Best Of: Battling Discouragement And Depression With . . .

Does Scripture memory sound like "just another thing to do" on an already overwhelming to-do list? What if you learned it was one of the greatest weapons you have to battle discouragement and depression in your life? Would that interest you a bit more?  remember

I find it intriguing that when Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth (co-author of Lies Young Women Believe) comes across someone who is feeling discouraged or depressed—including me—she often asks them two questions: "Are you singing to the Lord?" and "Are you memorizing Scripture?"

In her words:

These two exercises are not some magical formula to make all your problems go away, but they do have incredible power to change your perspective and attitude toward the issues you are facing.

That said, I'm excited to invite you to memorize some Scripture with us this month! We're memorizing Psalm 139:13–16.

I admit, I've gotten a head start, and these verses have been a lifeline the past month or so.

  • When I'm feeling frustrated by my intense personality and crazy emotions, I remind myself that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (v. 14).
  • And when I'm worrying about what the future holds, I remember that "in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them" (v. 16).

And that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Don't take my word for it, though—open the Word and personalize these truths for yourself. They will offer hope and help to you over and over again! Promise.

So are you in? If so, would you leave a comment below? It doesn't need to be long—you can just say, "I'm in!"

PS: As a recovering perfectionist, I feel the need to state the obvious. Any bit of memorizing—or even just reading—is better than none at all. If you memorize just one verse this month, you're not a failure! Instead, you have one more verse in your weaponry as you battle stray emotions and discouraging circumstances. (Whew, glad we got that cleared up!)

About the Author

Paula Marsteller

Paula Marsteller is a gifted communicator with a tenacious commitment to Scripture coupled with a compassionate, loving voice. God has captured Paula’s heart, and she is passionate about sharing life-changing, gospel truths through the lens of her everyday, ordinary life as a wife, mom, neighbor, and church member. She served with Revive Our Hearts for fifteen years and wrote Confessions of a Boy-Crazy Girl: On Her Journey from Neediness to Freedom; catch her writing on PaulaWrites.com.