1 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,520 This is lead to Serve with Ed Taylor, a leadership podcast. 2 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,240 Welcome again to another. Episode of the Lead to Serve 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,280 podcast with Pastor Ed Taylor. That's me. 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,360 I'm your host for the season. I'm host of the. 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:24,560 Podcast. This is season #6 we're trying. 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,720 To be a little. Or a lot more intentional in 7 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,600 getting these podcasts done, that is. 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,960 Bob, by the way. Bob Clay Camp is in studio with 9 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:36,680 me this season. Welcome again, Bob. 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,000 Yeah, here we are. Bob, that's the. 11 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:43,560 Number one complaint that we have on lead to serve is that we 12 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:49,240 don't do it often enough and I've to to knock out two seasons 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:50,840 in one. Year is. 14 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:57,800 Pretty, pretty good considering the amount of responsibility and 15 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,240 work that we have around here, and I appreciate you rearranging 16 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:05,120 your schedule to make this work. I rearranged my schedule to make 17 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,680 this work and it's fun. The idea of the Lead to Serve 18 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,760 podcast is like you're. Joining us in the office, we're 19 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,040 sitting in a studio here with microphones in front of us, but 20 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,920 we're actually just looking at each other, talking or talking, 21 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:22,600 you know, thinking in our minds. What can we say is if you were 22 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,240 in the office. With us, as you were. 23 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,280 In studio with us and we were talking life and ministry a lot 24 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:29,960 of the. Topics of lead to serve. 25 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,280 Come from you guys, they come from your emails, come from 26 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,560 ministry experience, life experience. 27 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:37,840 I mean, we could. Easily go if we. 28 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,920 Had more time. We could go. 29 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:46,520 More and more on these topics that come from emails I get. 30 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,800 I got an e-mail. Yesterday about this topic of 31 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,720 closure. And I have a. 32 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:56,160 Theory of closure. I don't think it exists because 33 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,520 of sin, and I think it's another elusive thing. 34 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,440 That frustrates people because. You never get it. 35 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,040 You never get it. Only at the cross, but that's 36 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,160 another topic that's not our. Topic today but a brother. 37 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,160 Emailed me yesterday talking about. 38 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,680 How how hard it's? Been in his life that he 39 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,320 couldn't come to closure. And so I said here, I want you 40 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,120 to think about this and then we're going to talk. 41 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,640 About it after you pray over it. I want to make a suggestion in 42 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:25,560 your mind that there's no such thing as closure. 43 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,480 And I gave a brief explanation and then let's talk about it. 44 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,120 And whether you agree with it or not, it becomes a a point where 45 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:34,680 the Holy Spirit can meet us in the. 46 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,600 Scriptures where you. Can find that the true closure 47 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:45,200 to hurt, to pain, to injustice is truly in the presence of God. 48 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,600 He's the one. He's the final arbiter. 49 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:49,320 He's the final. Judge. 50 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,400 So that could be a topic. 'Cause I just came in an e-mail 51 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,520 last night from a brother who I know that has been struggling 52 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,480 for years. And the Lord is But I can see at 53 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,280 the same time God's bringing them out. 54 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,720 So that's the. Lead to serve podcast a lot of 55 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:05,720 the topics they're. Real and raw. 56 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:10,080 Because this is where. The rubber meets. 57 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,240 The road if you. Will in life's experiences and 58 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,560 how do we apply them and so in light of. 59 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:17,920 The leader that the podcast also has a. 60 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,640 Bent toward leadership, servant leadership. 61 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:25,640 Following Mark chapter 10 verse 15 we're pastors so if you're 62 00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:28,040 new to the podcast, we're. Pastors. 63 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,520 So we're taking. Biblical principles and you 64 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,440 might even be listening right now and you you're not a 65 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,240 Christian or you don't have anything to do with church and 66 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:41,160 you're shocked and I, I. Hope you are you're shocked that 67 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:43,760 the Bible actually has a great. Relevance. 68 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,200 To how you how you lead at work or how you are. 69 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,480 Able to lead at home. And here's the shock value. 70 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,960 You ready? The shock value is that. 71 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,280 God has your attention, and because He has your attention, 72 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:04,360 He wants you to come into a relationship with Him and He's. 73 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:06,600 Used your leadership or desire for leadership? 