Darkness can seep into the most joyful moments. Moms who are suffering with postpartum depression know what it's like to live a sleepless life with the lights out. Whether you aren’t sure you’re suffering from PPD or know for a fact it’s attempting to disrupt your life, realize that there are many others wide awake with the same crippling fear.
Prayerfully surrender to Him, and bravely step out of the darkness and back into the light. Reach for the hand of the One who can save. He doesn’t shame, but He does miraculously heal… sometimes, through doctors and medicine. “Pray about everything,” (Philippians 4:6) and as we obediently follow Him, He will shine light on our lives once again.
Father, Praise You for motherhood, even amidst the physical trials and emotional pain. Even in our weakness, Your loyal love (Nehemiah 1:5) holds us up. You are strong, and Your strength holds us together when we are falling apart.
“My God, my soul is so traumatized; the only help is remembering You wherever I may be.” (Psalm 42:6) You are powerful enough to lurch us forward, up and out of the dark pit we’re drowning in. What feels like suffocating waves can bring forth a powerful witness.
Praise Your ferocity in our defense. In our downward spiral, Jesus stands firm. Waiting and protecting so that we won’t be snatched for good. Filling hearts with hope as sorrow pours out uncontrollably. Strengthening us when we cannot bear to walk out of our rooms and into the day where we belong. Restoring joy to happiness lost. Because of Your Love, we can look forward to peace.
Thank You for the healing power You display through doctors and medicine. We gratefully look to God-led hands for help and respite from despair. We are reminded that human hands can be the extended limbs of Jesus’ grace, when we experience the relief of Your love through them.
“Yet in the light of day, the Eternal shows me His love. When night settles in and all is dark, He keeps me company—His soothing song, a prayerful melody to the True God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8) Thank You for friends and family who cover us in prayer and lift us up to You for help. For all of the people You have placed around us, wrapping us in love out of genuine concern. Through them we feel Jesus’ embrace, and know that through the pain we will endure.
When he saw Jerusalem’s wall reduced to a pile of rubble and the people in disarray, Nehemiah said, “Hearing this, I was overwhelmed with grief and could only sit and weep. For days I mourned this news and sought the audience of the True God of heaven, praying and fasting before Him.” (Nehemiah 1:4) So often in life we are stunned to the core, and too sick to function. Forgive us for falling further into the darkness instead of reaching for the light.
When the light is so dim that we can barely see the hands in front of our faces… in those moments we confess that we may not trust You enough to obey the small steps of humility we need to overcome the darkness weighing us down. In those moments, send Your Holy Spirit to strengthen us and to translate our prayers to Your ears.
Bless and heal the dark and broken places of our lives with the light of Your Love. Break our hearts open so that all of the brokenness harbored inside shatters on the ground. Mold our hearts to be like that of the One who gave His life for us. Give us hearts like Him. Through Your Holy Spirit, give us the right words to pray and the ability to listen to where You are leading us.
Grow our faith to trust Your direction, and help us follow You out of this dark hole of depression. Make our faith strong enough to carry us out alive. Fortify us with courage and bravery as we seek medical guidance at a time when everything seems frightening. Grant us humility to let Jesus lead… even carry us out.
When the thought of everyday life is too overwhelming to bear, like Nehemiah, we pray: “I am asking for success today, God…” (Nehemiah 1:11b) We ask because we know You can, day by day, rescue us from ourselves and from this sickness. Though “Right now I’m overwhelmed by my sorrow and pain” (Psalm 42:3 ), I put my faith in the One who made me, knows me, loves me, and calls me His. Remind us frequently to pray about everything. Feelings, doctors, shame, medicine, guilt, remorse… all of it. Help us lift that heaviness up to Your capable hands.
“Stand and watch, but do not fight the battle. There, you will watch the Eternal save you… Do not fear or worry… trust that the Eternal is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:17)
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Meg Bucher (Megs) writes about everyday life within the love of Christ on her blog, http:// sunnyand80.org. When she’s not writing, this stay-at-home mom loves to read and hang out with her husband, two daughters, and doodle doggy in their small little lake town. A substitute teacher and children’s worship leader, Megs has a heart for kids, family, friendship...and calling to encourage others.
Publication date: March 20, 2017