But I'm Depressed // Pero Estoy Deprimido

Today we are in part four of this series that we've called Everything is Fine. But today I want to talk to you about something that is affecting so many people nowadays. And maybe today you would say, Everything is fine, but I'm depressed. First I want to start off by telling you I am not a doctor, I am not a counselor, I am a pastor, and I simply want you to get closer to God, because I believe with all of my heart that God can heal all things. But maybe for some of us, we may need to understand this condition a little better. So let me give you the definition of what depression is. It's a mood disorder characterized by extreme sadness, poor concentration, sleep problems, loss of appetite, and feelings of guilt, helplessness, and hopelessness. That is what depression is. So the things that used to bring you pleasure, they no longer give you pleasure. It seems like depression is one of the biggest health problems worldwide. Because look at these statistics. About 280 million people worldwide live with depression. 29% of people in America have been diagnosed with depression. 1.9 million children aged 3 to 17 have a diagnosis of depression. This is an enormous and common problem. The problem is that there is a certain stigma about this subject. You never think less of a person that tells you that they have a sore throat, or that they're taking medication because they have a stomach ache. But for some reason, people look down on those who struggle with depression. We need to eliminate this stigma in the name of Jesus. And for anyone who is struggling with this, I want you to know the following, and you can write this down. Your illness is not your identity. You may have difficulties with this, but it's not who you are. And I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with medication. There's nothing wrong with counseling.

So go to professional counseling if you need it. If you need medication, take it. But I do want to say this, that sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, what leads people to depression are certain things in life. For example, there's a clinical psychologist who wrote a book titled The Cure of Depression. And he said the following, look at what he said. We were never designed for the sedentary indoor, socially isolated, fast food laden, sleep deprived, frenzied pace of modern life. And that's the problem. Many of us live inactive, indoors, isolated, Eating only unhealthy foods. Sin dormir lo suficiente. Not sleeping enough. Pero si tratamos de hacer demasiado. But we try to do too much. Permitame darle algunas áreas que nos afectan. Allow me to give you some areas that affect us. Aquí está lo primero. Here's the first thing. Tenemos demasiadas redes sociales. We have too much social media. Estamos demasiado tiempo en eso. We are on this way too much. Y los niños pasan mucho tiempo con dispositivos digitales. And kids spend so much time on digital devices. Y estamos criando a toda una generación en las redes sociales. And we are raising an entire generation on social media.

Salió un artículo que hablaba. An article came out that talked about. De por qué los adolescentes tienen tantas dificultades para nombrar sus emociones. Why teenagers have such difficulty in naming their emotions. ¿Sabes por qué? Do you know why? Porque se han acostumbrado a usar memes para describir cómo se sienten. Because they've gotten used to using memes to describe how they feel. Pero nunca aprendieron el arte de nombrar la emoción. But they never learned the art of naming the emotion. Y esto nos lleva a la segunda cosa. And this takes us to the second thing. Somos incapaces de procesar el dolor. We are unable to process pain. Y la gente está procesando el dolor de una manera incorrecta. And people are processing pain the wrong way. Lo adormecen. They numb it. Intentan hacer cualquier cosa para tratar de escapar de su dolor. They try to do anything to try to escape their pain. Miran programas de televisión. They watch TV shows. Se mantienen ocupados. They stay busy. Comen y beben. They eat and drink. Pero no estamos procesando el dolor de una manera correcta. But we are not processing pain the right way. Y aquí está lo siguiente. And here's the following.

Estamos escuchando las voces equivocadas. We are listening to the wrong voices. La gente no escucha las voces de sabiduría. People don't listen to the voices of wisdom. Porque demasiadas personas están escuchando a otras personas Because so many people are listening to other people Que están exactamente en el mismo lugar donde ellos se encuentran That are exactly in the same place where they are. Yo no sé dónde estaría ahora si hubiera escuchado a mis amigos de 16 años cuando yo también tenía 16. I don't know where I would be if I would have listened to my 16-year-old friends when I was 16. Pero tenemos a una generación entera recibiendo consejos de sus compañeros. But we have an entire generation taking advice from their peers. Quiero animar a las personas mayores a entrar en la vida de los más jóvenes. I want to encourage the older people to enter into the lives of the younger people. Y animo a los jóvenes que se rodeen de esas voces mayores. And I encourage the younger people to surround themselves with older voices. Y también escribe esto. And write this down. Vivimos en una cultura egoísta. We live in a selfish culture. Estamos tan centrados en nosotros mismos. We are so focused on ourselves. Que estamos destruyendo nuestras mentes. That we are destroying our minds. ¿Y saben lo que pasa cuando las cosas se acumulan? And do you know what happens when things pile on? Algunas personas empiezan a pensar en quitarse la vida. Some people start thinking about taking their lives. Porque el suicidio es la causa principal de muerte. Because suicide is the main cause of death.