74 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,400 Skills and you're listening and like these are counterintuitive, 75 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:11,480 aren't they? These aren't like. 76 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:13,520 The latest leadership? Training you got at. 77 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,920 Work or that HR? Put on for you, Although 78 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,440 sometimes HR will pick up on something and they'll do a 79 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,200 seminar. Like we're going to teach you 80 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:24,080 how to be servant leaders when actually it's a biblical 81 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,160 principle. It's not an HR principle. 82 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,040 But at any rate, we're glad if you're not. 83 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,720 A follower of Jesus. Christ, we want you to be. 84 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:33,720 But we're so. Glad that you're tuned in. 85 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,480 You're listening to two pastors with a combined. 80 years plus 86 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:40,720 of. Walking with the Lord and 87 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,640 almost. 80 years plus of. Serving God in. 88 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:45,960 High level capacities. In his church. 89 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:47,480 And we want you to be a part of it. 90 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,800 I know a lot of our audience. We already knows us. 91 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,720 Welcome back. Our goal is to help you. 92 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:57,440 Grow in servant leadership. We want you to glorify God in 93 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,040 all that you do. And these discussions are like 94 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,120 being in the office with us. And we're coming up on our next 95 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,320 topic. They've all seem to be woven. 96 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,560 Together but the topic. Today is depression. 97 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,800 Depression. I'm not getting into clinical 98 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,080 definitions and diagnosis. That's we're pastors. 99 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,160 We're not doctors, psychologists or psychiatrists. 100 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,480 So let's set that. Aside for a second and we will 101 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:30,720 just talk about discouragement or being deeply in pain, having 102 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:32,560 feelings. We could call it depression. 103 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,480 You could call it discouragement you. 104 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,200 Could call it depth. Depth of melancholy as we. 105 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,920 Looked in a previous episode where it. 106 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:46,280 Is just this down? You know, maybe if you watch 107 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:49,000 cartoons, you're not Tigger. You're. 108 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,360 Eeyore. And you have feelings like that, 109 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,080 and we want to acknowledge them. Again, we'll go back to 110 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,800 definitions. A typical dictionary definition 111 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,000 of depression is. This feelings of severe. 112 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:08,200 Despondency and dejection. Self doubt. 113 00:06:09,280 --> 00:06:13,720 And then it goes on to a mental condition and we, you know it. 114 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,920 You could. Call it mental illness, but we 115 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,240 all suffer from mental illness and that's because we were born 116 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,880 with a broken brain. Sin broke our brain. 117 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,960 None of us are what we intended, what God intended, I should say, 118 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,280 because of the sin that happened in the Garden of Eden. 119 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,520 So all of us suffer. And that is not a statement and 120 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,080 you'll understand as this go this goes on. 121 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,640 This podcast episode. Goes on. 122 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,520 This is not a statement in any way trying to minimize the 123 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:49,800 medical. Side of this. 124 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:51,600 The mental. Side of this. 125 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,960 I'm not that, that is not my intent. 126 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:58,640 At all. So just at the outset, I do 127 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,840 believe. God has helped me to be careful 128 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:03,120 on this. Topic because of. 129 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,200 What I've personally experienced, but also God's 130 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,680 heart on the matter. So my experience doesn't trump 131 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,560 God's heart on the matter. God always goes first. 132 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,160 But I'm not trying to minimize things, but I'm also not trying 133 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,840 to over maximize. What does the Bible have to say? 134 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,600 How? Can we come into terms with? 135 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,360 These. Feelings not only a failure. 136 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:27,400 Like we talked about. Last time, but also feelings of 137 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,480 depression, discouragement, being downcast. 138 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,040 You know how David would say. Why are you? 139 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:34,080 He talked to himself. He was. 140 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,160 Why are you so downcast? And there's reasons. 141 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,720 For that. But Bob, you had a thought and 142 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,840 let's just start, let's go right to the right to this thought. 143 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,920 That you had in that that is explaining the difference 144 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:51,040 between depression, oppression. Give us your insights on that. 145 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:57,880 Well, in thinking about it, to me, depression is more of an 146 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:02,520 internal reality that I can fall into. 147 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,920 Oppression seems to be something from the outside that, as you 148 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,600 said earlier, could lead to depression. 149 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,600 You can't control things that happened to you or people that 150 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,760 have turned to be your enemy or they decide to stab you in the 151 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,800 back after you've done so many good things. 