General Depression Prayer Thread

[Okami]

Just as I once observed with lust, now it seems we've been getting many threads on depression.

And, once again, I've decided to create a place where we can all gather as one and share our stories with our struggles, temptations, and addictions.
And as I've also said before: "Let's make this a good experience for some friendly gathering of prayer and encouragement, shall we?"

Just as it says in Ecclesiastes 4:12: 'A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.'


Let me begin with a prayer,
Father God, I thank You and praise You for each individual who comes into this thread. Please, Lord, give us strength. Give us hope. Please, comfort us, just knowing we are not alone in this fight. This world is dark, and we cannot do it alone. Guide me, as a leader, Father, as I take on the challenge of helping those just like me. Though our stories are different, make us whole as we come together through this thread. May it bring You all honor and glory as we tell the stories of pain and of victory, and may tears and laughter coexist on these pages, Lord. Because in You, oh Lord, there is purpose for us. This battle belongs to You, and You can defeat these giants. Please, help us break the chains and destroy the demons.
You will make a way.
In Jesus' precious name I pray,
Amen!

[SIZE="4"]Scriptures that have helped me out[SIZE="1"]*[/SIZE][/SIZE]:
[SIZE="1"](that I think might help you out too)[/SIZE]

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.
For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!
~ Matthew 26:41

I can do all things through
CHRIST who strengthens me.
~Philippians 4:13

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.
And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.
When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
~ 1 Corinthians 10:13

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.
He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.
Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world
are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus.
So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you,
and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.
~ 1 Peter 5:8-11

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial,
because when he has stood the test,
he will receive the crown of life that God
has promised to those who love him.
~ James 1:12

Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.
But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
~ Romans 8:6


Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
~ Psalm 51:8

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.
But take heart, because I have overcome the world.â€

[12praiseGOD]

I would like to add a few more verses....

"Do not let any unwholesome talk comer out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their need, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

"And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerfull and effective." James 5:15-16

"Finally, all of you, live in harmoy with one another; be sumpathetic, love as brothers, be compossionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but weith blessing, becuase to this you were called so that youmay inherit a blessing. for,
"Whoever would love life and see good days must kep his tongue from evil and his lips frmo deceitfull speech.
He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pusue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against thase who do evil."- 1 Peter 3: 9-12

I guess what I am trying to say is prayer rules and is very effective! GOD bless you!!!

I went through some tough times such as moving from another country to the U.S., my dad being ill, me entering a school were everyone seemed to make fun of me because of being from another country...etc. But thanks to GOD all is going great. My dad is better, I get to talk to people from that other country, I have lots of friends here, and I have gotten used to the ways of the U.S..
p.s. I am full blooded american, just raised in another country.

[K. Ayato]

This should also get stickied.

[Blitzkrieg1701]

That it should.

Man, Okami, the timing of this thread is nothing short of miraculous. I've had a number of bouts with depression (moving when I was 13, confusion over the future, the various struggles mentioned in the Lust thread), and I've actually spent all today teetering on the brink of the worst in a while. I already gushed about the catalyst of it all in this topic: http://www.christiananime.net/showthread.php?t=45201
It's been eating me up worse and worse for a while now and has been opening up the doors to all sorts of feelings of anger and worthlessness, today in particular. But just reading over all those verses again has been a BIG encouragement. Thank you SO much.

Lord God, we love You so much, because You have already loved us more than we can ever comprehend. Thank you, Lord, that that love is still there even when we become too troubled to see it ourselves. Father, our emotions can be so deceptive, and yet they still have such a powerful influence over us. There are so many times when we simply can't control them, and so often realizing that only makes them worse. So, Father God, I thank You that we don't HAVE to be the ones to reign our emotions in. I thank You that it's not our strength that we have to rely on, but Yours, given to us through your Son Jesus Christ. So, Father, I pray for peace and joy the likes of which we cannot understand, that can only be granted us through Your grace and mercy. I pray that You will provide calm for those of us who know only chaos, I pray that You will give faith and certainty to those of us trapped in fear and confusion, and I pray that You will captivate our hearts and minds with Yourself, that we will no longer fall prey to the enemy's vile tactics.

And, Father, I especially lift up Okami to you. Lord, Satan has been so vicious and cruel in his attacks on her, and there is no doubt in my mind that it's because he's terrified of the great works You're already performing through her. So I pray that you will continue to defend your child from these assaults and just overpower her with the knowledge and certainty of how dear and precious she is to you.

We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.

[bakura_fan]

wow. Yeah. This is another good one. I dunno, with me I've just been worn out. Micah and I are trying to find a college that will work for both of our degrees. The only one I have found so far is Las Vegas. But, many people in my family have suggested other places, but those places only have his degree, and mine would have to be online. so i'm kinda at a low point. I feel like giving on and continuing online (as much as I loathe the thought) but, I don't want to not do what God's saying if it's just for online(not that I feel any of those places are right for us). I dunno, not many doors have opened for us in this regard....bah...i don't even know if this post is worth it. =_= *contemplates deletion....maybe later*

[Kamille]

I truly wish I could hug you, Okami. You help and impact so many others on Christ's behalf regardless of your pain. Thank you so much for starting this thread and the quotes of scripture. It is all very beautiful to the Lord. God bless everyone who comes to this thread. My prayers are with you all.

