i have been told that depression and anxiety is a sin. i don't have it because i want it. and i have prayed about it many times. my mother said it is caused by not living a pure clean life. i have used drugs in the past. for recreation only. never addicted. i have stopped doing drugs. i've stopped doing almost everything. my depression/anxiety is not getting better. i had a panic attack at church yesterday. my paster would not let it go. i just wanted to go home. any answers? thank you emperor1

There are many biblical figures who expressed depression. Job, David, Jesus. . . .
Sometimes suffering is a result of our sin, sometimes it's not.
In any case God loves us and wants to heal us: Little by little
and for always.
God is so much bigger than we as individuals
and
God's love is so much smarter and stronger.

Depression, well, it's a fact of life. OK, so maybe it's worse for some more than for others, but. . . . God can help! God doesn't want to condemn. God wants to save!

Have hope! Jesus very clearly said that he came to earth for sinners. God so loved the world that he gave his Son.

It sounds to me that maybe your mom/pastor don't understand how important and even helpful suffering is in life and particularly in the a spiritual journey. Maybe they want you to be/feel "normal" and they're trying their best.
But you need to focus on the things that will make you feel better. Take positive steps and try not to dwell on past mistakes (you might want to check out the book Panic to Power or other resources listed on the site. . . so that you can develop skills to overcome the panic.)
I hope you feel better. God bless!

wow.....first off God doesnt work like that he doesnt punish us for our sins we punish ourselves....he forgives, he loves inspite of our insecurities and faults....

I do believe to some extent that what your Mom is saying is true although she has a very poor delivery. I do not think that you WANT to feel this way who would?! But I do believe that we create this bad pattern of thinking that makes us feel so badly. Anxiety and depression are created by our bad habitutal negative thinking.

When you have a panic attack the worst thing anyone can do is make fun, pick at it, etc. Lets say a small child was learning to read and it was very difficult for them to do....would we as a society laugh, tell him your not trying hard enough, some might but its not going to build self esteem and confidence....it will on the other hand make that child feel worthless and stupid for his lack of ability.

By reacting to your anxiety and depression in this way the people around you are helping to make it worse. This program is wonderfull it will teach you the skills you need to put an end to this negative pattern of thinking. It will teach you how to eat and excersise and to be assertive to stand up for what you are feeling.

Your not alone.....maybe the people directly around you dont understand anxiety/depression but you can learn and teach. And dont worry about God....he loves you just the way you are...the good and the bad he is not a grudge holder. God loves you for what you feel for him in your heart not how often or well you attend church thats a social event. Its how you treat others, with kindness and respect, with help and encouragement thats living a "clean" life. One could go to church every sunday and preach the BIBLE but if they are not feeling the true meaning of GOD they are missing the boat.

Your going to be ok.....you have the power to change the way you feel.....Come to online CHAT youll get tons of encouragement from others that completely understand what your feeling.....and work this program....change will come and you will be so happy.

Dodger

Dear EMPEROR1,

In all due respects, your mother is wrong - dead wrong. There are more people than I can possibly count, afflicted w/ anxiety disorder & or depression, WHO ARE GREAT PEOPLE - WHO HAVE LIVED LOVING/GENEROUS/COMPASSIONATE LIVES - loving themselves & others more as is GOD'S WILL & still got afflicted w/ these 2 ailments. Getting anxiety disorder or depression is not a sign of some CHARACTER LACKING - AS IF TO IMPLY YOU/WE/THEY/THEM have done something wrong on some greater level - no. Listen, we are all human - God knows this & God loves us still.