152 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,120 You've been with them at the birth of their child, you've 153 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,200 been with them, you've dedicated the child, you help them to the 154 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,760 marriage issues. And then all of a sudden they 155 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:36,039 stabbed you in the back because they didn't like how you said 156 00:08:36,039 --> 00:08:39,200 something. And it, it's, it just doesn't 157 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:43,039 make any sense. And the more that you begin to 158 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:47,080 ponder it and roll it over in your mind, the injustice, the 159 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:50,560 unfairness, it works all kinds of things. 160 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:55,840 And then Satan is right there to use all that as a hook to, to 161 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:00,560 pull you into his quicksand to, to destroy all hope. 162 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,120 So that oppression from the outside is something as part of 163 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,080 the spiritual warfare that that we go through. 164 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:13,360 It's diabolical, demonic, and, and so we have to be on guard 165 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,840 with the tools that God has given us. 166 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,440 And there's one definition of oppression, a sense of being 167 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:26,480 weighed down in body or mind. And so where do you go when you 168 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,560 start feeling that way and you feel like the quicksand is 169 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:31,760 grabbing your ankles and pulling you down? 170 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:36,320 And that's where you go to the Psalms, especially Psalm 42. 171 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,880 Psalm 43. Why are you cast down on my 172 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:40,520 soul? Why are you disquieted within 173 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,360 me? Hope thou in God, for I shall 174 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,400 yet praise him who's the help of my countenance and my God. 175 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:53,880 And so understand that even Paul the apostle had times where he 176 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:59,200 had a he had a despair of life. And he he writes about it in in 177 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:03,960 second Corinthians one verse 8. It says, we do not want you to 178 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:09,760 be ignorant brethren of our trouble which came to us in 179 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:15,960 Asia, that we were burdened beyond measure above strength, 180 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,280 so that we despaired even of life. 181 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:26,040 And then he says, yes, we had the sentence of death in 182 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:32,360 ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, 183 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,520 who raises the dead man? What's the worst that can 184 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:37,000 happen? Well, you die. 185 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,080 That's the worst that can happen. 186 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,080 Well, wait a minute, God raises the dead. 187 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,200 So it's it's not, you know, it's just we don't like the process, 188 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,320 that's all. Says who delivered us from so 189 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:53,520 great a death and does deliver us in whom we trust that he will 190 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,680 still deliver us. That's past, present and future 191 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:02,640 You also helping together in prayer for us that thanks may be 192 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,400 given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to 193 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,360 us through many. Sometimes we forget how 194 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,600 important intercessory prayer is for someone who just feels like 195 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:15,680 they're in the quicksand and being pulled down. 196 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:21,760 And we, we, we, we want to think, OK, how can I help them? 197 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:26,320 Well, the first step is going to God with them because he has the 198 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,280 strategy. He knows what's going on more 199 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,720 than we do. And that intercessory prayer is 200 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,760 something God chooses to use, although he didn't, he doesn't 201 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,000 have to use it. I mean, he can do what he wants, 202 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,360 but he's chosen to do certain things through the intercessory 203 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,040 prayers of his people. So let's go back to use. 204 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,840 The illustration twice that, I don't know if you realize you 205 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:49,240 used it, but I'm listening to you. 206 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,680 You use the illustration of quicksand twice. 207 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:55,120 Have you ever been in quicksand? Oh yeah, you have not. 208 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:56,440 Not real quicksand. OK. 209 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:57,640 So yeah. You haven't been in real 210 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:00,880 quicksand, but then in your mind and imagination, maybe I've seen 211 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,720 it in a television show or something, it becomes an 212 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,720 illustration of discouragement and depression, and you have 213 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:09,720 quite. Literally felt that. 214 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,160 In ministry and life. On a number of occasions. 215 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:13,080 Take us. Take. 216 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:18,800 Us a little bit into before I share my on my side or a season 217 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:22,160 where I've been in take us into a season you've been in this 218 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,320 quicksand kind of feeling like you've been pulled down with no 219 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,040 way out. Well, I think when I was 220 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:32,760 pastoring in Phoenix, there were a few times I I now look at them 221 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,160 as being pulled through a knothole where everything gets 222 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:37,040 stripped away. You're. 223 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,720 Changing illustration. I know. 224 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:42,480 It's just in my mind. I told you I was melancholy, 225 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,400 right? OK, so so anyway, where 226 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,560 everything gets stripped away, everything you try just 227 00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:55,040 absolutely doesn't work and the the whole thing is dissolving in 228 00:12:55,040 --> 00:13:00,800 front of you and you're feeling like I, I'm done. 229 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,640 There's, I mean, obviously I'm clueless. 