Depression and prayer
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Absolute rubbish!
Do you have a history of a Clinical Depression, have you seen your Doctor about it and if so what kind of treatment are you on?
If you feel "depressed" (this is not like a "monday blues" but is much worse) continually for more than a 3 week period then the chances are you have some kind of Clinical Depression which is a well documented psychiatric illness, if you have not seen your Doctor I suggest that you do so, also get your close Christian friends to pray for God to heal you.
Yahweh Shalom
Do you have a history of a Clinical Depression, have you seen your Doctor about it and if so what kind of treatment are you on?
If you feel "depressed" (this is not like a "monday blues" but is much worse) continually for more than a 3 week period then the chances are you have some kind of Clinical Depression which is a well documented psychiatric illness, if you have not seen your Doctor I suggest that you do so, also get your close Christian friends to pray for God to heal you.
Yahweh Shalom
Rebuke the pain?
I'm sure you mean well, but that sounds kinds of silly and flippant to anyone with a serious medical problem.
Also... I don't think we can find "rebuking pain" anywhere in scripture.
Since it's not in the bible, we sort of have a huge theological problem with that.
I realize lots of nice people say this stuff... but nice people repeating a thing isn't enough to make it correct.
We need to be really careful with some of these things.
I'm sure you mean well, but that sounds kinds of silly and flippant to anyone with a serious medical problem.
Also... I don't think we can find "rebuking pain" anywhere in scripture.
Since it's not in the bible, we sort of have a huge theological problem with that.
I realize lots of nice people say this stuff... but nice people repeating a thing isn't enough to make it correct.
We need to be really careful with some of these things.
Why do you think you are having a hard time praying? You are asking other people but what about you? What are you thinking of during the time? Are you being distracted? More insight as to what is going on is needed I think.
I go and sit on a mountaintop and pray. Quite literally. This is the view from where I pray. Maybe you need to get away from your surroundings and pray much like Jesus did.
I go and sit on a mountaintop and pray. Quite literally. This is the view from where I pray. Maybe you need to get away from your surroundings and pray much like Jesus did.
A
I guess if you don't know what I'm saying, and you do not understand my words, I'll try to rephrase. The bible is not circumstances oriented, in that it does not give exceptions for obedience. It is filled with compassion for the broken hearted promises of healing but never gives a victim a special get out of jail free card of sympathy. These things you mention are terrible. The only heart that can be healed or made whole from these issues is a heart that is soft and teachable toward the Lord, not filled with pride self pity and self justification.
S
Forgive me loved ones...but I must express..this is ridiculous!
With all due respect ABMF....This post was started by a young girl in need of prayer!
Their are plenty threads you can post on sin. I myself am not debating with you on a thread where a young girl needs prayers! We will pray for you JFSurvivor...be strong!
With all due respect ABMF....This post was started by a young girl in need of prayer!
Their are plenty threads you can post on sin. I myself am not debating with you on a thread where a young girl needs prayers! We will pray for you JFSurvivor...be strong!
Getting back to the OP, I do believe depression can result in trouble praying. You pray, but it seems like those prayers hit the ceiling and come tumbling back down. In history, this has happened to many Christians, and it is called "the Dark Night of the Soul."
I think you need to get some counseling, as you are not over the trauma you have experienced. As far as your relationship with God, DO NOT GIVE UP!!
Further, I would read the book of Job. (I'm reading it right now, on my read through the Bible journey!) It shows a man who was blameless, and yet he suffered, and experienced terrible depression. To the point where he wished he had never been born! Job is a good friend to have alongside when you are depressed.
Even though Job is miserable, there is something comforting to me about knowing that God does understand depression, and he is there through it all. He doesn't have to give us pat answers, because he is beyond that. But he does stay close by, and comforts us.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [SUP]4 [/SUP]who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. " 2 Cor. 1:3-4
Further, in the Old Testament, God does talk about being depressed. It doesn't show up in a lot of translations, because they translate literally. This is from Holmans' and it really speaks to me.
"Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God.
[SUP]6 [/SUP][SUP]I[/SUP] am deeply depressed;" Psalm 42:5-6a
I know I read these words about 11-12 years ago. I was terribly depressed from the pain of untreated Rheumatoid Arthritis, which had permanently grounded me, or so it seemed. Reading those words made me realize I was not alone. God understood depression, and God's people had been depressed, and called out to God.
Please read the Psalms, they are great encouragement. I read 5 a day for about 3 years, and they just pounded God's grace, love and mercy into my brain. And consider Christian counseling, and working through this grief you are going through. You are turning that grief inwards against yourself, and you sound like you need help to get you out of this despair.
