How can a "Christian" be "depressed"- is it a contradiction? Why does God allow this? And what helps?
370464
God, in the context of your question, does not really exist.  I mean, God doesn't allow or prevent anything. That is our choice.  The question you should ask yourself is what does God want from me, instead of what do I want from him.  See there is no giving God like if he was a store attendant, there is only God...THE GOD.\n\nI am firm believer of THE GOD as the almighty being in all that is conceivable by my ignorant mind.  As such, the only true question for me (for all of us) is what does God want of me.
731769
I think that we all struggle in our faith one way or another. Questioning God's existence doesn't really cross most of our minds. We may question why He allows things to happen or we may even question our own Christian walk and our relationship with God. My pastors -and I've had a few in my life -haven't been perfect. In fact there was one who was my Dad's boss that treated his underlings shabbily and used the church vehicle for personal business. I think he may've even taken some of the better donations given to the church for his own. I do know that he was eventually caught by his bosses with his hand in the cookie jar and in adultery. He was speedily fired. As for weird things in a worship service? I recall visiting a Charismatic service to see what it was like. I met one of those pastors who held rather rambunctious healing services. You know the type.; they call you forward for healing even though you haven't volunteered or asked for it. He claimed -a few times- to be given a word of knowledge about some type of secret sin in some person's life. I found this made me extremely uncomfortable because I do not believe that God would humiliate an individual in this manner. Nor do I think that Jesus would compel anyone to come for healing. God is a Gentleman, and He never forces Himself on anybody. Neither should His servants
821717
thats a good step in wanting to turn it over to God. God can deal with our problems. you just need a little help right now. so maybe the medication can help you in this process. you can take them while you are learning. i used to be so opposed to taking anti depressants or other such meds. but now i am on lexapro and it has helped me so much. now my relationship with God has grown because i am not so focused on the problems that i am facing with my anxiety and depression.
639840
Although I am not religous, my best friend is Christian.  And when I am in a rut, she always gives me the same advice.  Just believe.  Believe that things will get better.  Try to find something to hold on to, and begin praying again.  Try to find something you can join other than a church, or just surround yourself with really good friends and family.
425340
i am so there and have been there for soooo long. i feel for you. and i am married and he gets mad when i flip out and have an anxiety attack or cry for 6 hours straight. Once he finds out I haven't been taking the med he thinks I dont WANT to get better. Depression is the most isolating thing in the world. counselors take forever to get around to telling you that they cant really help...it sucks. But hang in there and I recommend you get a personal relationship with Jesus. The after life is our only hope. Suicide sends you to hell. Hang in there, be strong and know that there will come aday when you and I and so many others will feel  better- for eternity. If you are dont believe I hope you will at least give it a chance. If you do, i hope you will know the devil causes the bad stuff, not God. (I struggle with that, but in my heart I know it is true...) Add me to your messenger if you want to talk ever country_grl_ky  I swear when I read your question I was like "wow. that is me, exactly" Best of luck to you either way and please hang on to the hope. I know when most days are bad, it is so hard to keep on going knowing you have "never" been happy and thinking you arent normal or that you might never feel happy....but it is not true. And try to take your medicine. I do the same thing and I dont know why either. But we should take it.