230 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:09,360 I've lost the plot and I can't find the paper and so it is 231 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,640 gone. I don't know what to do and and 232 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,920 the more you dwell on it, it's like you're being sucked down 233 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:19,600 hopeless. And boy, I'm in so many 234 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,480 different times. But then looking back on it, you 235 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:30,280 see how God had a hold of you and won't let you sink even if 236 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,760 you're underwater. He's got this amazing scuba gear 237 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:39,240 because it's a season where yes, you're under, but He is your 238 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,600 lifeline. Well, David went. 239 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,400 Through a deep. Discouragement in First Samuel 240 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,680 chapter 30 looking. At the phrases greatly 241 00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:53,480 distressed, the people were grieved. 242 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,080 What happened was it says in verse one. 243 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,640 Now it happened. David and his men came to Ziglag 244 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:00,480 third. Day. 245 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,800 The Amalekites had invaded, taking captive the women who 246 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,160 were there. Small to great did not kill 247 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,880 anyone, but carried away and went their way. 248 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:14,680 And David and his men came to the city. 249 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,280 It was burned with fire, wives and sons and daughters been keep 250 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:23,000 taken captive. Then David and the people who 251 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,240 are with him lifted up their voices and wept. 252 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:27,320 There was no more. Power to weep. 253 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,080 That's a deep. There's a deep. 254 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:34,240 Sense of emotion there for especially for men of war and 255 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,360 then you have. David's two wives. 256 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,400 They had been taken. Captive, which led to. 257 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,960 David being greatly distressed. The people spoke of. 258 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,440 Stoning him and the people were really grieve. 259 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:49,760 It's an episode in the life of this nation, of these grown men, 260 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,600 these men. Of war where? 261 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:57,560 They're brought to their knees and it is you can look at you 262 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,200 can look at you can look at David, you can look at the men. 263 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,160 I mean, I we, that we. Prefer to look. 264 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:06,040 At David become because he's the one that's going to show us the 265 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,600 solution. Of what to do. 266 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,200 With discouragement, and we have to understand the depth of 267 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,200 discouragement which we may. Apply the phrase. 268 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,520 Depression to David, because it's not just that he came back. 269 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,560 To the city. And the families were taken 270 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,960 captive. And it's not just the closest to 271 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,240 him who were his partners in in life were ready to kill him. 272 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,600 It's not just that he's been on the run for 10 years from. 273 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,000 King Saul, it's that. It it it, it's on top of all. 274 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,480 That. It came from a place of 275 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:44,000 compromise and and backsliding really in his life that. 276 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,000 Led to all this. And it all hit him at once in a 277 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:48,000 very real. Way. 278 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:53,280 And his response to it all was discouragement, which is 279 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,520 natural. And I think everyone listening 280 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,320 in today needs to understand that your feelings of depression 281 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,880 or being discouraged doesn't make you a bad person, doesn't 282 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:07,240 make you a bad Christian. If we knew your story and we. 283 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:11,200 Were able to sit there with you. We would conclude that it was a 284 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,400 normal response to the situations that you're facing. 285 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:21,320 And so as we look at David, this mighty man of war, we can't, we 286 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,840 can't think of him in a sense where we can't think of him 287 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:25,920 like, well, I can't believe David. 288 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,520 You're you don't have any faith. You don't know he had all the 289 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,880 faith in the world. He was just in a bad spot in his 290 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,400 life and Bob before the. Episode we talked about. 291 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:39,160 A few seasons of that in your life and having having that 292 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:41,400 personality melancholy in my life. 293 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:44,360 I've had a few seasons of that, but the greatest one was when 294 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:52,680 Mar son passed away in 2013 and it just completely halted 295 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:53,720 everything in my life. Never. 296 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:58,440 I've never sensed. I've never before then and since 297 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,800 then ever experienced anything like that, and I would hope to 298 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:04,440 never experience it. But it was. 299 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:09,040 Brutal, brutal and. Every every level it. 300 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,920 Affected my marriage, it affected my kids, it affected my 301 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,079 relationship with my grandson. It affected. 302 00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:20,640 My ministry and it was. It just led to deep. 303 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,480 Deep discouragement. Depression. 304 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,000 And I went to the scriptures and read them like I never have 305 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,480 before. I clung to the scriptures even 306 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,960 though I wasn't. Studying for Bible studies. 