Entre niños de 15 y 24 años de edad. In young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years old. El suicidio se cobra un millón de vidas en el mundo al año. Suicide takes about a million lives worldwide a year. Y 40,000 de esas personas al año son de aquí de Estados Unidos. And 40,000 of those people are here in the United States. Entonces el suicidio es un intento permanente e irreversible. So suicide is a permanent and irreversible attempt. De resolver un problema temporal. To fix a temporary problem. Pero quiero que sepas, escríbenlo. But I want you to know this and you can write this down. No tienes que morir para poner un fin a tu dolor. You don't have to die to end your pain. Sabemos que es real. We know that it's real. Sabemos que es serio. We know that it's serious. Pero las olas de las emociones como llegan, así se van. But the waves of emotions, just as they come, they go. Eventualmente esas olas abandonarán la orilla. Those waves will eventually leave the shore. Y quiero mostrarte en este día tres personas, tres hombres de las escrituras. And today I want to show you three men in the scriptures. Que pasaron por momentos de depresión. That went through moments of depression. El primero era Jeremías, el profeta. The first one was Jeremiah, the prophet. Fue conocido como el profeta llorón. He was known as the weeping prophet.

And let's see what he said. Me he quitado la paz. Me ha quitado la paz. Ya no recuerdo lo que es la dicha. I have been deprived of peace. I have forgotten what prosperity is. Y digo, me he quedado sin fuerzas y sin esperanza. So I say, my splendor is gone, and all that I had hoped from the Lord. Recuerda que estoy afligido y ando errante, que estoy saturado de hiel y amargura. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. Recuerdo esto bien, y por eso me deprimo. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Eso era el profeta Jeremias. That was the prophet Jeremiah. ¿Pero sabes quién más estaba deprimido en el Nuevo Testamento? But do you know who else was depressed in the New Testament? El apóstol Paulo. The apostle Paul. Mire lo que él dijo. Look at what he said. Hermanos, no queremos que desconozcan las aflicciones que sufrimos en la provincia de Asia. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. Estábamos tan agobiados, bajo tanta presión, que hasta perdimos la esperanza de salir con vida. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Acabo de darle a un profeta de la Biblia. I just gave you a prophet from the Bible. Y un apóstol de la Biblia. And an apostle from the Bible. Ambos lucharon contra la depresión. They both struggled with depression.

Así que no estamos solos. So we are not alone. Pero aquí está el tercero. But here is the third. En la Biblia hay una historia muy famosa. In the Bible there's a very famous story. De un hombre llamado Elías. Of a man named Elijah. Que también luchó contra la depresión. Who also struggled with depression. Y su depresión llegó en un momento interesante. And his depression came at a very interesting time. Llegó después de tener una gran victoria. It came right after having a great victory. Él está frente a 450 profetas de un Dios falso llamado Baal. He is before 450 prophets of a false God named Baal. Y querían ver quién tenía al Dios único y verdadero. And they wanted to see who had the one true God. Y Elías les dice, bueno, ustedes clamen a su Dios. And Elijah says to them, well, you cry out to your God. Yo voy a clamar al mío. And I will cry out to mine. Y el Dios que responda, ese es Dios. And the God who answers, He is God. Los profetas de Baal hicieron algunos sacrificios. The prophets of Baal, they offered some sacrifices. Levantaron un altar y adoraron a su Dios. They built an altar and they worshipped their God. Pero nada pasó. But nothing happened.

