This is the freeing truth you can learn through your depression: You weren't created to love and worship anything more than you love and worship God; and when you do, you'll feel bad. God has made you to feel pain when you've got other treasures that you've placed above Him. He wants you to treasure Him.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

Categorized in : Depression Pain Treasure

We need days of failure because they help humble us, and through them we can see how God's grace is poured out on the humble.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

grace humble needs

Every way that we try to make our kids good that isn’t rooted in the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is a damnable, crushing, despair-breedin g, Pharisee-produc ing law.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

crush kids jesus

If in God's loving plan you have to bow before what appears to be a frowning providence, you can be sure that He's got your ultimate happiness at heart. He's working to free you from your worries, not by giving freedom from trouble, but by arranging circumstances so that as you go through them you'll experience the truth that He is everything He says He is

Elyse Fitzpatrick

worry heart giving

Maturity in the Christian life is measured by only one test: how much closer to his character have we become?

Elyse Fitzpatrick

maturity christian character

I wish I hated my own sin as much as I hate everyone else's.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

sin hate wish

Idols aren't stone statues. They are thoughts, desires, and longings that we worship in the place of the true God

Elyse Fitzpatrick

idols stones desire

The depressed don't simply need to feel better. They need a Redeemer who says, "Take heart, my son, my daughter; what you really need has been supplied. Life no longer need be about your goodness, success, righteousness, or failure. I've given you something infinitely more valuable than good feelings: your sins are forgiven."

Elyse Fitzpatrick

daughter heart depression

Unless we're very intentional about meditating on these truths [that show God's love], they slip from our thoughts like misty dreams that evaporate in the morning light. That's why Luther said we must take heed then, to embrace...the love and kindness of God...[and to] daily excercise [our] faith therein, entertain no doubt of God's love and kindness.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

dream kindness morning

The curse of death for disobedience has been silenced because, for believers, there is no longer any Law we have to obey to merit life. The Law has been silenced, but it can only be silenced when it is has been perfectly fulfilled—when it has been completed. And that’s just what Jesus did.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

merit law jesus

The gospel frees us from demanding our own way, because nothing we desire to obtain is worth sinning against such love and kindness.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

kindness desire way

Conviction of sin draws me away from myself and toward GodSelf-condemnation, on the other hand, draws me down into myself and away from God.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

conviction sin hands

God created us to be worshipers because it is right that he be known, loved and worshiped. This isn't because he is needy and wishes someone would tell him how special he is. No, it's because he is perfect and the worship of his perfection is holiness in action.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

special wish perfect

God loves us so much that he crushed his Son so that we might be his and that this love isn't based on our worthiness or performance. His love doesn't fluctuate from day-to-day. It was settled the moment he set it upon you before the foundation of the world.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

foundation love-is son

In your pursuit of godliness, have you left Jesus behind?

Elyse Fitzpatrick

pursuit behinds jesus

We forget the gospel when we neglect our adoption and think that we're still just a hired servant. The Father doesn't let us come to him on those terms. We will either come as sons or we will stay with the pigs. He won't let us earn anything from him because there will be no boasting in his sight. It will either be that Jesus and his glorious gospel has the preeminence or we will go it on our own.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

father son jesus

The law was given to crush our self-confidence and drive us to Jesus.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

self-confidence crush jesus

Our obedience has its origin in God's prior action, and forgetting that truth results in self-righteousness, pride, and despair.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

despair pride self

Believe that God is strong enough to save your children, no matter how you fail.

Elyse Fitzpatrick

strong believe children