307 00:17:31,120 --> 00:17:32,880 Right away and I was I was looking. 308 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,760 Just like you described. It's not just the quicksand, 309 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,560 because I think if I was, if I used the quicksand, I would have 310 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:41,120 sunk the. First day. 311 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,040 Because I don't think there's any way you can fight quicksand. 312 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,240 You're just toast. But when you use the 313 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,600 illustration of a being underwater, I'm like, oh, I can 314 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:51,640 I I? Hear that? 315 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,920 Because. You can fight to get back up. 316 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:55,880 You can't breathe. You're gasping in, but you're 317 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,080 fighting to get back up and you sink and you're fighting to get 318 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,680 back up and you sink and and I've definitely experienced. 319 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,520 That as well. The reality of this is the 320 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,000 passage. You know out of that, out of 321 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,720 that, you know that it was such a difficult time in the life of 322 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:14,000 our church, such a difficult time from the pulpit. 323 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,960 That. You know I was. 324 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:17,680 Sad. The church was sad. 325 00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:22,480 Everybody was sad and in, you know, as sad as the church was, 326 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:26,840 they didn't even know the half of it of what was going on and 327 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,320 and still don't know the half of what's going on. 328 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:33,360 It's still ongoing now eleven years later that make the 329 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:36,720 situation so much more complicated and difficult and 330 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,160 hard. And even that phrase might be 331 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,080 helpful for you listening because we don't know the half 332 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:43,280 of what you're going through either. 333 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,120 We don't know how. Difficult it is. 334 00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:49,080 We don't know what family things, what people are doing to 335 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,360 you, what they're saying about. You how they're. 336 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:55,240 Treating you what? How unfair and unjust. 337 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,160 I mean it. This world. 338 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,280 Even in the Christian world or people that. 339 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,880 Say they're. Christians can be so brutal and 340 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,360 the response of sadness or sorrow or discouragement or 341 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,080 being downcast. Or greatly grieved or. 342 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,200 Crying like the psalmist says in another Psalm, You. 343 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,320 Cry where you haven't you? Have no more tears now. 344 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,160 Up until my son passed away that I'd never done that, but I know 345 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:23,520 what it's like now and being able to relate. 346 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,000 So, David? Became a friend of mine. 347 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,920 He is going through it. It's difficult on every level. 348 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,440 He has nowhere to turn in his life. 349 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:37,560 Nowhere. There is no human solution. 350 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,400 Which brings us to the solution. And you had mentioned it 351 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,560 already, Bob, but within the context of. 352 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,160 David's life. And my life, this is what got me 353 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,360 out of it. Not that I'm not. 354 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:53,240 Discouraged still, or if it actually. 355 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,280 Really depends on what I place my mind on, right? 356 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,440 If I, if I. Delight myself and the Lord, 357 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:02,760 He'll give me the desires of my heart, if the promise to me and 358 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:07,160 to Bob and to everyone listening is is that he will keep you in 359 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:11,040 perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him so if I let my 360 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:15,800 mind wander. If I look at. 11 years lost and 361 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:17,000 every day. If I look. 362 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,200 At the circumstances then I'll be. 363 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,680 Greatly discouraged. What I need to do is what David 364 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,840 does, and every time I do this, every time we do. 365 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:29,400 This this is how you got. Out of that difficulty in 366 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:30,760 Phoenix. This is how you. 367 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,480 Got out of the next difficulty and this is how you got out of 368 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,040 the next get difficulty, Bob. Same with me. 369 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,040 This is how you'll get through it. 370 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,680 How do I handle these feelings of discouragement? 371 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:45,600 I acknowledge them, I express them and that I've got to take 372 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,840 them to the Lord. And that's what David. 373 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,080 Does he's got David's greatly distressed the. 374 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,680 People spoke of stoning him, so you got weeping, crying, 375 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:57,120 wailing, and then we're going to kill you. 376 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,960 We're going to kill you, David. It's all your fault. 377 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:03,720 And David's there like it is my fault I'm a backslider. 378 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:05,680 What am I thinking? Why did I leave? 379 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,440 God. It is my fault it wasn't 380 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:09,320 completely his. Fault. 381 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:13,320 The Amalekites. The Amalekites are sinners and 382 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,160 rebels, so it wasn't completely his fault. 383 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,840 But it could feel like that. That's what makes things worse. 