Depression, loneliness, despair.
Most people have been there —
Sorry, the rhymes were meant to start further down.
Let’s look at what you can you do,
when you’re feeling blue.
Sorry again! I think I’d better get all the poetry out of the way first.
Here goes:
THE BUS TO NOWHERE
Today I could take a holiday
And visit somewhere nice.
Maybe take the bus to Burleigh
(Avoiding Surfers Paradise).
I’d go down by the sea
Where the breeze blows on my face,
And then buy a cup of coffee
In a certain lonely place.
Then walk up to the bluff lookout
To see the blue sea, blue sky sights.
And stare down at the rocks
From dizzy, dangerous heights.
And I’d consider all the seagulls
And I’d make my mind up not to fall.
They fly around forever.
But I don’t fly at all.
Then… I’d walk back to the bus stop
Feeling hardly any pain.
Some days, I take a bus to nowhere
Then I come back home again.
As you may be able to tell, I can relate to feeling blue.
I’ve had years of unemployment with no car and a bad back…
I’ve been married three times, divorced twice, with my second marriage lasting only two weeks. We had a great honeymoon. Immediately afterwards, this beautiful lady sent me out on an errand, then dumped all my furniture and things on the pavement outside the unit, and when I returned she told me I couldn’t come back inside – all without any argument or warning! Then she divorced me.
It broke my heart…
I know what it’s like to feel deeply lonely and depressed!
I’ve also lived in substandard housing, with cockroaches crawling over me when they came out of every crevice overnight, even after using insect spray bombs!
Then, I owned a stunningly beautiful 12 acre property for several years, but I sold it when it was debeautified by fire (photos here).
As the Australian bushranger, Ned Kelly, was supposed to have said, just before they hung him, “Such is life!”
Before I talk about what you can do to shake the blues, here’s what not to do.
Don’t commit suicide, fast or slow… don’t take drugs, don’t take booze, and don’t throw your life away.
Whatever doesn’t build you up will generally tear you down. So don’t be stupid!
MORE ABOUT ADVERSITY
Life is precious, but often full of adversity.
NAPOLEON HILL’S BIBLICAL LIKE OBSERVATION
The author of the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ once made a famous observation. He said:
“Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.”
It’s a powerful idea—one that’s inspired countless people to view failure, not as defeat, but as opportunity. But is it just motivational fluff?
Is it really true?
I’m going to search deeper into my past history with that question in mind.
ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCE #1
I lay on the floor in the empty house, in the living room.
I put a blanket over my face and my body, like a shroud. I told God “I may as well be dead.
I was so low.
I prayed more about my situation.
I was extremely depressed because of three things hitting me, one on top of the other.
- After 13 years of marriage my wife was divorcing me.
- My job prospects were poor and getting worse.
- On top of that, I had just lost faith in the church that I’d worked for for ten years, that I’d believed and supported since I was a teenager. So you could say I’d lost my religion as well.
I asked God, why had it all come to this?
Why was the church that I used to respect losing it so badly?
What was going on?
And God came through for me.
About two weeks later, a package arrived in the mailbox. I don’t know who sent it.
The information explained that the church I’d been a member of was turning away from the truth. But a breakaway church had formed.
This was my answer, and I joined this new group.
Everything was wonderful for a while.
ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCE #2
It was even more wonderful when I met another lady in that church and got married.
But it only lasted two weeks, and that lady cancelled the marriage for unknown reasons! Reading this over, it sounds too hard to believe, yet it’s the truth!
I sank to rock bottom once again.
But God came through for me.
I didn’t know where to live at the time. I needed temporary accommodation, and after checking out some appalling accommodation options, I told God that I needed the best accommodation.
I truly believe God came through for me once again, and I found top grade accommodation. The marriage disaster was a heavy blow for me, and it took me literally years to recover from the emotional trauma. But I did – eventually.
Now, I want to tell you about a third low spot in my life.
ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCE #3
That new church that I’d joined began losing it also.
In fact it had become a full blown cult!
My time in that church came to the end when I objected to a directive that was against Biblically sound doctrine, and I was promptly disfellowshipped.
Several Bible passages come to mind, such as:
Isaiah 66:5 “Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.”
(Also see Luke 6:22)
Again, I was feeling low. A few months later I sat at my computer in my parents second empty house I was caretaking while they lived in another state. I felt just as lonely and vulnerable as ever. I decided to study online information about Christ’s return.
