A couple of years ago, a young lady posted something suicidal on the social media. Her post became the third of such that I came across that week. When I got to church the following Sunday, I felt the need to lead the congregation to pray against depression and all suicidal tendencies. We live in the last days, and things are getting tougher. Shattered dreams, broken relationships , and other pressures are taking heavy tolls on people, including believers. The damaging effect of depression is one reason we must take the word of Paul seriously. He laid double emphasis on the need for rejoicing.

No child of God should allow himself to be trapped to a corner and pummeled unnecessarily by the devil. Help is in the house of God; and we have been mandated to bear one another’s burden.

What should believers do when it is difficult to rejoice as the Bible commands? That is when the services of other brethren may be needed. “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand” (2 Corinthians 1:24). These “helpers of your joy” are the people we may call merchants of joy; and their efforts must be highly priced. They could be gospel Ministers who have oversight over us; or it could be people with whom we share affinity in the house of God. They help us to see the big picture and the hope that lies ahead. Barnabas was an expert in this. (Acts 11:22-23). No child of God should allow himself to be trapped to a corner and pummeled unnecessarily by the devil. Help is in the house of God; and we have been mandated to bear one another’s burden.