384 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:20,280 That's the. Oppression, right? 385 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:24,080 The outside pressures. Not just the demonic oppression, 386 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:25,960 but the pressure of the situation. 387 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:30,280 The pressure of people's. Sinful decisions against you. 388 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:32,520 So, David? Was like, I know it's all my 389 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:33,480 fault. No, it's not all his. 390 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,120 Fault if he ever said that. Because the Amalekites. 391 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,320 Are the catalyst to all this. But David opened the door to his 392 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,480 sin. Through his backsliding, Through 393 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,480 his lack of. Faith for a moment. 394 00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:46,840 And it says he's greatly distressed the. 395 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,560 People going to sow him the soul of. 396 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,560 All the people were. Grieved every man for his sons 397 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:53,400 and. Daughters but. 398 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:55,680 And this happens to be a good one. 399 00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:59,160 David. Strengthened himself in the Lord 400 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,240 his God. And if you read the rest of the 401 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:02,840 chapter. That changed everything. 402 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,520 It did, and then he called for an ephod to find the will of 403 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,600 God, and he was saying, should we even go? 404 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,600 He didn't know what to do because his feelings were 405 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:17,440 overwhelmed. But you, even when we don't know 406 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,560 what to do, when there are no feelings, when we turn to the 407 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,240 Lord, He's ready to answer. I mean, you have 600 mighty men 408 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:27,840 ready, wanting to kill you. I mean, that's serious. 409 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,080 That's their families, I mean. It's it's. 410 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,360 Huge. Oh yeah, it is. 411 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,080 You know, Bob, the the things that we feel, whether it's 600 412 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:41,560 men or six men or one man, if the end result is the same 413 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:44,960 sometimes when I'm sharing my story because that has become a 414 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,840 big part of my ministry now. That's the very first book I 415 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,880 ever published was a book that after as the church. 416 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,440 Was going through the grieving process and and it was. 417 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,760 Really, really sad, I felt the Lord says Ed. 418 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:58,520 The church is really, really sad. 419 00:22:58,520 --> 00:22:59,960 You need to let them off the hook. 420 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,320 You need to let them and I'm like, what do you mean? 421 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,040 I'm processing that and the way I interpreted. 422 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,480 That is, is. It's almost like God was telling 423 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,520 me and the church, I'm going to help you turn a corner, but 424 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,000 you've got to be the one. You got to be. 425 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,040 The pastor and and what I did. Was put a series of studies 426 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:17,400 together. I didn't know how long it would 427 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,960 be, but I began to teach on different people in the Bible, 428 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:23,960 different situations where the. Where the where the Lord showed 429 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:26,120 up deep. You know whether it was 430 00:23:26,120 --> 00:23:30,640 barrenness or it and and it. Was what, whatever the topics 431 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,120 were, sorrow? Sadness this first same Samuel 432 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:36,840 chapter 30 was one of the. Chapters we looked. 433 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:38,680 At Hannah, we we looked at Rahab. 434 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,920 I think it was the book. God's help for the troubled 435 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,800 heart. And it's not a book on grief. 436 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,040 It's a book on God's faithfulness and victory through 437 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,080 life circumstances when our. Hearts are all troubled. 438 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,080 And beat up and discouraged and depressed. 439 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,440 And really the book could be summarized in this phrase. 440 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,920 But David strengthened himself in the Lord. 441 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:03,240 That's the key and we. Have to be careful. 442 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:06,800 Here and we're almost out of time, but it's worth like 443 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,800 strengthening yourself in the Lord, coming to church, praying, 444 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:13,560 seeking the Lord doesn't mean you won't feel sad. 445 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,000 It doesn't. We're so quick on. 446 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:21,400 If I. Do then this will, but that's 447 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,480 there's no guarantee this may be part of you. 448 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,600 Like to say after. 11 years. I'm not sad anymore. 449 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,200 That's just silly. Of course I am and I can be. 450 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,120 To the depth of. Sadness and sorrow, as much as I 451 00:24:32,120 --> 00:24:34,640 want to. If I want to go deep, it would 452 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,400 not take very long for me to assess all my circumstances and 453 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,440 go, oh man, my life is really messed up. 454 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:46,080 I got a lot to be sad. And it's true, but this habit, 455 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:50,720 this is a new habit, which includes worship, music 456 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:52,600 includes. A steady diet of. 457 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:55,680 Of of sermons it includes. A steady. 458 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:00,280 Seeking of the Lord. It includes a new strengthening 459 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:01,280 Lord. One of the ways that I 460 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,760 strengthen myself in the Lord is through prayer, journaling. 