So, you have done recreational drugs in the past. While I don't necessarily condone them - the greater thing here is NOW YOU KNOW BETTER & YOU ARE DOING BETTER = you know they are not good for you/your mental & emotional health/your life - THAT IS WHAT GOD CELEBRATES - the fact that you acknowledged & made a change. I think you may need to remind your mother that a person getting anxiety disorder & or depression, is often GENETICALLY PREDISPOSED TO IT - so if your mama's silly theory is correct - then either your mama or daddy did something wrong & your are being punished - heck, you can probably link the genetic predisposition in your family, as w/ many, several generations back - so, does that mean, per your mama's theory, that your family was not living pure lives? I mean no disprect - however, that statement was just nonsense & dangerous to a person such as yourself TRULY WANTING TO RECOVERY & HEAL & HAVE INNER PEACE.

Listen, life is all about a continual journey of MENTAL/EMOTIONAL/PHYSICAL/SPIRITUAL growth/changing/evolving learning new things via various experiences in life - these things are not PUNISHMENT to you - its life's journey. God loves you - he thinks you are precious for you are his child - he doesn't want you to feel these negative ailments & is guiding you towards living a life he wants for you, one that includes LOVE/HEALTH/FAMILY/FRIENDS/RECOVERY/INNER PEACE.

I am RECOVERED FR ANXIETY DISORDER - I didn't set out to cause it - I was not being punished & sure as heck, wasn't afflicted because I was living an unpure life. I took responsibility for me & worked hard to recover - SURE 100%. However, in my case, majority of my issues as they relate to anxiety disorder directly stem fr severe trauma's I experienced in childhood. NOW, DID I CAUSE THESE EVENTS CAUSE I WAS UNPURE? COME ON, @ 6/7/8 etc, yrs old? That is just silly rubbish.

Try not to focus on the nay-sayers, the negative energy others give out can be overwhelming. You have something more powerful on your side - YOU HAVE GOD & JESUS. Make recovery your #1 priority - day in & day out. Focus on the program, following it EXACTLY - be committed to it - IT WORKS. Most importantly, continue praying - because God is answering your prayers - just make sure your listening. You know how you know he's answering? YOUR PASTOR - yep, thats right You see, anxiety wants to encompass all of you & your life. Anxiety wants to make you RUN - it wants to inhibit you + restrict you + paralize you in terrifying fear. In the beginning, when we don't realize our own power fr w/ in & don't quite understand anxiety disorder - we RUN. This only exagerates the anxiety. We, those initially afflicted w/ anxiety disorder, SIMPLY NEED TO "LEARN" these things & a new way/healthier way of thinking/acting/reacting/living. God doesn't want you to live in the abyss that is all things anxiety disorder & depress - that is why he gave you an EARTH'S ANGEL as I call them - an earthly human figure/ans to a prayer. He simply used a human form(your pastor) - your pastor didn't want to let it go. Now, I don't necessarily know what your pastor may have said or done, thats irrevalent. What GOD WANTED FOR YOU & I'M SURE WHAT HE WANTED THE PASTOR TO DO - is to make you STOP RUNNING FR THE FEAR. Think of it as God saying to you, his loving child, "don't run emperor - don't run, don't be afraid - it will not hurt you - I am here & I will never forsake you". The fact that you didn't run home - makes me believe God was smiling, cause MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - you didn't run. You survived that panic attack as unpleasant as it was - THAT WAS THE LESSON & God helped you using 1 of his EARTH'S ANGELS.

Finally, both of these ailments want to you to ISOLATE YOURSELF fr the world/people & just society & living in general - by making you feel such overwhelming negative & cumulative things - so it gets to a point, that you feel so BLAH that you don't want to do anything & you don't - it is trying to force you to believe its lies - I say, DON'T BELIEVE THEM - do stuff anyway, even if right now you don't much feel like it - thats ok, thats anxiety disorder & the depress. Recovery is hard fought - but so possible. You are a strong person & you have God & Jesus on your side - use these things to EMPOWER YOURSELF to fight like heck - you yell at that depress & anxiety disorder(I have done this & cried saying it) "no, I am a child of God & he claims me - he loves me - I am winning, my life/mind/body/soul/spirit is my own - you shall not win". You have the power w/in you - find it & fight.