478580
No it's not normal it's a sign of depression. You should seek help from a counselor and ask God to come into your life and give you his Holy Spirit so that you can become born again.\n\nThe ROMANS ROAD....is a pathway you can walk.\n\n It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament.  If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved. \n\nRomans 3:23  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."\n\nWe all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin.  \n\nWe were born under the power of sin's control.\n\n- Admit that you are a sinner.\n\n \n\nRomans 6:23a  "...The wages of sin is death..." \n\nSin has an ending.  It results in death.  We all face physical death, which is a result of sin.  But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity.  The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever.   It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain.\n\n- Understand that you deserve death for your sin.\n\n Romans 6:23b  "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." \n\nSalvation is a free gift from God to you!  You can't earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.\n\n- Ask God to forgive you and save you.\n\n Romans 5:8,  "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"\n\nWhen Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that  we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life.  He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us!\n\n- Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change.  His love bought you out of being a slave to sin.  His love is what saves you --  not religion, or church membership.  God loves you!\n\nRomans 10:13  "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord  will be saved!" \n\n- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!\n\n Romans 10:9,10  "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting  in salvation."\n\n- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart. \n\nJesus said,\n\nRevelation 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..." \n\n- Is Jesus knocking on your heart's door?\n\nBelieve in Him. Ask Him to come in to your heart  by faith,\nand ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Open the Bible to the Gospel of John and read what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again. \n\nGod will help you.  He loves you. \n\nYou need to look for a local church where God's word is preached.  The Bible says that we are to desire God's word like a newborn baby desires mother's milk.\n\nAren't you hungry to know the truth?\n\nWater baptism is one of the ways you first show that you have been joined to Jesus.  This is an action, and actions will not save you.  However, it is an act of obedience and a symbol of commitment.\n\nThe symbolism is this: When you go down in the water you show that You have been crucified and buried with Him,\n\nAnd when you come up out of the water you show that you have been raised to walk with Him in newness of life. \n\n(See Romans chapter 6)\n\nYou have been born again. \n\n(See John chapter 3)\n\nYour body has become God's temple. Your heart is where He lives. Forgiveness is yours in Jesus. And you belong to Him.
1063919
Depression can be experienced differently, depending on the individual; generally it is a really soggy, heavy feeling of lethargy, stuck, unmotivated, or hiding; you may or may not experience it as sad.\n\nMedically, it is important to rule out possible physiological causes, including hypothyroidism, anemia,  low testosterone or other hormone imbalances, yeast/candida overgrowth, some kind of other low-grade infection (including teeth).\n\nAside from that and psycho-spiritually speaking:\nDepression comes from holding yourself back from the Truth:  \nIt's like a chronic lie we tell ourselves, until the only thing that becomes apparent is how numb we are...\nAnd then we dig ourselves even deeper to intensify our feelings, just so we can feel something!\n\nHow do you bail out of this stuck, dark, mess??\n\nDismantle your ego!\n (this is the part of you/us that lies to you to keep you feeling safe).  \nRelease the fear and Love (healing) will come in to take its place.  \n\nSurrender to the impossibility of (your ego or self-preserving, reactive self) trying to manage everything  on your own \n\n-- it is too far out of your control --  and surrender to whatever is. \n\nThen allow your (Higher, Knowing, True) self (and God) to guide you into the truth, and give into it  --\n\nStrangely enough, it is your resistance (or defense) that causes you such misery, disconnection, and fear.\nYour misery comes because you are neither happy nor present with what is going on right here and Now...your thoughts are trapped up in worry about the future, or grief/resentment about the past --\nneither of which are here, right NOW. \n   BE PRESENT NOW.\n\nI know this sounds contradictory to what you want -- relief from what you believe you are experiencing now -- But truly,  (because I've have experienced this also) I sincerely promise you, that the pain engulfing your Mind and Heart is about not being available to what is right now in front of you...in this moment.  Whatever you don't like about what is going on, can only be possible to change in the Now.  YOU ARE NOW. GOD IS NOW. And this now is the only moment that you can possibly ever deal in.\n\n"But I feel so much pain when I bring my mind into the here and now."\nI understand.  \nYour pain is like annoying, barking dog or crying child who is desperately trying to get your attention: if only you would get up to see what the problems and move toward the painful noise, you would know how to better handle it.\n\nBreath! \nAsk yourself, what are you really feeling/ thinking here?\nRespond to the call: what have you been ignoring in your life? \nSurrender to the unknown by feeling how deep those feelings go.\nThere is a bottom to the pit, \n  and the bottom of the barrel, is the Top of the Light! \nSit with it.  Be curious.  Observe.  Be in the Now.   These are all good first steps.\n\nRemember to tell yourself the truth, and stop lying to yourself.\nDig in and be brave enough to have the doctor reset your broken leg so you can Heal.\n\nSecondly, get involved with others, and give.  In so doing, you are allowing Love to flow through you, as well as to others.\n\nRelease the fear and false illusions of how things are,  \n   Dissolve your attachments to how things should be,\n      Allow yourself to be present without criticism of failure.\n         Participate in what is happening in the here and Now.\n\nSurrender to Love now.  \nGod/ Universe /Life is waiting to catch you.