I had no idea that a miracle was about to happen.
Some of my study material included information about “1000-YEAR DAYS.”
I noticed a few light drops of rain. Then in a whimsical moment, I told God in prayer that this light sprinkle of rain represented the flood of truth He was giving me in my study of Bible chronology and the possible timing for Christ’s second coming.
I said ‘Amen’ to my prayer.
The very instant after saying Amen, some awareness made me look towards the ceiling. Suddenly, unexpectedly, an extremely heavy
and continuous 24 hour downpour of rain THUNDERED loudly onto the noisy decramastic roof above, shocking me into an awareness that this was no ordinary event!
The chances of having an UNFORECAST, exact one day, ‘1 in 1000 year’ flood happen randomly, the EXACT SECOND after saying Amen from studying and praying about ‘1 in 1000 year days’, after declaring the LIGHT shower of rain to metaphorically BE a FLOOD, and then reading the ‘1 in 1000 year’ newspaper headline the next day, are IMPOSSIBLE.
This was the front page newspaper headline that confronted me the morning after my flood hit the Gold Coast, way back in mid-2005 before almost daily weather disasters became the new normal!
The heavy downpour was not forecast by the weather bureau and was entirely unexpected.
The flood of rain continued unabated for exactly one day, from about 3 pm to about 3 pm. If this was not a miracle, it was very nice timing!
I’ve yet to fully understand the implications of this miracle, but it encouraged me to create this website, so you could say that your viewing this now was the result of a supernatural event! (But then again, so also is origin of everything else.)
Surprisingly, the principle Napoleon Hill gave aligns closely with biblical wisdom. Scripture repeatedly affirms that adversity, when surrendered to God, can lead to growth, transformation, and even divine purpose.
Let’s explore how the Bible supports this idea—and how it goes even further.
THE BIBLE AFFIRMS THIS PRINCIPLE
📖 Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
This verse assures us that God is actively working through every circumstance, even the painful ones, to bring about good for those who love Him. The “good” may not be comfort or success—it’s often spiritual maturity and alignment with God’s purpose.
📖 James 1:2–4
“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials… because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance…”
James challenges us to embrace trials with joy, not because they’re easy, but because they’re productive. Trials build perseverance, which leads to spiritual completeness. Adversity becomes a tool for transformation.
COMPARING HILL’S PHILOSOPHY WITH SCRIPTURE
Napoleon Hill’s quote resonates with these biblical truths, but there’s a key difference in focus:
| Napoleon Hill | Biblical Perspective |
|---|---|
| Personal success and achievement | Spiritual growth |
| Human potential and mindset | God’s purposes and grace |
| Self-driven transformation | Surrender and trust in God |
Hill’s message is empowering, but Scripture offers a deeper, eternal hope—one that doesn’t rely on our strength, but on God’s grace and power.
🔍 Additional Scriptures for Reflection
- Romans 5:3–5
“Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
A beautiful progression that begins with pain and ends in unshakable hope.
- John 16:33
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Jesus doesn’t promise a trouble-free life—but He does promise peace and victory.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s not just theory. I can list several more examples in my own life where a setback played out over time, and turned to greater good in the long run.
a) I was retrenched from a job in Melbourne, so I moved to the Gold Coast, found another job, found a wife, and was better off.
b) Years later, I was out of work again, divorced a second time, and now I had no car. Cutting a long story short, this led to ride sharing with a lady I helped out, who also became my wife, and I was better off!
c) In a previous post I wrote about a fire that went through our property, burning some expensive things we owned. Long term, this worked for the good also. We moved to a more suitable location and the insurance payout enabled me to make an investment that has now returned more than the loss we made at the time.
Setbacks are not the end—they’re often the beginning of something greater. Whether viewed through the lens of personal development or divine providence, adversity carries transformative potential.
Napoleon Hill was right! Adversity contains the seed of benefit. But the Bible takes it further—the greatest benefits are not just equivalent… they’re eternal.
Excluding medical help, which is totally outside the scope of this article, here are:
FOUR IDEAS FOR BEATING THE BLUES
1) Change your scenery or location
2) Make a new plan
3) Change your thinking
4) Wait on God, trusting in Him for Supernatural help!