461 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:07,040 I've never done that before, but I'll get out my iPad and I've 462 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,880 got a file and I'm just writing out what's ever on my heart, 463 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,680 which whenever I pass away and somebody finds that journal, 464 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,920 they're going to go, Oh my gosh, Ed really was messed up and 465 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:19,840 hurt. Because I can't like. 466 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:21,840 Listen to him. I'm like I know, but it gets. 467 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:26,160 It gets it out so. That I can live the rest of the 468 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:29,760 day and gives me a chance. To express it. 469 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,640 Before the Lord. Pray for it, pray through it, so 470 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:35,640 that. He and you might have different 471 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:37,680 tools that you can accompany because. 472 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,160 It goes with Bible. Study and and there's a book 473 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,200 that I want to recommend that's very important. 474 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,160 It's the. Author is. 475 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,880 Ed Welch and the title of it is Depression. 476 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:53,600 It's the best biblical assessment of this topic, not 477 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:55,720 only of it. But how to get out of it that 478 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:59,880 I've ever read very, very good. It's called depression. 479 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,960 By Ed Welch if. Use is an area you wrestle with. 480 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,400 You can always e-mail me. I have a lot of. 481 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,080 Resources on discouragement, depression, and grief. 482 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:09,760 They all go. Together that I could. 483 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:12,200 Send to you if you e-mail me. But any final thoughts, Bob? 484 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:19,160 Yeah, I there are times when in me it feels like a big log jam 485 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,040 and I just can't seem to connect with the Lord. 486 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,000 And it's, it's at those times I've learned that I have to sit 487 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:31,360 down with a pen and A and several pieces of paper and 488 00:26:31,360 --> 00:26:36,080 begin to write out my prayer to the Lord and start off with, 489 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,960 with who he is, Start off with what he's done for me, start off 490 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,520 with those truths as foundational. 491 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:48,520 And then I just tell him exactly how I feel, who has offended me. 492 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:52,360 I don't hold back anything. I tell it like I feel it because 493 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:54,920 he already knows. But there's something about 494 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:59,400 writing it out. And then it's out there and you 495 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,040 look at it and you go, yeah, that's that's pretty much where 496 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,000 I'm at. And then that kind of download 497 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,680 just to me seems to like break up the logjam. 498 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,880 And the Holy Spirit starts speaking to me about him and me. 499 00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:17,520 And then I write that down as well. 500 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,800 And so I don't do that all the time, but there are those 501 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,160 seasons when I feel like everything's jammed up. 502 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:29,160 And to me, that's cleansing. Well, we've come to another end 503 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:32,520 of an episode. This could be multi, this could 504 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:33,800 be many. Days, right? 505 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:35,360 Because this is a big part of it. 506 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,880 But to summarize, I think acknowledging it, praying 507 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:44,320 through it, turning to the Lord, knowing that you're you're not 508 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,880 it's, it's not all you and it may be. 509 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:49,000 Tied. This is where. 510 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,800 This is where good. Fellowship. 511 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:55,880 Of the body helps where? Leaders in your life, you know 512 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,680 how we've. Talked before about you should 513 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:00,080 be. Appalled and be pouring into 514 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,240 timothy's but you all should be a Timothy with someone pouring 515 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:06,400 into you where you get the kind of help that you need from a. 516 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,000 Trusted pastor or elder? Or, friend, we can just. 517 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,600 Talk it out. With an open Bible, but 518 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:16,240 acknowledge it, confess it, come back to the Lord, strengthen 519 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:18,760 yourself. Or another translation says 520 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,800 encouraging. He encouraged himself in the 521 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,640 Lord, but can't it? It really is a. 522 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:26,680 Key you're you're not a bad Christian because. 523 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,920 You wrestle with it. It could be emotional, it could 524 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,280 be circumstantial, it could be medical, mental. 525 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,320 None of those really matter. It's just what you're feeling. 526 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:40,400 And with those feelings, you need to take them to the Lord. 527 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,040 And to think that maybe you'll never have sadness again, that's 528 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:47,040 probably not reality. I like to put things in these. 529 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,360 Categories, Bob, it's a possibility. 530 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,720 But it's not, it's probably not a probability. 531 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,440 And and we'll we'll. Pray about it, but like you. 532 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,200 You may be sad, you may continue to be sad, depending on what day 533 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,760 it is, but you're going to have to learn how to live and move 534 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,920 forward and trust in the Lord more and more. 535 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:04,880 And it's going to make you a better person. 536 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,400 We're going to talk in our next episode about challenges. 