221542
The way I dealt with depression was to get into a deep study of the Bible.  Although I still sometimes get depressed, it is nowhere at all what it used to be.  I now know ABSOLUTELY that someone cares about me and loves me and will help me.\n\nJehovah's witnesses offer free home Bible studies at your convenience and without commitment.
1032990
Being good is not enough and not even for a christian. We can't continue in sin and expect God to reward us Heaven. God is not willing to turn his back on us if we do the right thing and that's serve him wholeheartedly. God is merciful and forgiven but we must repent and turn away from that lifestyle or sin.
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Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,\n But a good word makes it glad.  Proverbs 12:25\n\nMy grandfather believed that anything could be solved with the scriptures.  I can see what he meant, but I'm not so sure they should work alone.\n\nDepression is emotion (like anger, guilt, or anxiety) turned inward.  Some people rage at every little thing, and it's obvious they need to do some growth work.  Depression is insidious - especially in religious circles - because it is rewarded.  If you are angry and can effectively keep yourself from showing it, you're a good girl.   \n\nThe problem is that the anger isn't really dealt with in a more righteous way than if one flew into a rage.  Less people may be affected by it, but trying to control the rage and appear calm makes you live a lie.  Lies are not good.  They destroy our peace of mind and our health.\n\nIn that sense, sure, the Bible can help someone deal with depression.  If the depression is about dealing with emotions, a good Christian counselor should be able to guide someone to passages that deal specifically with thoughts and behaviors or attitudes or heart that need to be changed.  When we are at peace with God and ourselves, there is no depression.\n\nThe problem is that when my grandfather was alive and studying these things, depression was predominantly about thinking and feeling.  Now, it is also hormonal and chemical.  (I'm not saying that NEVER happened in the past, but I don't think it was a prevalent as it is today.)\n\nWe have so many new chemicals introduced everyday.  We are getting xenoestrogens in our food, water and product packaging.  We have all sorts of substances we are exposed to that may not kill us immediately, but pose a danger to us that most of us are blissfully unaware of.  Chemical estrogens can interfere with the way our natural estrogens work in the body.  Our hormones need to be kept in delicate balance or we start feeling unwell.\n\nBirth control pills are one example.  Premarin makes me cry uncontrollably, and it makes my hair fall out.  I don't want to be in the same room with it.  It alters my personality, and yes, it depressed me.  When I got it out of my system, I was no longer depressed.  If you're taking birth control pills or using patches, think back - how long have you been taking them?  Does your depression coincide with a change in prescription?  Have your cycles changed at all?\n\nGet a Basal Body Temperature thermometer (BBT), take your temp every morning before getting out of bed, and chart it on a calendar along with your cycle and any mood changes you have.  This will be useful information to take to your doctor.  \n\nDon't wait to see a doctor till you have charted yourself a while, but I think this is something every woman should do for herself.  It gives your doctor a good indication of how your hormones are affecting you.  It's useful for your long-term care.\n\nI'm not opposed to anxiety/depression medications, but I don't think they were ever meant to be used alone.  Be wary of any doctor who just wants to medicate you without getting you some counseling.  The meds are supposed to help you work with behavior modification and other therapies.  \n\nI think the drugs are amazing and I'm glad we have that resource for people, but I worry that we as a society are using them at times to avoid the growth work we need to do.  They numb us from the pain we need to come to terms with.  They enable us to continue unproductive behavior because we are too chilled out to care that our lives are unmanageable.\n\nLife is sad, sometimes.  And that's okay.  If we never felt the pain or sadness, something would be seriously wrong with us.  Even so, seek counseling.  Tell your doctor.\n\nStudy what your teachings say about anxiety, anger, guilt, and depression.  Pray for God to show you what you need to see and to do differently.  \n\nDo all of these things in balance and conj
1058944
Not at all.  It is the work of depression.  The problem with depression is that it snowballs!  You get a little depressed and people stop wanting to be around you.  You get lonely which makes you more depressed.  It really gets out of hand till you need external help to get you out of it.  \n\nIf believing in the god and the devil helps you out of your depression, then seek spiritual help.  However, I recommend not believing in fairy tales.  Instead, take the time to research the cause of the depression and slowly work your way out of it.  There will not be one cause that you can fix, but rather a myriad of cumulative issues that will need to be dealt with.  Consult your friends and even a counselor.\n\nCheers!