Many Blessings,

LENORE

With all respect the people doing the blaming, are so as to clamming, they have the answer.Let the ones doing the blaming and making the clamming heal the world.BS comes in many forms ,it's doesn't matter how it's stacked.

Just this morning on Joyce Meyer's Enjoying Every Day Life, show, Dr. Myers says all depression is caused from anger turned inward!
God tells us not to let the sun go down on our anger, because it is good for us to Forgive, and let God handle any thing, or any one we are angry with. God is our Defender, our Avenger, and the Lifter of our heads, Like Lucinda teaches the positive self talk is Sooooo Important, to digging out the strongholds of our past, and let go of the hurts of our present.
What works for me, the best is to Know God is in Control of my life and by His Grace and His Love I live each day, so when adversity comes to me, I can say (for my positive self talk): "God has not done this to me, but for me! I will learn from this experience, something that will help me to be an overcomer, it Is a Test, that will stretch me and bring me up higher, I Will take Authority over my circumstances, and stay in peace, and God will lift me up from this miry clay"
I am meditating today on the verse Proverbs 3:4 I shall find favor, good understanding, and high esteem in the sight [or judgment] of God and man.
I have learned through this course that positive self talk, it paramount to getting over this, and Joyce Meyer, has taught me to not only to "Stop my stinking thinking" but to start positive thinking." For that which is in your heart comes out of your mouth" With God and the tools you will learn here you can change your heart.

Good post, cfe! I love Joyce Meyers.
I have a problem with forgetting the past. I may have forgiven and gotten over it, but the memories (and there are a lot of them) sometimes haunt me.
For instance, my niece is pregnant and spotting. It brought back memories of my miscarriage 10 years ago and what a jerk my ex husband was and how my mom blew me off when I called her about it. I had nobody to talk to or help me through it and it was so painful. Then I get down thinking about it and the circumstances. Then I start remembering ALL the crap and pain I've been through and it goes from there. It's hard to put out of your mind.

quote:

my mother said it is caused by not living a pure clean life.

How did what was said to you make you feel? What did you think as a result of what was said to you?

Dear Bevhembree; First of all I want to tell you "I am so sorry you had a miscarriage, it is a heart breaking loss, I am sorry your Mom couldn't face it with you. I have been able to forgive others who have hurt me over the years, by understanding that; "They are doing the best they can with what they have to work with" and let it go, my pain, my hurt, my anger only keeps me in prison, they are still free, and going about their lives. I can forgive them that is my part, and let God Judge them that is His part"
Joyce said this morning, how difficult it is to break down the strongholds of our past, in fact she doesn't think you can do it without God's help, I agree, and the great thing is He is willing and able to do it with us, we only need to ask Him.
I also am married to a jerk, but I love that jerk! and he is trying! now that I have told him my feelings, and me needs, he is trying to do for me what I had always hoped he would (figure out on his own) I have learned not only do we need to ask God for the desires of our hearts, but we need to tell others how to treat us.
The problem is we already have, and they are treating us like we have taught them to do, with our not telling them how we feel, and what we need. My past is people pleasing, and I would never think to ask for anything. I was miserable the fist 45 years of my life, because I didn't tell people what I needed. I allowed them to be my Priority while allowing me to be their Option. It all turned around when Lucinda taught me to stand up for me. and that God Loves me, just as I am, and just as He made me, the circumstances in my world, changed me, and I am working back to being the ME God intended me to be. and I am Loving being me! I am still generous, helpful, and diligent. but now I am doing it in peace and grace, and love. I no longer do anything that makes me angry, or disappoints me. My marriage disappointed me, because I had taught my husband to treat me like a slave, no more! and you know what he respects me, and appreciates me more now. I love my jerk, even more now that he is my partner, my mate, and no longer my boss..Our Love is deeper, and stronger, because we both know wear we stand we are finally each others best friends, I am so grateful to Lucinda for saving my marriage with her tools, and I am also thankful to all my problems for bringing me closer to my Loving God.