Everyone keep your eyes on the Light wich shines amidst the darkness.

[Alexander]

Okami for president.

*laughs shyly*

You've only done more good for us all miss, I'm very proud.

Depression level: High
Self-Esteem level: Below average

Today I read a very sad article on the rates of suicide of people with Asperger's Syndrome. The average age is between sixteen and eighteen, and the most major reasons for suicide were due to loneliness periods of three to four years without any other human contacts. I'm eighteen now, and have gone six. I've outlived a majority of aspies who in my own position let their lives go as a final cry for help.

There was a site just dedicated to reporting the numbers. It's astonishing but deeply saddening. I take no pride in myself that I've gone longer or just that I'm alive, as I had considered it as well but could never perform it. Even when it got so hard I couldn't stand up, I still kept going.

So many lost lives...so many lost dreams...

[Gabriel 9.0]

It looks like not many people are praying for other members including my bro but a short few..

I keep praying he gets through it.

I know I used to be very suicidal when me and his parents divorced and learned that our dad has HIV.

So please keep him/ others in your prayers as well. They could really use it atm. Happy Shabbat btw.

Great idea/thread Kady btw. We sure could use a thread like this.

[Blitzkrieg1701]

...I need help, guys. I hit rock bottom today after a long decent, and I'm afraid I'll fall even deeper if something doesn't change... but nothing's changing.

The girl troubles I mentioned elsewhere are messing me up way worse than I realized before. If this thing would just get resolved one way or the other, it'd be easier to deal with, but she's got so much going on in her life right now that I can barely talk to her for more than a minute at a time. Plus, she's just as introverted as I am, to the point that I have no idea how this would get resolved even if there was a chance. Thus, it just drags out longer and longer, I stew over it even more, and just get angrier that I can't do anything about it (and that's on top of the anger I'm already struggling with about the relationship in general)

And speaking of relationships... I just feel so alone right now. I know all these people, but I can't feel like anything other than an outsider with them. Worse, the few people I actually can feel normal around (like the girl I just ranted about) I can never actually spend time with. I've tried my best to not be so closed off and actually make some close friends, but it's just not happening. I'm still by myself, just in a crowd, and I'm sick to death of it.

I've also been really trying to plug myself into my church and elsewhere, and it's been nothing but walls in every direction. I'm involved with several ministries that are either withering and dieing or just not getting off the ground, and the other things I'd like to get involved with I'm hearing absolutely nothing back from. The sense of failure and frustration is getting too heavy to bear, yet the conviction I feel to stay a part of them is just about driving me crazy.

And it's not just in church stuff either. Ever since I graduated, I've been trying to make use of the passions for art that God has given me. The end result: I'm jobless, directionless, and without a clue what to do next. It's like everything around me just says "NO." I know a big part of that is due to my own lack of planning and drive, but knowing that just makes me feel even more like a failure.

And that's the final straw right there. I know I don't actually have it that bad. I mean, I can just read over the other prayer topics and see people who have ACTUAL problems. What an I whining about? But that doesn't help things any. Now, instead of just being a depressed, exhausted, confused, defeated failure at everything I do, I'm also a spoiled, snot-nosed brat. Great.

...and I'm just sick and tired of God. That's what absolutely broke me up this morning, but I can't pretend I feel anything else anymore. I have prayed and prayed so long, only to have what seemed to be answers be too far away to do anything or get snatched away right as I started to be happy again. I've asked God for something, ANYTHING to change only to have everything end up exactly as it was before except that I'm ten times as disappointed about it. I just can't take it anymore. I really don't even care. I've heard all the nice church answers before, I've said most of 'em myself, but if can't keep from falling into this pit then they won't do much good getting me out. If this is the best God can do, then He can just keep it. I'll just wither up on my own like I would have anyway and be spared the extra misery of Him taunting me with any more false hope. Just leave me alone.

...the fact that words like that could ever come out of my mouth scares me like nothing ever has before, but it's all that's left in me now. I don't even know how to pray anymore, the anger and frustration have just smothered whatever desire for the Lord I may have had. I'm just scared to death of... everything. And yet, I still know that He's here, even though I'm too wrapped up in my pity party to let myself see it. I know I need Him, even though I'm too bent out of shape to want Him. So please, pray for me. I don't think I've ever needed it like I do now.

(Sorry to have unleashed all this on ya'll, but I was really going to snap if I didn't get this off my chest somehow)

[Kunoichi]

Blitz,

Although I can not understand what it is that you are going through or to what extent demons haunt your soul.

I do know that when we hit the bottom of all that we think we can handle, well God is there. I say that based on faith right now and my next post will reveal as to why, because I do not feel the Lord in my life, yet I see his movements.

Sometimes...well we can't always understand. Sometimes, we reach the breaking point when death i sthe final answer, the only answer. I have tried that much before.

Please know that if anything, from one person who knows what it feels like to have no friends, no family and nothing to live for .... that God has plans.