210738
Once Lonely; depressed doing my Community service in a Salvation Army hall, I spotted a Beautiful Portrait of Jesus, just His Profile. I stared at it for what seemed a long time and asked myself if Jesus was here with me and If He was than I could let go of these feelings of depression.\nI heard a voice: A soft voice say:\n" My Child, I Know Your Needs and I Will Care For You."\nFrom that day on, I never prayed for Riches,Love,or even Help to turn my Life around.Rather I prayed for Wisdom and Strength because my faith became so strong I knew God would carry me when I thought I could not go on..\nand He has " Always." \nSo try it -You Pray too, he knows what's Best for you even if it's Not what you want and I will pray for you too.\nGod is a Loving God..\nGoodluck and God Bless.
639071
Since depression is often a chemical imbalance within the brain, seritonin and norepinepherine are the frequently out of balance chemicals, depression is a physical ailment.  I beleive that stressor cause this imbalnce, and how you cope with the events in your life affect how much of these chemicals are created, and how they are used within the body.\n\nIf you hold to the theory then that Christians should trust God and depend on Him to fix your afliction, every person who takes antihypertension meds need to stop- since it is often a breakdown in the bodies response to stimuli that causes hypertension.  If your'e are a diabetic you need to stop taking your insulin, diabetes is an insuffient amount of insulin being released from the pancreas, or that the cell membrane  does not allowing the insulin through it to break down the sugars into usable parts.  Do you see what I am agetting at?\nDepression is no different than many other phyical illnesses, they are just more socially acceptable.  \nI am a Christian, and I do believe that Faith can help you accept and resolve issues that happen to you, this indeed may lower the levels of Seritonin and Norepinepherine within the brain, but no where does the Bible speak that you should not take antidepressants, nor antinhypertensives, nor diabetes meds.\nIf you need antidepressants, take them, allow them to help you gain control, then look for ways to modify the things that  keep you out of balance, you may not be able to resolve the imbalance, but getting control of it allows you to have a better quality of life so that you can live it more abundantly!
709802
I wasn't a Christian before I knew God. \n\nLife then was miserable. This is how it was back then.....\n\nWell, even though not knowing God, life goes on as usual. The only thing is that the way I look at things.\n\nMy Perspective:\n1. I trust no one. Everyone is suspicious and could be up to no good.\n2. I love no one but only myself. Because why should I love others or give to others? What good does that benefit me?\n3. I hate and I really hate. Hatred lingers all around. For each time I am being hurt, it is burst out and it lingers for a long as I can remember.\n4. I seek for revenge and destruction. For it is my only means of protection. It is the only way I know how to defend myself for nobody loves me, nobody cares for me and I only have myself to rely on.\n5. Justice and fairness does not exist. There is no honesty and trust. Only I myself can win in all things. For only I can steal and take things away from others but others cannot take away things from me.\n6. Fun means cruelty and at the expense of other's pain.\n7. Peace and love? What's that? Never heard of and I believe it never exist. Only to the imagination of others.\n8. Money and material things reign! If you have money, you are everything. You can even be like God.\n\nAnswers to your questions:\n1. What will happen to self esteem, self worth, self perception?\nNothing happened. Self remain the highest place of existence.\n\n2. Is life worth living?\nYes, life is worth living at the expense of others. I mean life is to make money and to become powerful. So, each time you feel sad, just get somebody to be bullied, to be hurt, to be insulted. Next, get something to numb the senses or the bitterness such as (e.g drugs, alcohol, excessive behaviour like gambling, racing...etc.)\n\n3. will you be depressed and confused?\nYou see, there are those who can actually live life without God. There are religions out there that doesn't have the element of God. Therefore, they deny their senses, deny their pain, deny anything and everything. So, there are those who can actually cope with their without being confused and depressed. There are those who place wealth and wordly achievement as their "god".\n\nBut now that I know about Christianity, I believe that religion is the only means to keep a crazy world sane.