A change of scenery may only be a temporary fix, as illustrated in my poem. But it may help, because it can change your mood and give you time to reevaluate things. Sometimes stuff just takes time to work through. As the Bible says, weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)
A change of plan You need hope, and having a plan can give you hope. You need to get a vision for yourself of what could be, not what is. Again, to quote the Bible, where there is no vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18) There are lots of books about goal setting, and they might help, but just ask yourself, What’s the next step I can take in order to make things better? That’s how you begin to make a plan. Take it from there.
A change of thinking Negative thinking will take you deeper into depression. Although your thinking may seem like it’s on autopilot, you can steer your thoughts if you really want to – your thoughts are actually choices you’re making! So – begin by refusing to dwell on any negative thoughts and choose to focus on the things you can do to make your life better. Be thankful for every asset you have. It may take a little effort to change your thought habit patterns, but it works better than any pill in the long run.
Bible quote time:
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God. (1 Thes. 5:18)
Also:
Those who sow in tears
Shall reap with cheers. (Psalm 126:5)
And another: Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)
Finally, the book of Jeremiah has a reputation for being negative, yet it also has positive messages. Here’s a verse worth noting:
Jer 29:11 I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for well-being, and not for calamity, in order to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE. (ISV)
God can work in your life also, to give YOU a future and a hope.
Supernatural Help
You can also beat the blues and change your life by moving up to a higher level of existence where you rely totally on God. If you are in a dry, empty place, you can lean heavily on God to help you. Psalm 127:1 – Let the Lord build your house, rather than trying to do it yourself!
The more you lean on God, the more help you will get! Lev 26:12 was a covenant God made with ancient Israel. It was a covenant they broke. But you can make the same covenant with God, and not break it!
I’ve written more about this on my page about How to be Safe in a Time of Trouble.
Change your thinking, change your mindset, and you can change your life, especially with Supernatural help.
If you do find yourself on a bus to nowhere, make sure you get home safely.
Even more about my background
I’ve had some great life experiences and opportunities.
I’ve owned several cars and houses, and mainly lived in Victoria and Queensland. I’ve travelled to Asia as well, living in Thailand for 3 months.
This is me in Asia.
And here are some
shots I took
of transportation
in Asia.
One of my hobbies is photography,
and turning photography into art.
This next one is on Coconut Island. It’s a day-night combination and it’s one of my favourite photo-art creations:
Some photos are skill, others are luck. The ancient Greeks considered dolphins to be a sign of good luck. Then again, some people think the number 7 is good luck. In 2019 I photographed both items of luck together. Seven dolphins in one wave.
It was just a lucky shot!
Poems about Australia…
In 1988 I wrote this poem about Australia’s bicentenary:
OZ BICENTENARY
Here’s to the lucky country
Here’s to the land of beers
And all that water under the bridge
Now we’ve come 200 years.
As Australians individually
A few of us are sus’
But as a nation on the whole
There are no flies on us!
We have our flags and anthems
Our fauna, and our birds
Our dingoes and our yowies
Our drongos, and our nerds.
But, I’m proud to be Australian
Proud of our tall gum trees
And 200 years of history
Tho’ I come from overseas!
Actually, this is not true… I’m actually 100% Australian by birth.
And, I’m NOT proud of Australia’s history, or Australia’s lying (or perhaps only deluded) politicians… Opposing parties just tend to be different wings of the same bird!
I’ll finish with another poem. Like ‘The Bus to Nowhere,’ this also ends with arriving home:
He Is Greeted Well
Exhausted by the extended heat
My dusty feet, tramping, through gumtree roots and bush
– Tired leaves hanging,
– Shoulders drooping
I’m slowing. Wilting
Reviving though, at the sight of something
In the distance, beckoning. A red tin roof
I’m coming. To a little dot across the valley
Walking faster. Hurrying.
Longing
No gate, no fence, only
Veranda steps and lonely. Empty rooms that greet me
But I’m SO happy now to be
In one piece –
Home!
_____________________
Click here for Why Suffering, and Why Were You Born?
1. Genesis 1:1 and 30 patterns of 7
Odds: These are extremely unlikely to be accidental. The combination of so many independent numerical features all centered on 7 suggests deliberate structuring or at the very least, a highly unusual coincidence.
Probability Summary
So What Are the Chances?
Bottom Line
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