Good Morning Church — Are you depressed?

I caught myself asking my son that question last week — and as soon as the words came out of my mouth I thought “Well of course he is!”
All he does is work and study!
That is the season of his life right now — we’ve all been there and will be again.
Some seasons of life are tougher than others, and it should come as no surprise.
We were warned.

Yet far too often when we hit those valleys, and things get tough, we allow those moments to consume us, and eventually define us.
We let the suggestion of being depressed, turn into depression. Anxious thoughts become anxiety, and loneliness takes us to places we never thought we’d go.

As I began to work on my thoughts for today, I forgot for a moment the significance of this week.
I never forget the anniversary, but time seems to go by so quickly theses days, important dates can sometimes sneak up on me.
I thought of completely changing topics and writing my thoughts from that day, but they are no different from all of the others that remember it so clearly. Then it occurred to me that 9–11 is a perfect example of what GOD said when HE warned us life would be tough.
And it’s a perfect illustration of how HE does, and does not want us to deal with the trials of life.
To not allow those moments to define us but refine us.
And for a time America did just that.

We were refined literally through the fire — and we were better for a time.
But it wasn’t long before we began to listen to the voices that made us feel worthless and depressed, as if we had nothing left to look forward to.
And here we are 17 years later, and it seems what we learned about ourselves in the days after 9–11, has been completely forgotten.
But we will make it.
We will be fine.
If we don’t give up.
That’s the catch, not giving up, on our country, or ourselves.

There was a trend that made the rounds a few years ago.

A little tattoo of a semicolon.
A symbol that says I am not finished yet — that there is so much more to do; sometimes we just need to catch our breathe and pause for a moment.
I love the concept, I love that a trend with such a great message, gained popularity for a time, but I wonder how long it will take for the trendsetters to realize that the idea to pause and reflect, rest and recover, is nothing new. It’s been at our fingertips all along.
GOD has been doing it since time began.
We see it illustrated in prayer, fasting and worship.
GOD gives us all we need through HIS SON and the promise that no matter how dark the valley becomes — we are not finished yet — there is so much more.
So Church, on this day of worship and during this week of remembrance; skip the trends and trendsetters, go straight to the trailblazer, and when you pause;

Pause at the CROSS;
God Bless
LaVern Vivio
September 9, 2019