218518
Being godly's always been odd (and more). Being Christian always meant going against the flow. \n\nJesus said, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." (John 15:17-19)\nPeter said, "[ Suffering for Being a Christian ] Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:12)\n\nIs society getting worse? I'm not sure. But I never had real faith in human "goodness" in the first place.
858968
I don't understand how as a "Christian" you cannot find fulfillment in learning , growing and applying the teachings of Christ. For starters since you seem to  have enough time to get bored I'm sure you can find the time to spread and maintain His Kingdom. Serving others may yield the blessings you may be expecting. Sorry for the preachiness.
211352
Is It Normal to Feel This Way?\n \n \n \n\n\nA BEREAVED person writes: "As a child in England, I was taught not to express my feelings in public. I can remember my father, an ex-military man, saying to me through clenched teeth, 'Don't you cry!' when something had caused me pain. I cannot recall whether my mother ever kissed or hugged any of us kids (there were four of us). I was 56 when I saw my father die. I felt a tremendous loss. Yet, at first, I was unable to weep."\n\nIn some cultures, people express their feelings openly. Whether they are happy or sad, others know how they feel. On the other hand, in some parts of the world, notably in northern Europe and Britain, people, especially men, have been conditioned to hide their feelings, to suppress their emotions, to keep a stiff upper lip and not wear their hearts on their sleeves. But when you have suffered the loss of a dear one, is it somehow wrong to express your grief? What does the Bible say?\n \n\n\nThose Who Wept in the Bible\n \n \n\n\nThe Bible was written by Hebrews of the eastern Mediterranean region, who were expressive people. It contains many examples of individuals who openly showed their grief. King David mourned the loss of his murdered son Amnon. In fact, he "wept with a very great weeping." (2 Samuel 13:28-39) He even grieved at the loss of his treacherous son Absalom, who had tried to usurp the kingship. The Bible account tells us: "Then [David] the king became disturbed and went up to the roof chamber over the gateway and gave way to weeping; and this is what he said as he walked: 'My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! O that I might have died, I myself, instead of you, Absalom my son, my son!'" (2 Samuel 18:33) David mourned like any normal father. And how many times have parents wished they could have died in place of their children! It seems so unnatural for a child to die before a parent.\n\nHow did Jesus react to the death of his friend Lazarus? He wept on nearing his tomb. (John 11:30-38) Later, Mary Magdalene wept as she neared Jesus' sepulcher. (John 20:11-16) True, a Christian with an understanding of the Bible's resurrection hope does not grieve inconsolably, as some do who do not have a clear Bible basis for their beliefs regarding the condition of the dead. But as a human with normal feelings, the true Christian, even with the hope of the resurrection, does grieve and does mourn the loss of any loved one.—1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14.\n \n\n\nTo Weep or Not to Weep\n \n \n\n\nWhat about our reactions today? Do you find it difficult or embarrassing to show your feelings? What do counselors recommend? Their modern views often merely echo the Bible's ancient inspired wisdom. They say that we should express our grief, not repress it. This reminds us of faithful men of old, such as Job, David, and Jeremiah, whose expressions of grief are found in the Bible. They certainly did not bottle up their feelings. Therefore, it is not wise to cut yourself off from people. (Proverbs 18:1) Of course, mourning is expressed in different ways in different cultures, also depending on the prevalent religious beliefs.*\n\n\nWhat if you feel like weeping? It is part of human nature to weep. Recall again the occasion of Lazarus' death, when Jesus "groaned in the spirit and . . . gave way to tears." (John 11:33, 35) He thus showed that weeping is a normal reaction to the death of a loved one.\n\nThis is supported by the case of a mother, Anne, who had lost her baby Rachel to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Her husband commented: "The surprising thing was that neither Anne nor I cried at the funeral. Everyone else was weeping." To this, Anne responded: "Yes, but I have done plenty of crying for both of us. I think it really hit me a few weeks after the tragedy, when I was finally alone one day in the house. I cried all day long. But I believe it helped me. I felt better