Worry, distress, anxiety, and depression are all on the rise. Yet, some people seem to have peace even in our troubled world. What’s the difference? And is it possible to have that peace?
Also, I can’t imagine anything worse than believing you are right with God and when you stand before Him, hear those words, “I never knew you.” Yet, in the “Parable of the Wheat and the Tares” and in the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus acknowledged that there are many sitting in churches who don’t belong to Him and will hear Him say, “I never knew you.”
Are you discouraged? Or do you know someone who is? Even those of us who know and walk with God can get exhausted, disappointed, and discouraged. We may be discouraged over our own or someone else’s progress with God. We can, also, be discouraged and disappointed with God’s answers or lack of answers to our prayers. And most of us, probably, find it hard not to be discouraged over what has been going on in our nation. Other times we can be just plain tired. And fatigue, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, can give us a warped sense of reality.
Elijah had just witnessed one of the most incredible and dramatic moves of God. But in today’s reading, he has decided he is the only one left serving God, that those in charge are going to kill him, and that God isn’t really working at all. In short, he is having a big pity party. He is so discouraged that he asks God to kill him. Instead, God gave him what he really needed. We often need the same thing when we’re depressed and ready to give up.
No matter what the battle or who the enemy is, we are not to look at the size of the enemy, but at the size of our God! So, if you’re struggling with anxiety about everything going on in our nation and the world or with the circumstances of your life, there is a better way to process it all. Today we’ll look at how we can refocus on the bigness of God and respond biblically.
Are you tempted with discouragement? Do you feel like caving in or giving up? Do the news reports and other things going on around you have you anxious and worried? Maybe it’s your family’s finances and the general uncertainty of life? Maybe it’s health concerns, family problems, or something else. Or maybe it’s your own unsettled heart. What does God’s word say about discouragement and what will help?
Today and in the next post, we’re going to talk about guilt, what it is, and why we experience it? We’ll look at how the world views it, some examples of guilt in the Bible, and we’ll get the biblical perspective on it. Finally, we’ll discuss what we as Christians should do about it?
Today we’re going to talk more about how a failure to handle the events and responsibilities of life in a biblical way and other sins can cause feelings of depression. Then we’ll talk about how, as believers, we should respond to feelings of depression.
There are numerous reasons why a person might feel depressed. We can be depressed because of a loss or a setback, because of a lack of sleep, or because of illness. And I don’t have to tell you ladies about hormonal issues. And, sometimes, there is no known cause other than living life in sin-cursed bodies in a fallen world. It’s, also, true that a failure to handle the events and responsibilities of life in a biblical way can cause feelings of depression. But we must be very careful about making assumptions where others are concerned.
Depression, if you’ve ever suffered with it, you know it can be a dark, discouraging place to be. At its worst, it’s been called the “dark night of the soul.” But there is hope for those experiencing discouragement, depression, and hopelessness.
Today we’ll start looking at people in biblical times who experienced feelings of
Depression, if you’ve ever suffered with it, you know it can be a dark, discouraging place to be. At its worst, it’s been called the “dark night of the soul.” So, does the Bible have anything to say to those suffering from depression?
Christians and depression: We don’t often think both of those words should describe us. Yet, for some us, that is or has been our experience. Robert Somerville has written a great resource, describing a dark time in his life, the stories of others, and the hope found in Christ, the Gospel, and the Word of God.