Pero cuando fue el turno de Elías. But when it was Elijah's turn. La escritura dice que Elías oró. The scripture says that Elijah prayed. Y Dios envió fuego del cielo que consumió el sacrificio. And God sent fire down from heaven that consumed the sacrifice. Mire, eso fue una gran victoria. And that was a great victory. Pero justo después de ese momento. But right before that moment. Elías tuvo un momento muy bajo en su vida. But right after that moment, Elijah had a very low moment in his life. Porque el enemigo siempre irá tras ti. Because the enemy will always go after you. Inmediatamente después de que tengas una gran victoria. Immediately after you have a great victory. Entonces el rey Acap se enteró de lo que Elías había hecho. So King Ahab found out what Elijah had done. Y estaba muy enojado. And he was very angry. Le contó a su esposa. He told his wife. Tal vez recuerdas el nombre de ella. Maybe you remember her name. Se llamaba Jezebel. Her name was Jezebel. Y Jezebel le envió un mensaje a Elías. And Jezebel sends a message to Elijah. Y le hace saber que lo va a matar. And she lets him know that she is going to kill him.

Y mira a Elías. And look at Elijah. Después de tener una gran victoria. After he had a great victory. Que con sus ojos pudo ver fuego descender del cielo. With his own eyes he was able to see fire rain down from heaven. Mira lo que hace. Look at what he did. Elías se asustó y huyó para ponerse a salvo. Cuando llegó a Beersheba de Judá. Dejó allí a su criado. Y caminó todo un día por el desierto. Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there. While he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. Llegó donde había un arbusto de retama. Y se sentó a su sombra con ganas de morirse. He came to a broom bush. Sat down under it. And prayed that he might die. Estoy harto, señor, protestó. Quítame la vida. Pues no soy mejor que mis antepasados. I have had enough, Lord, he said. Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors. Y es aquí donde Elías cae en una profunda depresión. And this is where Elijah falls into a deep depression. Y quiere quitarse la vida.

And he wants to take his life. Y Elías termina en una cueva. And Elijah ends up in a cave. Porque es lo que hace la depresión. Because that is what depression does. Te lleva a una cueva de la que sientes que no hay salida. It leads you to a cave that you feel like there's no way out. Déjame darte cuatro cosas que creo que Elías hizo. Let me give you four things that I believe. Elijah did, and that we also do. Number one, we think the wrong way. That was the first thing that led him to depression. Elijah wasn't thinking right. And we spend so much energy and emotion thinking about only the wrong things. And the enemy will lie to you and he will say to you, you're not worthy. No one cares about you. You're simply invisible. I can tell you that the enemy is a liar and he is the father of all lies. And what he wants to do is for you to keep the wrong thoughts in your mind. And you can write this down. The way to keep a thought is by rehearsing it. And some of us are rehearsing the wrong thing. That is called ruminating. That is what the cow does with their food. Have any of you ever seen a cow eat? Listen, they chew the pasture. They swallow it. They regurgitate it.

They chew it again. And they swallow it again. They regurgitate it once again. They savor it again. And they swallow it again. Can we agree on this? That when you regurgitate those wrong thoughts, it doesn't get any better. The opposite of that, it gets worse. That is called ruminating. The thought of not being enough. The insecurity, the fears. The hopelessness. And the devil loves it when you do it. So the way that you keep a thought is by rehearsing it. Write this down. So the way you kick out a thought is by replacing it. Replace it with God's truth. It's hard to stop thinking about something. You should first replace it with something new to think about. This is why Paul said the following. We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Every thought doesn't automatically bow to Jesus. We need to take it captive to Jesus. Ask and say, God, is this from you? If it's not from you, then let me take it to you. And think about what your word says. And here's the second thing Elijah did that we do as well. Number two, we isolate ourselves.

Elijah isolated himself. I believe that many times we feel alone, but that's because we've distanced ourselves from the people that God has put in our lives. And if you don't feel alone relationally, then you will have felt alone in your thoughts. So the only person you're listening to is yourself. And let me tell you something. When you don't feel good, the last person that you should listen to is yourself. This is why we're always talking about being part of a small group and connecting with the right people. Because you need to be surrounded by other believers that you can trust in, where you can be honest about what's going on in your life. Someone else needs to know what you're struggling with so that you're not struggling alone with your thoughts. Look at what Solomon said. Look at what Solomon said. Alguien que está solo puede ser atacado y vencido. A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated. Pero si son dos, se ponen espalda con espalda y vencen. But two can stand back to back and conquer. Necesitas a alguien que te respalde. You need someone that will back you up. Porque solo tú puedes ver lo que está al frente de ti. Because you can only see what is in front of you. Necesitamos a alguien que nos respalde y nos ayude.

