Joy To The Depressed

Are you or someone you know taking on a George Bailey mentality? Better that you’d never been born? “Joy to the World?” You scoff at the thought. I can’t find joy, it’s out of reach.
Perhaps you are suffering, broken and feeling forgotten about. You aren’t looking for hope, you don’t care at this point. You’re listening to the voices condemning you. You can’t choose to look up even if you wanted to. And you certainly don’t want to. Yet, if you could choose to be happy you would be.
When you revisit the end of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and recall George Bailey wishing to have his life back again, remember what changed his mind?
He realized everything that had purpose and meaning for him, despite how hard life was.
And that’s what joy is all about. The secret to joy is seeing the purpose and meaning in life. It’s not about you and it’s not about others. Our purposes are only found in God’s Son, Jesus. Jesus’ purpose?
Hebrews 12:2  reminds us the point of it all: “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
He knows your suffering. He felt your pain. He can associate with our very grief, every trouble. So where is joy? Because Jesus rose from death, we are granted the gift of joy inexpressible. Purpose undeniable. It’s a calling and a privilege to serve the King of Kings. You’ve got to look up and hope. You’ve got to be patient and call out to Him to calm the storm. You can’t forget who Jesus is and relying on your own understanding, like the disciples did on the boat in the storm Jesus slept through. He’s there with you.
You may not be able to control your feelings. You may not be able to snap out of it. You may be on the brink of insanity. Don’t forget the secret. Ask for Jesus. Ask for His joy. It’s a wonderful life, after all.