Hey fam! How have you been? Trust you’ve been graciously gliding through 2023. As for me, the past months have been diverse episodes of life and emotions; sickness, healing, gratitude, ingratitude, sadness, joy, tears, laughter, troubles, peace, loss of energy, regained zeal, and hope. Work and life demands made it hard to breathe, but I kept going. Through it all, God was my constant and anchor (not even capping). 

I’m aware that in general knowledge, my experiences in the past few months could easily be labeled “Depression”. However, I personally did not allow myself to settle on naming what God has not named in my life. By the way, what is depression sef? Depression can show up in people as prolonged periods of unhappiness or irritability. So in simple English, depression is when someone is feeling low over a long period of time.

The best of humans often feel low at different points in life. So, should we then agree that depression is an often occurring ‘thing’ for humans? The fact is, life will give you a zillion reasons to ‘feel low’ especially if you live in a social clime like Lagos, Nigeria where almost everyone on the street is crazy, coupled with Nigeria’s daily strokes of frustration(something dey always scarce or sup for this Naija) and not to talk of emotionally-induced human problems of heartbreaks, family palaver and a host of other reasons.  So, it is not plausible enough that you allow yourself to stay “feeling low” every time life gives you a jab and you tag it depression. Hence, the onus is on every individual to not allow life’s grab of “feeling low” to hold you down.

Have a mandate to always choose joy regardless of life’s jabs. It’s on this mandate that you will be able to intentionally fight against the natural tides of “feeling low” with no option of extended time. Now, Difers, how can you graciously slide through life’s jabs, and ‘feeling low’ moments but not stay low and get tagged as Depression?

Stay calm: Don’t be in haste. I know you want answers, and solutions quickly but don’t be desperate to look for answers where there is none. Take your time to ponder on the situation, so that you will be able to pick the subtle lesson(s). While you ponder, don’t overthink. Think from an optimistic view and “fa ra ba le”.

Soak in the Father’s love: You need the Father’s embrace in your “feel low” moments more than ever before. In moments like this, you may not have the words, but let your silence communicate to the Father. Allow yourself to stay and sleep in His embrace of peace. It will be so untruthful of me to say I prayed more or longer in my “feel low” season cause I did not. Rather, my prayer time often became vulnerable conversations with God, short sincere prayers about the burdens of my heart, and a request for God’s help. My recurring words in this season were “God help me”. And He sure did help me with renewed rest in God.

Read and meditate on God’s words: There’s no more effective antidote to life’s crisis than God’s word! It soothes the most troubled of hearts like mine some months ago. In my troubled phase, on a Sunday evening, while I pondered, I remembered that God gave me an anchor word for a particular season of my life in 2022 which continued to 2023. I  swiftly went to my bookshelf in search of my 2022 journal to dig out the scripture that was my anchor word. Then took a deeper dive into meditating on that scripture. I kid you not, I got a clearer understanding of the situation and my heart steadily moved to rest. On other days, I would spend time reading the bible and taking notes. I helplessly kept tuned to reading and meditating on God’s word whether I felt like it or not and steadily, I found rest, direction, and renewed faith that God is always mindful of me.  My total deliverance/relief was in my place of prayer, bible reading, and meditation on God’s word. That day, everything that God has been communicating to me in bits since the beginning of that troubled episode, all came together to make sense, and a great relief washed through my heart. I got up from my bed with calmness and joy in my spirit that day. I literally saw things all around me bright and beautiful that day. I can boldly say that God’s word was and is still the saving line that kept me from drowning in the midst of life’s cares.

Surround yourself with tangible people: People that will stand in a gap with or without your knowledge in the place of prayers for your life and destiny. Needless to say that in my troubled moments, I cried and cried that unknowingly to me a cloud of heaviness and sadness had formed around me. Some of my inner-circle family and friends perceived this and reached out to me with answers about the burdens of my heart without having to tell them anything(Lord, for these ones in my corner I am thankful). This was obvious proof that God is mindful of me and it always humbles me!

Difers, no shaking! Keep your joy intact always,  rest in God’s embrace, and stay glued to His word. It’s the world’s best-saving line anytime, any day!!

Je t’aime mon ami🤗🤗🤗