I Told Myself I Would Never Become Depressed | Hope Works at Home
Challenging experiences in life changed how Julie saw the world as either black or white, good or bad. She now views others in high-definition color, more as Jesus does, with possibilities for infinite potential.
Growing up, Julie says her view of life was simply a matter of doing good to feel good, that if you are good, good things will happen to you.
All this changed when she suffered a panic attack and came to realize that no longer could she merely force herself to be happy. Despite her happy disposition, she couldn’t run away from the darkness of depression. “Seeing life as black and white failed me,” she said.
After years of visiting doctors and therapists, taking medication, and lots of prayer and patience, she started to see life differently. She came to relish the Lord’s promise that those who keep their eye on Christ will be filled with His light.
“Christ healed me,” she said. “His light and love have transformed me. From a girl who struggled to love herself, I’ve come to love others.”
She may need therapy and medication the rest of her life, she says, but the life she once thought was ruined, meaningless, and worthless is now filled with meaning and joy.
How we see others is like the evolution of television, she says. When television was introduced in 1927, it was black and white and fuzzy. But no one cared. It offered something previously unknown. But in 1954, when the Rose Bowl aired in color, perceptions were challenged, she says. There was a new way to see life.
“What if our perspectives were challenged and we saw people differently—in color?” she asks. It’s easy to be critical when far away and distant, she continues. But up close and familiar, we feel comfortable and make connections.
But televisions continued to improve, she says, and in 1994 the world was again blown away by the clarity, color, and lifelike images of high-definition television.
“What if we were to see others in the high-definition of their unique gifts and life experiences and how they can benefit the world?” she asks.
Despite our frailties, “Christ sees us in the high-definition color of our potential,” she says. “We can see our lives and the lives of everyone around us in high-definition thinking.”
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