As to ABMF, my thought is you need to go elsewhere. This is a Christian forum, and we serve Christ. Not demons and people who see demons under every chair.
PS I am not depressed, and have not been for at least 10 years. No demons were afflicting me, just real life circumstances of pain and loneliness. God did an incredible work in my life, lifting me out of that depression, setting me on the path and directing my steps! I can only praise him. Even now, in pain, I simply cannot go back to that pit of despair and depression. God is just so real and so caring, and I know that he is working all things together for good, even if I cannot see his purpose at this time.
I think you need to get some counseling, as you are not over the trauma you have experienced. As far as your relationship with God, DO NOT GIVE UP!!
Further, I would read the book of Job. (I'm reading it right now, on my read through the Bible journey!) It shows a man who was blameless, and yet he suffered, and experienced terrible depression. To the point where he wished he had never been born! Job is a good friend to have alongside when you are depressed.
Even though Job is miserable, there is something comforting to me about knowing that God does understand depression, and he is there through it all. He doesn't have to give us pat answers, because he is beyond that. But he does stay close by, and comforts us.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [SUP]4 [/SUP]who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. " 2 Cor. 1:3-4
Further, in the Old Testament, God does talk about being depressed. It doesn't show up in a lot of translations, because they translate literally. This is from Holmans' and it really speaks to me.
"Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God.
[SUP]6 [/SUP][SUP]I[/SUP] am deeply depressed;" Psalm 42:5-6a
I know I read these words about 11-12 years ago. I was terribly depressed from the pain of untreated Rheumatoid Arthritis, which had permanently grounded me, or so it seemed. Reading those words made me realize I was not alone. God understood depression, and God's people had been depressed, and called out to God.
Please read the Psalms, they are great encouragement. I read 5 a day for about 3 years, and they just pounded God's grace, love and mercy into my brain. And consider Christian counseling, and working through this grief you are going through. You are turning that grief inwards against yourself, and you sound like you need help to get you out of this despair.
As to ABMF, my thought is you need to go elsewhere. This is a Christian forum, and we serve Christ. Not demons and people who see demons under every chair.
PS I am not depressed, and have not been for at least 10 years. No demons were afflicting me, just real life circumstances of pain and loneliness. God did an incredible work in my life, lifting me out of that depression, setting me on the path and directing my steps! I can only praise him. Even now, in pain, I simply cannot go back to that pit of despair and depression. God is just so real and so caring, and I know that he is working all things together for good, even if I cannot see his purpose at this time.
A
If you want to be free then you can be made free. As long as you try to self exempt instead of getting soft and finding out what Gods word says and obeying it you will never truly be free.there is no real freedom apart from obeying God and His word. Drugs simply help you cope often times with the side effect of people killing themselves. the freedom that Jesus offers is total. The compassion that Jesus Christ gives makes a person whole. The sympathy the world gives just helps one cope.
If you're a Christian than I think it's safe to says we can all agree Jesus is the ultimate freedom and healer. But Jesus did say that this life has many trials. Guess what? Psycholgical disorders do count as trials. It's not an accident where there is a chemical imbalance in a lot of people's brains that causes us to have major depressive disorder. Or suicidal thoughts. Or postpartum depression. Or post traumatic stress disorder. Or BiPolar disorder. Or schizophrenia. Or generalized anxiety disorder or a phobia or ANY psychological disorder. To imply someone is choosing to struggle with such thing and is a sinner because of it is complete ignorance.
A
To struggle with something and have the victory that Jesus Christ promises are two very different things. Health and healing is available for the physical requirement of healing. Deliverence of casting the demons out that cause these problems is also available. It really boils down to a conversation had with a top gun pilot instructor. A man asked what makes a good piolt. The instructor replied that many highly skilled men come into the program but they wash out, and some not so highly skilled get in the program and make it. Difference in the two? How much they really wanted it.
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A
Okay, because you asked. You want healing? it was a comparison or parable to show that those who really want something are those regardless of their short comings give it all its got to obtain what they really want. You want to be set free come to God by Faith. In other words those who really wanted it ie the women with the issue of blood with many other examples received healing.
JF Survivor posted this thread asking about her praying and her depression. It has gotten completely off topic to the point where you are posting a parable of pilots flying planes, saying you have to want to. I have gotten deep in the discussion with you. I am now leaving this thread, because whatever you say is not going to convince me that depression is a sin. And whatever I say is not going to convince you otherwise. But most importantly, this is JF Survivor's thread. She deserves some valuable insight. Not two people who are just going to go on and on where the thread is going to go off topic. Peace to you and God bless.