Depression

[Bipolar]

Can depression and the peace of God coexist?

 

[Basil the Great]

Perhaps, possibly, but it would seem to be difficult to have both forces in your life at the same time. God bless.

 

[Thess]

Can depression and the peace of God coexist?

Great question! I know that God's Grace exists. God understands what is happening to us. Look, if not for Adam and Eve, we wouldn't be struggling. So, this means that we're all packing around an alter-ego called the Sin Nature. Paul shows us how to separate our righteous and holy selves (pure like original Adam and Eve) from the "self" that love sin, the "sinful nature". No one ever taught me to understand how to separate my righteous self from my sin nature self. My righteous self shows up Sunday morning, but for many, the sinful nature self re-emerges almost immediately after leaving "church".

Wrestle with understanding that it's the sin nature that is assaulting you. Don't let it win....do EVERYTHING to fight it. You can do it. I believe that you can and will do it.

 

[Thess]

I have a question for you. If you were taught what I have copied and pasted below, would this have helped you entirely with your depression?

Were you taught….? That responsibility/accountability comes through Strict Training after baptism? 1Cor 9:25) *To enter Discipleship? 2Tim 2:2) *The full Eternal Scope of why you are alive? Eph 2:10/Jhn 12:25) *To fully understand God’s Testimony of His Son? 1Jhn 5:10) *To grasp Christ’s Power and Authority? Eph 1:21) *Exactly how a Christian will begin to Think and Live? Jhn 8:51) *To correctly Fear the Lord? Acts 9:31) *That God grants Faith? Phil 1:29) *That holding faith springs Assurance? Heb 11:1) *How to Test? 1Thes 5:21) *That God’s perfect Love assists with Fears? Heb 13:6/1Jhn 4:18) *To believe in your Holiness, Deserving of God and His sacrificed Son? 1Jhn 3:19) *How to come to Terms with Yourself, to realize the Sin Nature and how to properly Perceive it? Rom 7:14-25) *How to mold your Self-Worth through Godly perspective verses our meagre human viewpoint? 1Cor 4:3a) *How to love the Weak and Struggling? 1Thess 5:14) *How to live with a Clear Conscious? 1Tim 3:9) *How to be Selfless? Mark 8:34) *To Verify each other’s Salvation? Incredibly, does anyone ever question you regarding your salvation and quality of life? 1Jhn 4:1) *Were you taught the cost of rebellion?

 

[Bipolar]

I have a question for you. If you were taught what I have copied and pasted below, would this have helped you entirely with your depression?

Were you taught….? That responsibility/accountability comes through Strict Training after baptism? 1Cor 9:25) *To enter Discipleship? 2Tim 2:2) *The full Eternal Scope of why you are alive? Eph 2:10/Jhn 12:25) *To fully understand God’s Testimony of His Son? 1Jhn 5:10) *To grasp Christ’s Power and Authority? Eph 1:21) *Exactly how a Christian will begin to Think and Live? Jhn 8:51) *To correctly Fear the Lord? Acts 9:31) *That God grants Faith? Phil 1:29) *That holding faith springs Assurance? Heb 11:1) *How to Test? 1Thes 5:21) *That God’s perfect Love assists with Fears? Heb 13:6/1Jhn 4:18) *To believe in your Holiness, Deserving of God and His sacrificed Son? 1Jhn 3:19) *How to come to Terms with Yourself, to realize the Sin Nature and how to properly Perceive it? Rom 7:14-25) *How to mold your Self-Worth through Godly perspective verses our meagre human viewpoint? 1Cor 4:3a) *How to love the Weak and Struggling? 1Thess 5:14) *How to live with a Clear Conscious? 1Tim 3:9) *How to be Selfless? Mark 8:34) *To Verify each other’s Salvation? Incredibly, does anyone ever question you regarding your salvation and quality of life? 1Jhn 4:1) *Were you taught the cost of rebellion?

 

[Thess]

Can depression and the peace of God coexist?

Another answer I thought of....

One of the things that I admire about Paul is that though he had a lot of anxiety and frustration, and very real fears, he never lost view of the Assurance that he held firm in his heart that [God loved him deeply]. Paul felt God's Almighty Power on the Damascus Road, and when you feel that Almighty Power, you are forever changed. So while Paul was suffering incredibly both physically and emotionally, which is challenging, he never once showed any form of wavering in his incredible writings.

