So
are you depressed, suffering from depression that leaves you feeling
down, low downhearted, I believe you are so not alone, and million
suffer with you.
What if you are a Christian, should you still be suffering depression,
is there something seriously wrong, can there be any demonic influence
in it at all?
Depression by Myra
Chave-Jones
Most
people have experienced depression
to some degree. It can by just a mood of heaviness lasting for a short
time. At the other extreme it can be a paralyzing illness which drags
on for months and may need hospital treatment. The universal
characteristic of depression is lethargy of the body and dreariness of
spirit. Everything seems to be too much trouble, and not worth the
effort anyway. In severe cases, depression can feel like intense
emotional pain which goes on endlessly with no hope of light at the end
of the tunnel.
Depression has several possible causes:
It can be a natural reaction after prolonged strain (which is remedied
by rest).
It may be a chemical imbalance which can be put right by chemotherapy.
It is frequently the normal reaction to the loss of a loved one, a job,
a house, or some significant person or object which represents security.
Sometimes there seems to be no identifiable cause; it just wells up
from a person's deep inner life. This type of depression is thr hardest
to bear, because it appears irrational.
Psychotherapy can often help with the emotional disturbance which is
going on below the surface.
Depression is a very strong force. Its presence cannot be denied,
although a person may not recognize it for what it is. It affects
patterns of eating and sleeping; diminishes interest in sexual and
other activities; robs people of the ability to make decisions. One
unmistakable characteristic is the sense of failure and worthlessness.
Sometimes people are only aware of being bored and not interested in
life; they cannot idenify underlying depression.
What is wrong?
Like all other pain, depression conveys a message that something needs
attention. What that thing is will vary from person to person. Often it
can be traced to unexpressed feelings of frustration and anger with
another person or situation. For some reason these feelings cannot find
an outlet, so they are turned inwards. (4.H.C comments. Try forgiving
the person and ask God to help you do so and focus on Jesus and God
more, sing praises and thank Him, even if you don't feel like it, pray
and pray and really let go and relax and put your all into God and
watch what He will do in return.)
The frustration is frequently caused by an unmet need to be dependent.
Thus, depression may be telling the sufferer that they need to grow in
some way in personality. Certainly, it is giving a clear signal that a
change of attutude is called for towards oneself and other people.
Just because people have a Christian faith does not mean that they may
not be depressed from time to time. They still remain human beings! Yet
if, at the onset of depression, a person can take a firm grasp on the
changeless faithfullness of God, his free forgiveness and his sure
promises, this can often half the slide into a servere episode.
The very nature of depression means that feeling are numbed. Therefore
the Christian's normal sources of comfort, their life of prayer and the
Bible, may seem to become meaningless.
There is no easy answer to depression, but prevention is better than
cure. Prevention lies somewhere in the area of a readily growing
knowledge, both intellectually and in experience of the changeless and
unconditional love of God. This knowledge will enable us to stand
steadily when external events or internal feelings are painful.
Sometimes perhaps sin
can cause depression as well as say the obvious stresses in life,
whether that be in the work place, loss of a loved one, and so on.
He gets physically sick
more often.
The stress addiction puts on
his immune system drags it down. addicts get more colds and other
respiratory infections, with longer recovery times.
He
becomes a mess chemically.
ual addiction alters the shape of
the in and drains natural serotonin levels. The nervous system gets
messed up. Deep sleep through the night is elusive and he often feels
run down. Clinical depression, anxiety attacks and blood pressure
problems start to creep in. Many addicts wind up on antidepressants or
other medication to cope. Sadly, because they “feel a little better” on
the medication they are deluded into thinking they’re not as bad off as
they really are, and the journey of insanity continues until…
All joy
in life is gone.
Because his “happiness” in life is based on fantasy, his hobbies and
other interests cease to offer any enjoyment. Personal or corporate
worship times, normally a source of joy, only intensify his feelings of
shame. He forgets how to relax and just have fun and he won’t slow down
because it forces him to face what he is inside. Life becomes drudgery.
His answer ? More acting out to fill the Big Hole.
http://www.blazinggrace.org/Whatlustdoes.htm
Yes
I know it's lust, but it does not have to be sexual at all and can be
something else, unforgiveness, but a repeated and unrepented sin can
lead to depression and much worse.
While
I must stress not everything is down to sin:-
John
9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
2
His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?"
3
Jesus answered, "Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that
the works of God might be revealed in him.
However
there is also clearly a warning that returning to a sin or sinning
again on purpose, a falling back into old ways can lead to you being
worse than you was before:-
John
5: 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to
him, "Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse
happens to you."
Just a few Old Testament
verses that bear out the fact about being
right with God keeps you healthly:-
Proverbs 4:20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my
sayings.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the
midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health
to their whole body.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is
the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 14:30 The life of the body is a heart at peace, but envy
rots the bones.
Proverbs 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoices the
heart. Good news gives health to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart makes good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. |
