Thursday, January 7, 2010

Relax

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

Here's an important suggestion for dealing with depression: Learn to relax.
"Relaxation is the antidote for so many things, particularly stress," says Dr. Archibald Hart. "Depression is very, very stressful. Recent research has shown that 50 percent of people who are depressed have enlarged adrenal glands, which means that their bodies are responding with a lot of adrenalin as if it were a real emergency. Relaxation can help to lower that stress. If your stress level is lower, you can cope better. If you can cope better, you can handle your depressions better and get over them sooner and bring the healing that God has in mind for you."

Here are some steps to help you relax:

* Approach God first.
* Breathe deeply—in through your nose and out through your mouth.
* Read the Bible out loud, slowly. Focus only on the words you are saying.
* Go back and read the same passage again.
* Imagine your burdens are actual weights on the surface of your body. Gently shake them off.
* Pray that God's Spirit will fill you and surround you with peace and strength.

"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deuteronomy 33:27).

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