God's strength ...

[Winter]

Yesterday (and today, but a little better), I was in a terrible state. Depression and anxiety weighed upon me. I was paralyzed with pain. I felt like an anchor was sitting on my chest and I could barely breathe. And the whole time I had to be strong for my little one, and be strong at work.

While at work my heart was pounding, I was panicking. Co-workers asked what was wrong but I just said I was tired. I was dying. And so .... I was tempted to turn to something I used to rely on before I returned to Christ: Astrology. I used Astrology and my horoscope to help me see what the heck was going on and what I could anticipate in the future. But I made a promise to Jesus that I would not rely on those things ever again. But still ... when one is in pain the temptation is there.

I was just about to type in www.(astrology website) when I told myself that I should just type in "Biblical quotes". And I did. And this is what I landed on:

Bible Verses About Strength- 25 Encouraging Scripture Quotes

This helped me throughout the day. And I realized something. So often we pressure ourselves to be strong and to be wise during moments of crisis. But surrendering ourselves to God's strength and allowing His strength to carry us takes a load of that pressure from us.

So I hope these quotes can help you all as its helped me.

I'm still fragile. I still want to die. But I have a crutch I can walk on for now.

Today is a crucial day for me. Please please pray for me.

 

[Purge187]

Prayers on the way, my fellow New Englander. How 'bout those Bruins?

I was in a similar position a few months back, and God delivered me from my spiritual dilemma. He can and will do the same for you. Just don't give up.

 

[Winter]

Prayers on the way, my fellow New Englander. How 'bout those Bruins?

I was in a similar position a few months back, and God delivered me from my spiritual dilemma. He can and will do the same for you. Just don't give up.

Thank you so much for your encouraging post and prayers. I can tell your prayers have helped me today. God bless you fellow New Englander.

 

[drjean]

Good for you to find God's strength! I would pray for you to be able to realize that you probably don't really want "to die" to end your life, but to end the life you are currently having to live? God can help you change it---but you probably didn't get "there" in a short time, so it may take a bit to wind yourself back out of the deep despair.

Whenever I begin to look at "my life" and the troubles of the world I stop...and focus upon God's love and His mercy and that He is sovereign (and Jesus is coming soon!)... when I look around I am always disappointed, but never when I look up.

 

[GreatSpeckledBird]

I will pray that you will come to an awareness that astrology is dabbling in the occult and hence with evil spirits. It's not the astrology itself but the spirit associated with it that is controlling you and causing those temptations. If you recognize you're in a spiritual war and that Jesus is your Lord and your source of strength, then the temptation for the idol should weaken and disappear.

I would repent of it as sin and ask Jesus to forgive me of it and give me the power of grace to put it away forever. That's what His grace does but we have to acknowledge the sin of it before we can receive the grace of repentance. I know you love Jesus, I can tell by the way you write, but when we know we're struggling with a besetting sin we have to deal with it as sin. That's why they call it amazing grace, it gives us the power & willingness to stop sinning.

I will ask Jesus to lead you into the truth of His redemption & the knowledge of how to partake in it.
---------------------
mitzi

 

[Winter]

No, I do not consult astrology anymore. That was over a decade ago before I returned to Christ. What I was saying is that I was going through a difficult time the other day and I was "tempted" to look up my horoscope. I was about to do that when I stopped dead in my tracks and searched for Biblical quotes instead.

The point I was making is that indeed Christ is our solution and that I found wonderful quotes to share with others, and that I needed prayers to help me through the day.

 

[Criada]

You are in my prayers, sister - and thank you for the link... that helped me too today

 

[Winter]

Thank you for your prayers Criada. ((hug))
I'm glad those quotes helped you too.

 

[Purge187]

Abandoning the whole astrology thing was a good idea. I can't imagine it to be any more effective, or less dangerous, than things like soothsaying.