21 Days To Beat DepressionSample

When Esther was taken to prison, she looked into her mother’s face and said,
“I’m going to enter the advanced course in the college of faith. Christ Himself is the Principal. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“You must follow Him completely,” Esther’s mother responded, “You must lose your life so that Jesus may live within you. That will mean death to yourself every day, every hour, and every minute.”

Esther’s prison journal records: “It was a joyous blessing to have been born in such a place and for such a time. It was because of persecution that I was able to experience God’s presence where there is fullness of joy!”

Esther shared a prison cell with women who spent their hours praying, singing and quoting the Bible. A deranged woman lived in a neighboring cell. She screamed profanities while the Christians prayed and sang. One day, Esther asked the prison guards if they would bring the mad woman to her cell.

Esther gently ministered to this tortured soul while speaking words of endearment. When the fog of mental illness lifted, Esther led her to Jesus.

Most of us ignore the difficult people in our lives. If I am to be an example of God’s love, I must gently minister to these broken people and demonstrate unconditional love.

Esther lost her sight while in prison; her toes and fingers suffered frost-bite, but she walked out of prison in 1945 singing, “All hail the power of Jesus’ Name, let angels prostrate fall! Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of All!”

Difficult people may be your greatest gift in attaining the character of Christ.

Practical Application:

1 - Pray for and bless a difficult person today.

2 - Record three things in your “Thanksgiving” journal. Share #beatdepression!

Declaration:

I will not allow difficult people to steal my joy but I will demonstrate the love of the Lord.

Prayer:

“Jesus, thank You for the people you have placed in my life. I pray that I will show Your love to them. Amen."