Dear Emporor1
Hi I am responding to let you know about a book I am reading right now. It is BECOME A BETTER YOU BY JOEL OSTEEN. It is so positive and so far has been a great comfort and help to me. I am just on Chapter 5 but at this point I plan to buy the book so I can go back and reread it.
It is so encouraging and I think it might help you. Please stay with the program it is such a wonderful blessing. It has helped me so much and I feel it will you too. I don't feel depression and anxiety are sins, but I do feel we need to do all that we can to help ourselves , and I know God will help us to, he is right here with us always. Anxiety and Depression are afflictions just as any other ailment on your body and God can heal us, but we do need to make great efforts to help ourselves. It isn't easy, but it's so worth every effort we make, it brings us closer to peace and happiness. Never give up, you can do this, you can conquer this.
Your Friend
Angla

my mother said it is caused by not living a pure clean life.

God sacrificed his only begotten sun, Jesus the Christ, to give you life and Life more abundant, He left you His Peace, to guide you to Him. He is the Door the truth and the Light. no one not even your mother can live "a pure clean life". all have sinned and come short," but our Loving God has made a way! this course will help you to accept that gift. This morning Joyce said on her show " how discouraging it is to give some on a gift and they won't accept it" that is what we do when we don't accept God's forgiveness, for our selves. God wants to take your burdens, and carry them for you! to the cross and put them under the blood, and cast them in to the sea of forgetfulness, how many of us struggle to accept our own forgiveness, thus to love our neighbor as we love our selves, makes it difficult to forgive our neighbor when we can't even forgive ourselves. This course will help you to uncover the things you are holding on to, and the strongholds your upbringing has planted in you, and let them all go through forgiveness: of you mother, and who ever else wants to keep you under an impossible law. God doesn't say I will love you IF. He has put the laws, and commandments of happiness in the bible, the do's and don'ts are in there to guide and protect us, but His Love is always there, no matter what choices we make. He tells us: "I put before you Life, and Death", then he gives us the answer "choose Life" (It is an open book test) but if we don't He doesn't turn His back on us, we turn our back on Him, He is still there "Lo I am with you always" So turn around accept his forgiveness, and it will make life easier, for you, but Life happens to all of us. We can do the best we can and struggle, or we can let God "make straight our path". Stay in His Joy and accept each day as the best day of you life, stay in Peace and Enjoy God's gift of Salvation..

Depression is not a sin. Remember that Saint Paul was bi-polar and this was the thorn in his flesh that he talked about.

Hello Emperor1,

In my opinion and reading scripture.....All of us have sinned.....not one soul breathing on this earth has not sinned daily. As Jesus stated in the bible...."He who has sinned not cast the first stone"?....What happened everyone walked away.......and Jesus being sinless did not even cast a stone.....

So as far as your Mother and Pastor may have told you they might want to repent themselves for judging you...Which is not there place if they want to go scripture with you. However the bible does clearly say "Fear Not" and "Be anxious for nothing". I believe it says that repeatively ..why? Because many of us would not get it the first time, the second time, nor the third......Thank God for the Gospels. It also says don't allow your flesh to run you in so many words yet many of us run for a donut or a cigarette..again not running to the word. So now you have this wonderful program to help you align to the word and not be tormented with anxiety/depression. But remember anxiety/depressions are emotions based on thoughts......watch your thoughts and watch how beautiful you blossom.......As far as the others let God deal with them accordingly...

Blessings Always

thank each and everyone of you. i didn't know i would meet so many nice and kind people here. nobody has ever understood like this before. i think my mother does have anxiety too. she is never happy and get's so quiet at times. i feel like she is angry with me always. thanks very much,emperor1

May I suggest Joyce Meyers Battlefield Of The Mind. I just started reading it and so far it is great!