christiandepression

In a book by William Burke, entitled: Protect us from all anxiety; Meditations for the depressed, ther is a meditation entitled, "The Damned Thing." He writes: .
"Ambrose Beirce wrote a horror story about a fiendish animal that could not be seen. Bierce's hero kept a journal of his search for courage facing this threat. The man's last journal entry was etched in sheer terror: 'God help me! It's the Damned Thing.'

I think about that as I stand in the safe haven of my bathroom and prepare to bruh my teeth. I know I am growing slowly -- so slowly -- out of my depressionIt takes longer now for the Damned Thing" to lock in on me in the mornings. Today, though, it attacks again viciously, as I put the toothpast on the head of my brush. I lay down the brush, lower my head. My eyes fill with tears. The dreaded litany sounds on my head: 'What's the use of getting up, of showering, of brushing my teeth? For what?

'God help me,' I pray -- and God does. I say, 'No!' to the depression out loud -- and even louder -- and I begin to brush my teeth again. The emotional pain is terrible, as always, but I have learned -- I know -- that to defeat depression I must keep on doing the small everyday things -- force myself to do them -- in defiance of the 'Damned Thing.'

Until I win.

And I will."

(Burke, William; 1998. Protect Us from All Anxiety; Meditations for the Depressed. Pages 20-21)

Many Christians who suffer from Clinical Depression and anxiety are also plagued with guilt for feeling the way they do. It is common for such Christian sufferers to feel like they are failures as Christians. Other, well-meaning Christians may suggest that "if you pray more" or "if you had more faith in Christ" that the depression will disappear. I have heard many people ask, "How can I be a Christian and feel so depressed?" Some Christians who suffer with clinical depression also struggle with suicidal thoughts. If this describes you, please read on. You are not alone in those feelings, nor are you condemned by God because of them. He loves you just as you are, and He desires to hold you in the good times, and carry you in the difficult times.

Some Biblical figures who struggled with depression and/or Suicidal thoughts:

Jerimiah cursed the day he was conceived (Jer. 20:14) and asked of the Lord, "Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incruable? Will you be to me a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?(Jer. 15:18)

Elijah went "a days journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree , sat down under it and prayed that he would die." He then begged the Lord, "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ansestors.1 Kings 19:4-5)

David pleads with the Lord, "How long, o Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face frpm me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Ps. 13:1-2)

The teacher in Ecclesiates groaned, "So I hated life, because the work that is done inder the sun is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecc 2:17)

Paul writes in Romans :7: 15-25 about his struggles with sin: "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do Ido not do, but what I hate to do. And if I do what I do not want to, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I can not carry it out. For what I do is not the good that I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do -- this I keep on doing. Now, if i do what I do not want to do, it is not I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So i find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being, I delight for God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law o of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my menbers. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God -- through Jesus Christ, our Lord!"