanding so that we will know the difference between the truth and a lie. Holy Spirit we choose to hear Your voice and Your voice alone. When we read Your word let us know what You are saying to us. We surrender to You everything. Thank You again that Your love is just that strong, and all around us. In Jesus' name.

Further your Faith:

These verses remind God is loving, compassionate, and committed to our growth and happiness, inviting us to trust in Him for hope and renewal.

John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 5:8:

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

1 John 4:9-10:

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Romans 8:28:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Psalm 139:14:

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 136:1:

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever."

Isaiah 54:10:

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you."

Matthew 7:11:

"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"