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WisconsinChristianNews.com
Volume 25, Issue 7
Depressed People Of the Bible
Magnanimity Over Enemies – David
By Jeff Zaremsky November/December 2024
Simply by confessing those desires, inclina- tions, habits, and sins. We turn them over to God with confession. God transfers them to His Son who puts them into Himself and killed them when He died. He took the punishment we deserve by taking the sins we have, and He gives us the righteousness He has. God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). You are “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is better than putting garbage in your garbage can and the sanitation department taking it and giving you gold in its place. While God can immediately give us forgive- ness toward someone who hurt us, we must be careful not to extend trust until a new heart and new life is seen lived out consistently for a long period of time. For major offenses, we might want to wait to extend trust until we see consistent changes in their lives. It might be safe to wait at least a year or so. With some of- fenses, we might want to wait to see a consis- tent change lived out longer; for other offenses we must never extend trust. Forgiveness, yes, unconditionally and always — but trust is conditional. Forgiveness releases us of the anger, but it does not necessarily release them of the consequences. While living in a cave, hunted by Saul, David wrote Psalm 57: “Be merciful to me, O God…! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down; they have dug a pit before me; into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is stead- fast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the peo- ples; I will sing to You among the nations. For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth.” David praised God while being hunted and hiding in a cave. Depression can feel like being alone in a cave, but when we invite God into that cave, it becomes illuminated and we can see the path out to the light. Learn more about David, and other depressed people of the Bible, in the book “Depressed People of the Bible,” available where most books are sold. Author’s Disclaimer: The information I will be sharing is not intended for diagnosis or treat- ment of depression. It is a biblical reflection on people throughout the Scriptures who dealt with depression and how God carried them through it to healing and purpose.
We see the magnanimity of David when King Saul was chasing David with 3,000 men. David was hiding in a cave. Saul decided to take a nap, and out of all the caves in that area, he “happened” to end up in David’s cave. David’s men suggested this was of the Lord and that David should kill Saul. David re- fused, stating that it was not for him to take the life of the Lord’s anointed. David creeped up and cut the corner of Saul’s garment. When Saul awoke and left the cave, David shouted out to him, showing him the evidence of Saul’s vulnerability and demonstrating that he had no animosity toward him. Saul re-
lented for a time from stalking David. He in- vited David to come back with him, but David did not.
David forgave, without retaliating, even though he had the opportu- nity to, and would have been con- sidered justified in doing so. Yet he did not foolishly go back with the king. Forgiveness does not forget. It is not stupid or codependent. It does not excuse or wipe away wrongs. It faces them for what they are, but at the same time, chooses not to hold on to anger and re- venge. Forgiveness seeks justice, yes. But revenge, never. Too often, people have gone back into abusive situations, being self- deceived that they are being forgiv- ing. That is not forgiveness in the biblical sense of the word. Forgive- ness forgives, but it does not nec- essarily open itself up to be hurt again. Even with God’s forgiveness to- ward us, a price has to be paid, both the Messiah’s death as our substitute, and our death to self as well. As Moses wrote, “The Lord your God will circumcise your heart.” (Deuteronomy 30:6). Similarly Ezekiel wrote: “Repent, and turn from all your transgres- sions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit…. I will
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give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 18:30- 31; 36:26-28). In order for us to re- ceive forgiveness from God, we have to “pay” for it with our old heart, our carnal de- sires, our inclinations to do wrong, our bad habits. How do we make that payment?
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