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6.29.2015

A Bible Verse For Depression:


"Aeneas, Peter said to him, Jesus Christ makes you well, get up and make your bed."
-Acts 9:32
This verse from the Bible,  is becoming a favorite of mine.
It is a very simple yet powerful one that helps me through my sporadic depressive episodes.
Last weekend I had a mild case of it but I somehow prayed and faked my way through it enough to enjoy the weekend with my family and some friends.

I was recently contemplating this particular verse and the verses after it.
Did you know that in the aftermath of Jesus' death and resurrection, that Peter was not only able to heal people in Jesus' name but also raise someone from the dead? (See Acts 9:32-42)
I did not know this.
The only dead raising story I knew of was about Jesus raising Lazarus.

But how did Peter get to have Jesus' power?
I re-read the gospels and stumbled upon an epiphany of sorts.
Jesus predicted that Peter would deny knowing him three times before the cock crows.
Then, as all gospels state, Peter did deny Jesus on three separate occasions.
One might think that Jesus would have been justified in begrudging Peter any power.
But clearly Jesus is forgiving and does not hold a grudge. 

Here in lies the interesting thing: On all three separate denials, the only common person present was Peter.
Meaning, the only reason that Matthew, Mark, Luke or John could even write about Peter's betrayal was by Peter's own admission. <----This is huge!

What does this all mean to me?

It means that our human-ness should not ever deter us from feeling the healing power of God.
But first, we should come clean. (Read James 5:16)
God is a forgiving God.
When we are honest and humble about our weaknesses and our faults we experience the grace and power to get up and make our beds, help not only ourselves but others as well.
I know this.