We need someone that will back us up and help us. En las áreas que no podemos ver, en esos puntos ciegos de nuestra vida. In the areas that we can't see, in those blind spots in our lives. Y cuando alguien me respalda. And when someone backs me up. Entonces puedo conquistar las emociones y los pensamientos negativos. Then I can conquer the emotions and the negative thoughts. Pero sigue diciendo el verso. But the verse continues to say. Mejor todavía si son tres. Porque una cuerda triple no se corta fácilmente. Three are even better for a triple braided cord is not easily broken. Aquí está el siguiente error que Elias cometió. Here's the second mistake that Elijah made. Que nosotros lo hacemos también todo el tiempo. That we do all the time. Número tres. Número tres. Nos dejamos guiar por nuestros sentimientos. We are led by our feelings. Y tus sentimientos te mentirán. And your feelings will lie to you. Porque las emociones como llegan, así se van a ir. Because emotions, just as they come, they will go. Por tanto, no construimos nuestra vida sobre los sentimientos. Therefore, we do not build our lives upon our feelings. Sino sobre la verdad de Dios. But upon God's truth. Por eso Jesús dijo esto. This is why Jesus said this.

Y conocerán la verdad y la verdad los hará libres. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Pero para construir sobre la verdad de Dios. But in order to build upon God's truth. Necesitamos tenerla en nuestro corazón. We need to have it in our hearts. Por eso es necesario dedicar algunos minutos diarios a la palabra de Dios. This is why it's necessary to dedicate some time daily to the word of God. Deja que la palabra llegue a tu vida y a tu corazón. Let the word of God come into your life and your hearts. Y aquí está la cuarta cosa. And here's the fourth thing. Número cuatro. Nos comparamos. We compare. Y Elías dice. And Elijah says. No soy mejor que mis antepasados. I know better than my ancestors. Pero ¿por qué estás hablando de tus antepasados? So why are you talking about your ancestors? Nadie siquiera está hablando de ellos. No one is even talking about them. Pero Elías está comparando. But Elijah is comparing. Y ahora es mucho más fácil comparar. And now it's much easier to compare. Debido a las redes sociales. Because of social media. Nadie, nadie, nadie publica una foto de su cocina toda desordenada.

No one is going to post a picture of their messy kitchen. Cuando es un desorden la cocina, luego toma una foto y la publica en las redes sociales. Your kitchen being messy, they take a picture and then post it. Nadie hace eso. No one is going to do this. Publican remodelaciones de la cocina. They post kitchen remodels. Que son muy caras y dices, yo no me puedo dar ese lujo. That are so expensive and you say, oh, I can't give myself that luxury. No compares tus momentos bajos. Don't compare your low moments. Con momentos de victoria de otra persona. With someone else's victory moments. Elías está en un momento bajo. Elijah is in a low moment. Pero luego hace algo muy espiritual. But then he does something very spiritual. Mira lo que hace. Look at what he does. Luego se acostó debajo del arbusto y se quedó dormido. Then he laid down under the bush and fell asleep. Se tomó una siesta. He took a nap. Y sigue diciendo el verso. And the verse continues to say. De repente un ángel lo tocó y le dijo, levántate y come. All at once an angel touched him and said, get up and eat. Elías miró a su alrededor y vio a su cabecera un panecillo cocido sobre brasas y un jarro de agua. He looked around and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. Comió, bebió y volvió a acostarse.

He ate and drank and then laid down again. Los invito que hagamos este versículo nuestro en este día. I invite you to let's make this verse ours today. Porque este es mi versículo para este día. Because this is my verse for today. Me voy a ir de aquí a casa. I'm going to leave here. I'm going to go home. Me tomaré una siesta. I'm going to take a nap. Luego me levantaré y comeré. Then I'm going to get up and eat. Y me volveré a dormir. And then I'll go back to sleep. ¿Cuánto dicen amen a esto? How many of you say amen to this? Pero sigue diciendo el verso. Mira lo que sigue diciendo. But look at what the verse continues to say. El ángel del Señor regresó y tocándolo le dijo, levántate y come. Porque te espera un largo viaje. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, get up and eat for the journey is too much for you. Elías se levantó, comió y bebió. Una vez fortalecido por aquella comida. So he got up and ate and drank, strengthened. by that food. He traveled 40 days and 40 nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. And in that place God spoke to him. And he is able to come out of his depression. Let me show you what he did. And what we can also do to come out of this. Number one, get healthy physically.

