Depression – Page 7 – 💔 Take heart!

Healing

02.04.202522.12.2025Ruth Kirk

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28; NLT).

We are all members of one body (Ephesians 4:25; NIV).

Please heal our bodies,
And our minds;

Please heal our hearts, Lord,
And our souls.

Please heal our spirits,
And our lives;

Please heal our wounds,
And make us whole.

“I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,” says the LORD (Jeremiah 30:17; NLT).

His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV).

References

Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind (Philippians 2:2; NIV).

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you (John 17:21; NLT).

The hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes – so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them (Acts 28:27; NLT).

A realisation

31.03.202522.12.2025Ruth Kirk

This prayer is dedicated to all those who, like me, have always felt fundamentally unacceptable to others, both individually, and in groups:

Though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body (1 Corinthians 10:17; NLT).

Thank you for everyone.
I’m part of “everyone”!
I’m not excluded!
I am included!

Thank you for everyone.
I’m one with everyone!
I’m not unwanted!
I am undaunted!

Let me be undaunted (Jeremiah 17:18; AMP).

Reference

Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20; NLT).

There will be one flock with one shepherd (John 10:16; NLT).

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world (John 16:33; AMP).

Cling to Christ

11.03.202522.12.2025Ruth Kirk

Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).

When your life
Is full of care,
Far beyond
What you can bear –

When your days
Are full of pain,
As your heart
Breaks, yet again –

When your nights
Are drenched with tears,
And your mind
Is wracked by fears –

Cling to Christ:
Your soul will soar,
Till nothing matters
Any more.

Those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31; NLT).

References

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; NLT).

When I’m alone

23.02.202522.12.2025Ruth Kirk

Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

Lord, when I’m alone,
I cling to you;
And, when I’m depressed,
I trust in you.

Lord, when I’m afraid,
I cling to you;
And, when I’m distressed,
I trust in you.

Lord, when I’m in pain,
I cling to you;
And, when I ask, ‘Why?’,
I trust in you.

Lord, when I despair,
I cling to you;
And, when I must die,
I’ll trust in you.

Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory (1 Peter 1:21; NLT).

References

From the depths of despair, O LORD, I call for your help (Psalm 130:1; NLT).

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).

When we’re sick

22.02.202522.12.2025Ruth Kirk

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NIV).

When we’re sick
You heal us, Lord,
And when we’re bound,
You free us.

When we’re poor
You feed us, Lord,
And when we’re scared,
You guard us.

When we’re wrong
You love us, Lord,
And when we’re sad
You cheer us.

When we’re weak
You help us, Lord,
And when we’re lost
You save us.

The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost (Luke 19:10; NLT).

References

The Lord frees the prisoners (Psalm 146:7; NLT).

He who feeds on me will live (John 6:57; NKJV).

He guards the paths of the just (Proverbs 2:8; NLT).

He loves with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

He helps me (Psalm 28:7; NLT).

Our God is a God who saves! (Psalm 68:20; NLT).

Offering sickness

20.02.202521.12.2025Ruth Kirk

You have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him (Philippians 1:29; GNT).

I offer my sickness, my pain,
My depression:
I offer them, Yahweh,
Today.

I offer them willingly, Yahweh,
For others:
Please comfort and heal them,
I pray.

Please strengthen me, Father,
To suffer for others:
Like Christ, my example,
And way.

To this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21; NET).

Jesus told him, “I am the way” (John 14:6; NLT).

Worship

06.02.202521.12.2025Ruth Kirk

I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1; NIV).

I am nothing but dust and ashes (Genesis 18:27; NIV).

I love you though I’m nothing,
And I love you though I’m ill.
I love you all around me, Lord,
And love to do your will.

I love you when life’s going well,
And love you when it’s bad.
I love you when I’m happy, Lord,
And love you when I’m sad.

I love you in my enemies;
In everything I see.
I love you, Lord, in others,
And I love you, Lord, in me.

We are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

References

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16; NLT).

When you heal me

31.01.202521.12.2025Ruth Kirk

O LORD, if you heal me, I will be truly healed (Jeremiah 17:14; NLT).

Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Mark 14:36; NLT).

Lord,
When you heal my anguish,
All that’s left will be peace,
And, when you heal my tension,
All that’s left will be calm.

Lord,
When you heal my sorrow,
All that’s left will be joy,
And, when you heal my anger,
All that’s left will be balm.

Lord,
When you heal my shyness,
All that’s left will be poise,
And, when you heal my envy,
All that’s left will be good.

Lord,
When you heal my trauma,
All that’s left will be bliss,
And, when you heal my sickness,
All that endures will be love.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance (1 Corinthians 13:7; NLT).

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21:4; NIV).

Sharing

02.01.202521.12.2025Ruth Kirk

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; NLT).

I’m sharing my trip here
With Jesus.
I’m sharing my journey
With him.
I’m sharing my lifetime
With Jesus:
God’s Son, who forgives
All my sin.

I’m sharing the present
With Jesus:
We’re sharing the future
God wills.
I’m sharing forever
With Jesus:
God’s Son, who is healing
My ills.

He continues to forgive all your sins; he continues to heal all your diseases (Psalm 103:2-5; ISV).

References

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45; 7; NLT).

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).

In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28; NIV).

I have worth

20.11.202420.12.2025Ruth Kirk

Today’s blog lists what I am currently learning as I slowly follow God’s path of inner healing. Regular readers might notice that both lists relate to my efforts to tackle the life-long consequences of being emotionally abused from childhood onwards.

I have worth, so no one has the right:

To tell me what to do, to dominate, control, or terrify me.
To shout and scream at me.
To tell me what to eat, how much to eat, or when to eat.
To limit my independence.
To discourage my ambitions.
To belittle, or dismiss, my achievements.
To tell me what faith I can belong to, or what church I am allowed to attend.
To give away, sell, or throw away my possessions without asking.

I have worth, so I have the right:

To listen to my body, and take care of it.
To look after my mental health, and my emotional and spiritual needs.
To try new activities, and learn new skills.
To take pleasure in my efforts and achievements.
To explore my spirituality, and discover what is meaningful to me.
To be open, honest and assertive, without being hurtful to others.
To change and grow.
To be honest with others about how I am, both physically and mentally.
To rest when I need to.
To challenge, and disagree with, other people’s points of view.
To fail.

Summary: I have the right to be myself.

References

He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle (Matthew 12:20; NLT).

Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children” (Luke 18:16; NLT).