537 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,240 And these are all challenges, aren't they? 538 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:11,760 Like. It's let's build this whole. 539 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,640 Season is built upon itself and we're going to learn how to live 540 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,960 with challenges and what what? God is really doing. 541 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,920 In the challenges, in the storms of life. 542 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:24,560 How to to? Respond to that and and yet at 543 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,280 the same time, the sorrow and sadness just makes you feel like 544 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,480 you want to give up, you want to quit, you want to stay in bed, 545 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:31,880 want to put the. Covers over your. 546 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,920 Head, you don't want to go out, you don't want it, and that's 547 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:34,960 not God's will. For you. 548 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:38,800 God wants to heal you, strengthen you, bring you back 549 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,320 into fellowship with others, bring you back to a. 550 00:29:41,320 --> 00:29:44,560 Place of. Freedom from that, but and and 551 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,640 at the same time not creating a new identity. 552 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,480 You don't have a new identity. You're not. 553 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:56,440 Depressed Ed or sad Ed, you are just Ed with a walk. 554 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,560 With the Lord that's going through a season. 555 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:01,800 Of difficulty. And this season might last. 556 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:04,200 It will last till I meet. Jesus face to face. 557 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,320 It will no doubt, but even in the seasons we were explaining 558 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,160 to a young man who just moved here to. 559 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,400 Colorado, where the weather. Changes so quickly. 560 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:16,760 Here you can experience all Four Seasons in one day and life can 561 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:18,480 be like that, like things change so. 562 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,720 Quickly where? I might wake up discouraged, but 563 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:22,320 then the Lord encourages me and I got a great. 564 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,760 Day or I wake. Up really great and then I get 565 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,360 into my head and I I have a season a moment of 566 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,080 discouragement, but I'm living proof. 567 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,560 Pastor Bob is living proof and so many. 568 00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:34,840 Others are that you? Can. 569 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:38,480 Live with. Difficulties and you can live. 570 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,080 With. Discouragement and you can take 571 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,880 it to the. Lord Paul's like you shared, 572 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,680 I've got David, you got Paul, I've got Paul, you got. 573 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,880 David, Bob that. They they live with. 574 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,000 Difficulties and pressed on and move forward which. 575 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:52,680 Will be the topic. Of our next. 576 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,440 Episode so thanks. For being again, being here 577 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:56,360 again, Bob. Yep. 578 00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:58,320 Absolutely. You're listening to the lead. 579 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,240 To serve podcasts we're. Coming to a close. 580 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,400 Today, be sure to leave a review, it always helps. 581 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:05,600 Give us some feedback. You can e-mail us. 582 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:12,360 You can text us 72. 06/08. 0012 That's a texting number. 583 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:13,760 You can also leave a voicemail there. 584 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:15,880 It doesn't get answered very often, but the. 585 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:18,000 Texts do. And the voicemails do. 586 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:20,840 We'd love to hear from you. If you have ideas. 587 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,880 Maybe you need some help in discouragement. 588 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:27,320 We certainly, I would say at the very end. 589 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:31,240 If you are suicidal, if it's that bad, please. 590 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,760 Don't do it. Ask for help. 591 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:35,800 It's just that. Season where it's. 592 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:38,840 Deep, deep dark. Right now, but you will get out 593 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:40,880 of it. God is ready to encourage you 594 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:44,720 and ask for help. I know the Lord will. 595 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:46,520 Use it. And I know. 596 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,400 That God has help for you, Reach out. 597 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:54,880 You can always call 911 if it's an urgent, there's an urgency 598 00:31:54,880 --> 00:32:00,120 about it, but you can ask for a friend and again, the Lord. 599 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:02,200 Will get you through this. It's dark. 600 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,560 But the light is shining, the holy. 601 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,360 Spirit's with you. I know he can help you give us 602 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,920 some feedback. We'll be back next time on our 603 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,520 next topic. It's been a great season so far 604 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:15,000 and we're. So glad that you've stuck with 605 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,440 us, the Lord. Bless you, encourage you, and 606 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,200 strengthen you. Thank you for joining us for 607 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,440 this episode of Lead to Serve with Pastor Ed Taylor, a 608 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,640 leadership podcast from Calvary Church in Aurora, Co. 609 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:29,000 If you have a leadership question you want to hear 610 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,360 answered on a future Lead to Serve podcast, please e-mail it 611 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:35,000 to Pastor Ed at Calvary Co dot Church. 612 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,600 And if you like our podcast, please subscribe, rate or review 613 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:41,800 us on iTunes and share us with your friends on social media. 614 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:45,000 Thanks again for joining us, and we'll see you next time right 615 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,120 here on the Lead to Serve podcast.