He had to sleep, he had to eat, because his physical health mattered a lot. This is more spiritual than what you think. So in the name of Jesus, go to the gym. Exercise some. Go out for a run or for a walk. Eat healthy food. Take your vitamins and sleep better. Because look at what Psalm says. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat. For God grants sleep to those he loves. And some of you haven't slept well for a long time. So I pray in the name of Jesus, so that tonight you have the best sleep that you've had in a long time. May God grant you sleep. So Elijah goes to this cave and he started talking with God. Here's the second thing, number two. I will pour my heart out to God. And do you know why? Because God can handle your mess. God can handle your fears. God can handle your thoughts. But you need to go and pour your heart out to God. This is what Jesus said. Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. And you will find rest for your souls. And some of us need to do that today. And here's the following, number three. Experience the power and presence of God. Listen, our team works hard here every Sunday, to create an environment where there are no distractions, so that you can experience the power and presence of God. And the best way to do it on your own, is to create an environment where you can experience God. You need to make time for this. You can write this down. In order to hear God's voice, you need to turn off the world's volume. You don't have to do what I do. But I have a place in my house, where every day I go there, I put on worship music. I kneel down and I begin to pray. When I get tired of kneeling down, I sit down. When I get tired of sitting down, I stand up. There I read the scriptures and I meditate on the word. Now look at what the psalm says. Be still and know that I am God. As if to say, you will not know that He is God, until you are still. And here is the last thing, number four. Let God give me a new purpose and a new direction for my life. I don't know anything else that gives more meaning to life, than when God says, I have something for you.

When you take your eyes off yourself and you think, my life doesn't exist for me, it exists for others. I'm here to serve. I'm here to do what God has called me to do. I'm here to make a difference. And that's what happened to Elijah. In the middle of his depression, God spoke to him in a powerful way. And he gave him a task. Elijah got up, he moved, and he kept going forward. I want to share with you that in 2013, I got sick from my throat and I went to my primary doctor. And he said, you have to go to a specialist for this. When the specialist examined me, he assured me that it looked to be bad news. After several specialists scanned my throat, in a process of about a month, the thoughts began to bombard my mind. And it was the beginning of a great struggle with my thoughts. And that led me to a deep depression. I didn't know what a depression was until I experienced it at that time. I never thought about taking my life. I simply felt this shadow of death over me. And I would think, what's going to happen with my children, with my wife, with the church? I hated what I was feeling. My life lost its color. Because all I could see was just gray. And I couldn't come out of it. I began to lose my appetite.

I began to lose sleep. I began to lose a lot of weight. But I knew that that was a struggle that I needed to fight on my own. To come out of it. My wife would pray for me. My kids would look for me and they would pray for me. I would call my pastor friends to pray for me over the phone. I felt desperate. I felt like I was falling in a dark hole each day. But one day, I was in a service. No one prayed for me. No one preached a message. I simply heard for the first time the song Anchor. And those lyrics, they began to reach the deepest part of my heart. Jesus, your name is higher. Your name is greater. All my hope is in you. Your word unfailing. Your promise unshaken. All my hope is in you. In that moment, I felt like something fell upon me. It was as if God was bringing color back into my life. It was something so special. God gave me vision. He filled me with passion and purpose.

Have I had difficult moments since then? Of course I have. But when I look back, that moment fills me with passion. It fills me with joy. It fills me with direction. I don't know if you're struggling with depression. But I want you to know Jesus, your name is higher. Your name is greater. All my hope is in you. Your word unfailing. Your promise unshaken. All my hope is in you. Because God wants to give color to your life today. He wants to bring purpose to your life. He wants to bring light in that dark moment that you find yourself in. Close your eyes and bow your heads please. Thank you so much for watching the message. Subscribe to this channel so you won't miss a video and share it with a friend. Also, we want to encourage you to partner with us through your giving. We can take this message further and faster and make a difference in the lives of so many people. You can give using the link below or by visiting our website at myvisionchurch.org. We love you so much and we're looking forward to seeing you back here next time. you