Everyone faces depression at some point in their life. Some might have it because of their life’s circumstances, some might have it because of a recent heartbreak, and others might just have it as they are speculating the reason for their existence.

In general, women are more prone to becoming depressed than men. This is because the masculine energy that is more predominant in men(hence the name), gives them sort of a hammer that can pin down negative emotions. On the other hand, the feminine energy makes the women facing it more insecure, indecisive and fragile. There is really nothing innately wrong with it, cause that is how we are created.

But studies show that men are equally susceptible to depression as women. The difference being, men typically get into alcohol, substance abuse or criminal acts, whereas women just don’t take much action.

What I’m about to tell you are 4 things that you can do to stop being depressed.

Take it to God

One of my most favorite hymns, What a Friend We Have in Jesus? explains how it’s pointless to carry a burden when you can always take it to the Lord.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms, He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

“What a Friend” Hymn (Joseph M. Scriven)

Before you get all upset and depressed about an issue in your life, you got to understand that God is able to do things that you can’t imagine. I mean, he parted the Red Sea, he rose people from the dead, and he even made the sun and moon to stand still. Getting you out of your depression is not something hard for the Lord. If you ask him, he will get you out of it.

Don’t just sit, do something

Depression usually hits you, when you are alone in your room, doing nothing. They say that the idle mind is the devil’s workshop. I agree 100%. The quickest, temporary way to stop feeling depressed is to stop doing nothing and start doing something.

If you’re a guy, it can be hitting the gym, going for a run, working on a project, hanging out with your buddies and so forth. Not sure what girls do, but you should have an idea. And if you are not doing it already, reading the Bible and memorizing scripture can truly help.

Don’t be obsessed about the Future

Here is the thing, God knows what you are going through in your life, and he knows what is good for you.

And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 

The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 

Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 

And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 

If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luke 12: 22-27 (King James Version)

As I’ve written in a previous blog post Don’t Try to Control the World, you cannot control your circumstances to a very large degree. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you can’t change your life by putting in hard work. But at the end of the day, circumstances will decide what will happen.

If God’s plan is for you to get it, you will get it. If not, you won’t. Understand that God’s ways are higher than your ways, and his thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

Have a Purpose in Life

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher tries everything under the sun to find meaning in this life. He pursues happiness, he pursues alcohol & drugs, he pursues possessions, he pursues money, he pursues entertainment, he pursues success, he pursues relationships, he pursues education. And guess what, nothing at the end of the day fulfills his life.

This is what he concludes at the end of the book:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (King James Version)

At the end of the day, everybody is going to die. And death can either be peaceful or filled with regret, depending on the life you lived.

Of course, you can be 100% sure that you are going to heaven if you believe on the finished works of Jesus on the cross, where he died for your sins and rose up again after 3 days.

But will you be content with the life that you would have lived until then? Don’t you want to stand at the end of life’s road and say, “I’ve fought a good fight!”? You only got one life, why give so much importance to something that is primarily vain? It might be money, education, entertainment or even relationships.

Have a purpose in life, be willing to die for it!