Recently, in our house church meetings, we have been discussing what God’s will is for us. There are a number of things that we could say on this subject, yet one thing God wants you to know is that He desires you, wanted you, and values you. Before I get into this, first let me say that I don’t want to create any cheap myth that just believing one thing, even when it comes from God’s very will, will solve depression or suicidal tendencies. This surely is not the case as the professional health-fields devoted to treating these issues show. God might be able to do a miraculous fix in independent cases: granted. Much of life, infected by sin, disbelief, and hostile spiritual powers, does not play-out in unending miracles; we indeed should pray for them while availing ourselves to the other sources God has lovingly provided in health, prolonging life, and mental wholeness practices.

What we do know about ourselves as humans is that our overall health owes to a myriad of reasons, influences, and practices. Correct belief, and trust in that belief, is one reason or influence that God has given of which we must integrate into our daily thinking habits. With these things said, let’s look at my translation of Revelation 4:11.

“Worthy you are our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power because You Yourself created all things and because of Your will they exist and were created.”

If your in a bad bout with depression or fighting suicidal thoughts, Rev. 4:11 is a rescue rope. First, notice the “You Yourself created . . . .” This, seen clearly in the Greek, emphasizes God involvement in the creation process. It is not that God was hesitant or had to create you as though He were motivated by something other than Himself. No, indeed, the “You Yourself” shows us that not only was He involved in creating you, but He was heavily invested in creating you. Let your heart and mind drink deeply from this truth, and believe it, and go on believing it. Your worth is deeply important to God, enough for Him to be involved in a particularly attentive way in creating you. Second, God’s will is sometimes understand in a distant or unaffectionate way; the Greek term, thelēma, however, shows great affection, and can be translated as “want” or “desire” to illustrate this warmth. God desires that you “exist” and “were created.” In the instant you became alive, God’s desire was for you. You were “born” from God’s desire. The horrors we see and experience in this world as a result of man’s malice against man and demons’ malice against both man and Creator has infected all things with corruption, but God the Redeemer and Physician desired you be created. We must battle in this war torn world, both spiritually and physically, but the rescue rope of God’s desire for you sings and dances over you (Zeph. 3:17) a never-ending melody of God’s affectionate want to create you and His current desire He has in you because He wills that you exist. With God, good desire precedes our life, is in our life, and is with us after this life. God desires you live, so turn to this rescue rope and live. There is much more work to do towards holistic mental health thereafter, but God is the Rescuer, whose ability never falters.

Dr. Scalise