Joel M Bradshaw

11I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.–Psalm 119

I counsel my friends journeying with depression to maintain a quiver of arrows ready to draw upon and fire. Each of those arrows is a powerful piece of self-talk based upon Biblical truth. And the best arrows are verses from the Bible!

Depression is maintained by the story that you tell yourself most. So I invite you to regularly remind yourself powerful, encouraging truths from the Bible.

I know in my own journey with depression, my stories fed my addictions. I told myself a story about how difficult my life was and that story led to me justifying sinful choices. I stored within myself excuses and rationalizations for my habitual sin. I would imagine your journey with a sin struggle is not too much different.

The one wanting to lust stores fantasies within. The one wanting to be angry stores interactions and moments. The one wanting to gossip stores information and envy. The list goes on and on. The Hebrew in this verse for ‘store’ also could mean ‘hide’ or ‘save’ or ‘treasure’. So what you treasure within yourself says a lot about your journey.

My lovely wife sings this verse to our children regularly. It is a memory I cherish. What are you hiding in your heart to draw upon at a moment’s notice? In your struggle with sin are you arming yourself with the only weapons that actually do damage? What story do you maintain about your life and does that story influence you to follow Jesus or to follow your selfish heart? I have to daily take this matter seriously.–JMB