Depression

[ChildofChrist]

Please pray for me, I’ve had depression ever since I was 9 years old and now I’m 23 years old, and ever since becoming a Christian and seeing other Christians filled with joy, I’ve decided enough is enough, this needs to go.

I’ve been diagnosed last Thursday and have just started antidepressants as from last thursday for both my anxiety and depression, I have nothing to be depressed about but I’m sad, numb, unmotivated, overwhelmed and irritable. I feel like God is angry at me or at least disappointed in me because I don’t produce fruits of the spirit and because I struggle To get filled with the spirit, i feel like I’m lukewarm and I’ve been praying to God to set me on fire for him again. I feel like a selfish and a bad person and like God is only putting up with me and I don’t know the last time I genuinely smiled.

I have only a glimmer of hope that it will get better and the antidepressants will start to work soon but going to work seems too much at the moment but I have to as I need to earn money and both my parents don’t understand about depression at all and just shouted at me for having it. So I’ll never tell them about this , I’ve also gotten myself onto cognitive behaviour therapy but I’ve not started it yet.

I need some encouragement and prayers, I just don’t know how I’m going to cope...

 

[Andyindauk]

Hi Child, thank you for opening up and sharing your innermost feelings of pain, hopelessness and anxiety. It's really touching, thank you.

My mental health is OK so I can't say I know and can feel what you're going through. But I do feel for you.

I can also maybe give you some comfort and reassurance. When God sent Jesus to die on the cross for you, a truly awful and painful death, to rescue you from the the dreadful consequences of your sins, He wasn't making an investment upon which he demands a life of slavery in return. No, God was showing you his unconditional and total love.

Yes, He does want a return, but that return is in the form of your love, adoration and praise. Reading your post, there's plenty of that. If you didn’t love God you wouldn't be worried about His disappointment, you obviously care and love Him.

Read Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the 10 talents. Jesus explains that in this life there are high performing disciples, moderate performing and low performance disciples. We're not all called to be Apostle Pauls but we are called to give what we can to God. The low performing disciple didn't even manage to do that. He went on strike! Then he wondered why his master was stressed.

Keep praising God. It's great to praise God when everything's swinging and you're in a good place. It is amazing to God when you can still praise him in the depths of depression. If in the bad times we only asked, prayed and begged and no praise then our love for God is conditional upon our situation. In Acts 16:25 we find Paul and Barnabas praising God and singing psalms.

If you really want to please God and experience the Holy Spirit in your life then spend as much time as possible praising, thanking and telling God how much you love Him. I praise you God because.... I love you God because..... Thank you God for ..... You're amazing God because.....

If you're looking for reassurance that God loves you, cares and is looking after you then your Bible's the place to go. Can I recommend an app called YouVersion, it's the Bible on your smartphone or tablet. The default is the King James which can be a bit heavy going unless you studied Shakespeare at school, but you can download other versions, I like the NIV and NKJV. There's reading plans on every subject including depression, verse of the day and lots of other stuff besides.

God bless you Child. I'll be praying for you, and if you want to chat just send me a quick PM and I'll start the ball rolling.

Take care and God bless you.

Love, Andy

 

[ChildofChrist]

Thanks for your kind and reassuring words and thank you for your prayers, I feel a bit better this afternoon but felt rather helpless this morning, I need to remember Gods goodness and to praise Him more than I have been doing, I do tell God how I’m feeling as I feel that’s what I should do, I’m trying to keep in the word as much as I can, I can manage 1-2 chapters a day at the moment, mainly because I have lots of other things I need to do.

 

[ChildofChrist]

I find in my depressed state, I sometimes I can’t express my feelings properly or that words fail to describe how I feel .

 

[Hekuran]

A few years ago I suffered a few bouts of depression. Not too serious, but a pretty bleak time nevertheless.

I often found reading and praying the psalms very, very helpful. Often they gave me the words for things I couldn't express for myself.

Will be praying for you. Depression can be a lonely experience, but you are not alone.

 

[ChildofChrist]

Thank you, I do like the psalms

 

[ChildofChrist]

I feel even better this evening, I had a lovely soaking session with Jesus (meditated on Him with some “soaking” music and just rested). Feeling refreshed and at peace (for the time being...)

 

[ChildofChrist]

I would like to add that this evening, I felt overcome by Jesus’s affectionate love , so much happier tonight, I hope it lasts

 

[ChildofChrist]

Thank you all for your prayers xx

 

[complete]

Please pray for me, I’ve had depression ever since I was 9 years old and now I’m 23 years old, and ever since becoming a Christian and seeing other Christians filled with joy, I’ve decided enough is enough, this needs to go.

I’ve been diagnosed last Thursday and have just started antidepressants as from last Thursday for both my anxiety and depression, I have nothing to be depressed about but I’m sad, numb, unmotivated, overwhelmed and irritable. I feel like God is angry at me or at least disappointed in me because I don’t produce fruits of the spirit and because I struggle To get filled with the spirit, i feel like I’m lukewarm and I’ve been praying to God to set me on fire for him again. I feel like a selfish and a bad person and like God is only putting up with me and I don’t know the last time I genuinely smiled.

I have only a glimmer of hope that it will get better and the antidepressants will start to work soon but going to work seems too much at the moment but I have to as I need to earn money and both my parents don’t understand about depression at all and just shouted at me for having it. So I’ll never tell them about this , I’ve also gotten myself onto cognitive behaviour therapy but I’ve not started it yet.

I need some encouragement and prayers, I just don’t know how I’m going to cope...

