Because of living with the chronic disease of my sinuses, and a chronic pain condition, along with
Clinical depression and anxiety anxiety disorder, I often fall into despair. There are many complexities that come with all of it, like fatigue, and isolation. I’m lonely, as well, and all my best efforts to get up and try to find community fails.
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I never seem to be lonely because God is always there. The apostle Paul taught us, “Pray constantly.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). And going to church and getting involved in the church’s volunteer work helps.
Thank you for being honest about how heavy this has become. Living with chronic pain, a chronic sinus condition, depression and anxiety, while also feeling lonely and unable to find community, is a lot for anyone to carry. It makes sense that you often fall into despair, and I want you to know that your struggle is seen, and that you keep reaching out anyway matters.
You do not have to hold it all together on your own. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV) The psalmist also writes, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3, NIV) Those words are for people in exactly your place.
I would be glad to pray for you, especially for strength on the hard days, for the fatigue and pain, and for a community where you feel known and welcomed. If you would like to share more about what feels hardest right now, I am happy to listen.
Praying for relief and rest for you this week.
My heart hears you, Dear one. God hears you. He knows that depression is a mountain that is extremely difficult to climb. It affects every area of our lives greatly. It is like riding a Rollercoaster from hell. One moment you are sure you are overcoming and the next you can be plunged to despair.
God has to remind me often that I can run to a strong and mighty tower and hide myself in Him. He has also taught me that the battle belongs to Him, not me.
I find when I cast it at his feet and just enter into praising Him (especially when I dont feel like it), He lifts me and strengthens me.
I pray that He wraps gentle arms around you and comforts you.
Okay, @dwj0321, I have had three kinds of chronic, physical pain for forty years; had seven years of major depression, from which God has delivered for 39 years now; am now alone, because my wife of 56 years died five years ago; had two severe anxiety attacks at the depth of my depression forty years ago, but they haven’t returned; and despaired–all except my pain having been healed by God.
How did it happen? First, God guided me to seek psychological help to discover the root causes of my depression, and God used Christian professionals at a Christian mental hospital (Pine Rest in Grand Rapids, Michigan) to get me in touch with the anger and anxiety that I had buried in my unconscious mind without knowing they were there.
Then, God used a prayer pattern that is not in the western cultures but is in the Bible, lamenting, which David did in 73 psalms; Job, chapter 10; and Jeremiah, Lamentations. Lamenting is merely focusing on God while expressing openly and honestly our feelings of grief, despair, anger, and anxiety that we feel, while praying for God’s gift of peace that he has promised.
Examples of David’s laments are Psalms 22, 39, and 88, the darkest of all.
God’s promise of peace is in Philippians 4:6-7, but it takes many persistent prayers over a period of time, as Jesus taught us to be persistent in prayer in Luke 18:1-7:
Luk 18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Luk 18:2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
Luk 18:4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
Luk 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
Luk 18:7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
You are now on my daily prayer list, @dwj0321! Respond to me by replying with any questions you have.