SERMON NOTES

PSALM 42 (NIV)
(1) As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (2) My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (3) My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (4) These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. (5) Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (6) My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (7) Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. (8) By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. (9) I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” (10) My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (11) Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

1. YOU ARE NOT ALONE
2. GET CURIOUS
3. 1. • “I sometimes think that the whole art of the Christian life is the art of asking questions.” ― D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
4. RELOCATE HOPE
5. • “The first and most basic thing we can and must do is to keep God before our minds… This is the fundamental secret of caring for our souls. Our part in this practicing the presence of God is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to Him. In the early time of our ‘practicing’ we may well be challenged by our burdensome habits of dwelling on things less than God. But these are habits – not the law of gravity – and can be broken… A new, grace-filled habit will replace the former ones as we take intentional steps toward keeping God before us. Soon our minds will return to God as the needle of a compass constantly returns to the north. If God is the great longing of our souls, He will become the pole star of our inward beings.”  ― Dallas Willard 
   • Psalm 16:8-9 (NIV)
   • Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

1. What has made you feel most alone during times of deep sadness? How did you realize you weren't?
2. What are some barriers (internal or external) that keep people from getting curious or seeking help when they're struggling with depression?
3. What's one practical step you could take this week to "relocate hope" for your own mental health or support someone you love who's struggling with depression?

SERMON AUDIO