@ChildofChrist

(Philippians 4:4-9)

Dear Heavenly Father,
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We lift this young person to You, and pray that You will quieten her, and enable her to keep her eyes stayed upon Christ, Her Saviour, and Her Lord. Help her to trust you, and to be careful for nothing, but by prayer and supplication, may she make her requests known unto You, with thanksgiving. In the knowledge that You know just what she is going through, and that Your Holy Spirit is already praying for her with groans that cannot be uttered. For she does not know how to pray as she aught. She does not know her need, but your Holy Spirit does. We thank You that You both know her need and know the remedy. You know what is causing her depression, and her anxiety, and therefore you can meet her need.

Please enable her to give thanks in all things, and to stay her mind on what she has already learned concerning You, and become assured of, that she may grow in grace and truth and in the knowledge of You. That she may become assured, and confident that You will keep and save her to the uttermost through faith in your Beloved Son. May she come boldly to your thrown of grace, to seek help in her time of need, and know with assurance that you will be her strength and shield.

Please help her to trust and not to be afraid. Not to look inward, not to look outward at those around her, but to look upward to You, and trust you to keep her in all circumstances, and to praise you, and rejoice in you even though her heart may be heavy, in the sure knowledge that she is your workmanship, and that the work you have begun in her, you will continue to do until the day of Christ.

We praise you Lord, that you are faithful, and you will do it.
In Christ Jesus
our risen and glorified
Saviour, Lord and Head
Amen

 

[complete]

@ChildofChrist,

Hello there,

I am from the UK too. I have known the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour for many years, and have also known what it is to be depressed and feel anxious. Yet, I also know that the answer is to trust in God, in Christ Jesus, for He will rescue and He will save. Read the word of God, let it dwell in you richly, for it is the word of God that the Holy Spirit uses to cleanse your way, and to encourage and strengthen you, and to give you the assurance you need in the absolute faithfulness of God. He has saved you by His grace, and He will assuredly keep you. Thank Him for your weakness, for in your weakness His strength will be made perfect. Thank Him and praise Him and rejoice in Him, regardless of your feelings, for He is working in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. He will give you the strength to endure.

Don't look inward, don't look around at others, who appear to be trouble free, and compare yourself with them, for God is dealing with us all in different ways. Look to Him, and trust Him in all things. You are His Child and He delights in you.

With love in Christ Jesus
our risen and glorified
Saviour, Lord and Head.
Chris

 

[ChildofChrist]

Thanks for your lovely prayer, complete, it gave me peace to read it. I watched an online worship service and went all out on praising our wonderful Lord Jesus! I felt like He was pleased and thank you for your encouraging words, it is really needed in this hour

 

[twcstp111]

I know depression all to well, and godspeed to you I hope it resolves for you.

 

[Bill]

Please pray for me, I’ve had depression ever since I was 9 years old and now I’m 23 years old, and ever since becoming a Christian and seeing other Christians filled with joy, I’ve decided enough is enough, this needs to go.

I’ve been diagnosed last Thursday and have just started antidepressants as from last thursday for both my anxiety and depression, I have nothing to be depressed about but I’m sad, numb, unmotivated, overwhelmed and irritable. I feel like God is angry at me or at least disappointed in me because I don’t produce fruits of the spirit and because I struggle To get filled with the spirit, i feel like I’m lukewarm and I’ve been praying to God to set me on fire for him again. I feel like a selfish and a bad person and like God is only putting up with me and I don’t know the last time I genuinely smiled.

I have only a glimmer of hope that it will get better and the antidepressants will start to work soon but going to work seems too much at the moment but I have to as I need to earn money and both my parents don’t understand about depression at all and just shouted at me for having it. So I’ll never tell them about this , I’ve also gotten myself onto cognitive behaviour therapy but I’ve not started it yet.

I need some encouragement and prayers, I just don’t know how I’m going to cope...

Gods Merciful Love be yours
Do you ever do volunteer work ? Go volunteer at a hospital or nusing home. Do this, and your depression will leave you.

 

[ChildofChrist]

I work as a carer already but thanks for your help. The medication is starting to help and I’m praying to God to find out the cause of it xx

 

[Bill]

I work as a carer already but thanks for your help. The medication is starting to help and I’m praying to God to find out the cause of it xx

It wasn't a career that I was suggesting but as a volunteer. Often in depression we only look at ourselves and what we have or have not done in our lives we look at ourselves and think we are nothing or worthless. But when you do volunteer work you realize that you do have value and the people that you do the volunteer work for especially in that of a nursing home or in the hospital are thankful and are grateful for your time

 

[lilstarsmum]

Please pray for me, I’ve had depression ever since I was 9 years old and now I’m 23 years old, and ever since becoming a Christian and seeing other Christians filled with joy, I’ve decided enough is enough, this needs to go.

I’ve been diagnosed last Thursday and have just started antidepressants as from last thursday for both my anxiety and depression, I have nothing to be depressed about but I’m sad, numb, unmotivated, overwhelmed and irritable. I feel like God is angry at me or at least disappointed in me because I don’t produce fruits of the spirit and because I struggle To get filled with the spirit, i feel like I’m lukewarm and I’ve been praying to God to set me on fire for him again. I feel like a selfish and a bad person and like God is only putting up with me and I don’t know the last time I genuinely smiled.

I have only a glimmer of hope that it will get better and the antidepressants will start to work soon but going to work seems too much at the moment but I have to as I need to earn money and both my parents don’t understand about depression at all and just shouted at me for having it. So I’ll never tell them about this , I’ve also gotten myself onto cognitive behaviour therapy but I’ve not started it yet.

I need some encouragement and prayers, I just don’t know how I’m going to cope...

I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles, friend. I know how hard it must be for you to go through difficulties. Please know that our God loves and cares about every detail of your life. He is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7). I just said a prayer for you, asking the Lord to reveal His healing presence to you in a special and powerful way, filling you with His love, peace and strength in the days ahead. Stay strong in Him. Peace to you.

 

[ChildofChrist]

Thank you x