I highly recommend reading Paul's writings in chronological order. I think you'll be amazed as you read him as though reading the story of his life. And his final letter is just crushing, 2nd Timothy.

 

[Bipolar]

Another answer I thought of....

One of the things that I admire about Paul is that though he had a lot of a anxiety and frustration, aInd very real fears, he never lost view of the Assurance that he held firm in his heart that [God loved him deeply]. Paul felt God's Almighty Power on the Damascus Road, and when you feel that Almighty Power, you are forever changed. So while Paul was suffering incredibly both physically and emotionally, which is challenging, he never once showed any form of wavering in his incredible writings.

I highly recommend reading Paul's writings in chronological order. I think you'll be amazed as you read him as though writing the story of his life. And his final letter is just crushing, 2nd Timothy.

I appreciate your posts!

 

[Thess]

I have a ministry to people with a mental illness diagnosis!

Gotchya.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Can depression and the peace of God coexist?

There are three basic kinds of depression.

Clinical depression is a CHEMICAL IMBALANCE, not a moral or spiritual failure, that can be managed with proper meds, like gout or diabetes.

Medical depression is, as the name says, caused by an underlying medical condition. Once this is identified and treated, the depression usually fades away.

Then there is reactive depression after suffering a major loss. This, too, fades in time.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk suffered from clinical depression (reading between the lines of his life story).
He was nevertheless a great comfort to many and a spiritual guide.

St. Metrophanes Hsa, one of the Chinese Orthodox martyrs, also suffered from CD, but his faith in Christ enabled him to face martyrdom.

When Jesus said in the Garden, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death," He didn't sound like He was on the summit of Mt. Feelgood, right?

No matter how you are felling, or why you are depressed, the Lord is in the middle of it with you.

 

[Bipolar]

So I was clinically depressed for 7 months! This was brought on by a failing marriage and a failed business! Did this cause the chemical imbalance you are talking about or did the chemical imbalance cause the depression? I woke up one day and my depression was completely gone with no medication! Would you say the imbalance went away! The chemical imbalance theory has been disproved. You can google it and see.

 

[Bipolar]

I do agree with your last statement. I will say I believe that the DSM5 is mans wisdom! There is nothing in the bible of psychiatry that gives God credit for anything! The Bible is where we get wisdom from God. When you mix them there is a problem. 1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in Gods sight. I have talked to many Christians who did not use medication (that caused suicidal and homicidal thought) for the darkness of their soul. They all give God the praise for bringing them out of the darkness.

There are three basic kinds of depression.

Clinical depression is a CHEMICAL IMBALANCE, not a moral or spiritual failure, that can be managed with proper meds, like gout or diabetes.

Medical depression is, as the name says, caused by an underlying medical condition. Once this is identified and treated, the depression usually fades away.

Then there is reactive depression after suffering a major loss. This, too, fades in time.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk suffered from clinical depression (reading between the lines of his life story).
He was nevertheless a great comfort to many and a spiritual guide.

St. Metrophanes Hsa, one of the Chinese Orthodox martyrs, also suffered from CD, but his faith in Christ enabled him to face martyrdom.

When Jesus said in the Garden, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death," He didn't sound like He was on the summit of Mt. Feelgood, right?

No matter how you are felling, or why you are depressed, the Lord is in the middle of it with you.

There are three basic kinds of depression.

Clinical depression is a CHEMICAL IMBALANCE, not a moral or spiritual failure, that can be managed with proper meds, like gout or diabetes.

Medical depression is, as the name says, caused by an underlying medical condition. Once this is identified and treated, the depression usually fades away.

Then there is reactive depression after suffering a major loss. This, too, fades in time.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk suffered from clinical depression (reading between the lines of his life story).
He was nevertheless a great comfort to many and a spiritual guide.

St. Metrophanes Hsa, one of the Chinese Orthodox martyrs, also suffered from CD, but his faith in Christ enabled him to face martyrdom.

When Jesus said in the Garden, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death," He didn't sound like He was on the summit of Mt. Feelgood, right?

No matter how you are felling, or why you are depressed, the Lord is in the middle of it with you.