Sometimes the only way that we can become as we are...well we have to hit the walls to do it. We have to hit every wall, every hole because we will not become who we need to become unless we are going through it. We will not become like Jesus if it is easy.

And yea, it sounds like a nice church answer....well please know that it is real and from my gut and from my own bottom of hell. That is the only answer that I have and that is the one I'm sticking too.

[Kunoichi]

Okay I am going to write my own now.

Well Okami-san as always, it seems that you God -given gift for encouragement shines through once more.

So here's the situation I'm in and prayer would just be appreciated.

One, I literally have no money. None and zip. Along with bills to cover...well I have no money so lol

Two, My depression is alleviating because i'm on medication now and it really helps. Bad side effects though: Restlessness, nausea, sleeplessness, shaking

Three, no car....and no money to fix my car

Four, Might lose my job....

Five, have to move in a month...no money to move....

Prayer I would love.

THank you all and God Bless you!

[Kiku]

ill be prayin, kunoichi.
hope things work out okay...

[Sparx00]

Sparx00 here. Just pointing out that I'll be praying for everybody in the GDThread. It's a hard thing to go though, But God will help you to see the brighter side of things. If any of you want to talk, Feel free to send me a PM.

[12praiseGOD]

same here as Sparzx00, I will be praying for all of you! GOD is always there...remember that!
GOD bless all of you!!!

[Blitzkrieg1701]

Man, just a couple hours later, and most of that big, angry post looks kind of alien to me. Those sources of anger and frustration are still there, and, frankly, they still hurt... but it already feels so different now.

First and foremost, that anger with the Lord has vanished. Completely. Almost immediately after I got finished ranting, I could already feel it giving way, in spite of my best efforts to stay mad, to something totally different. Dang it, He still loves me. Even after all my yelling at Him, even in the midst of everything that seemed to be going wrong, that still hadn't changed a bit. In spite of where all of my thoughts were going, that just wouldn't let go of my heart until it'd completely taken me over again. And if that wasn't enough, I've had a song stuck in my head all day: "Much Afraid" by Jars of Clay

mpty again
Sunken down so far
So scared to fall
I might not get up again

So I lay at your feet
All my brokenness
I carry all of my burdens to you

All of these things
I've held up in vain
No reason nor rhyme
Just the scars that remain
Of all of these things
I'm so much afraid
Scared out of my mind
By the demons I've made
Sweet Jesus, you never ever let me go
Oh, sweet Jesus, never ever let me go

So happy to love
Yet so far to go
You lead me on to where
I've never been before

All of these things
I've held up in vain
No reason nor rhyme
Just the scars that remain
Of all of these things
I'm so much afraid
Scared out of my mind
By the demons I've made
Sweet Jesus, you never ever let me go
Oh, sweet Jesus, never ever let me go

...and it's true. He hasn't and He won't, regardless of how much I pile up to tell myself otherwise.

And get this: I've been so bent out of shape over how I'm never able to be around the people I really want to, and just a few hours after I blow up about it, I go shopping and run into several those people out of the blue, and I'm gonna get together with them tomorrow. It's such a simple little thing, especially next to all the other stuff that's had me down in the dumps, but it about moved me to tears. Even after I accuse the Lord of not even listening to my prayers, He goes and answers one more completely than I would ever have dared hope for. God is GOOD, isn't He?

And you know what, Kunoichi? That is a nice church answer. And it's also completely true, every bit of it. And to hear you say it, who would have a far more valid reason to give in to despair than I could ever claim to, is extremely encouraging. Thank you so much.

But please keep praying for me, guys. The pain is less now, but it's far from gone. Those sources of discouragement are still looming out there, and I still greatly fear having to confront them.

Father God, I feel so unworthy coming before You now. I ask Your forgiveness for my childish, thoughtless words. I beg You to heal this anger, this selfishness that I've allowed to poison my soul. Please forgive my impatience, my frustration, my refusal to trust You when my limited understanding can't comprehend what's happening.

...and even as I ask these things, I know that You already HAVE forgiven them. Jesus, I know that You knew every one of these things before I was ever born, and You STILL were willing to accept me as Your own. Even now, with the pain still surrounding me, it all seems so small next to that kind of love, and I thank you so much for it.

And Lord, I pray for everyone else that has already posted in this thread and everyone who will in the future. Please, continue to use them to encourage others as much as they have me. I beg you to not allow my foolish outburst to become a hindrance to anyone who comes here looking for encouragement. Instead, let them know and believe the very same thing that You have shown me today: that even when our emotions are in chaos, Your love is unchanging. When we seem so far away from You, You are nearer than we could ever imagine. When we feel totally unworthy of Your love... we are, but that doesn't matter. We were unworthy from the start and you didn't abandon us, so what could we ever do, what situation could we possibly find ourselves in, that would cause you to now?

Thank You SO much, Father
In the name of your Son Jesus Christ I pray
Amen

[K. Ayato]

Good song choice too, Blitz.

[Blitzkrieg1701]

Oh, I had nothing to do with the choice, believe you me

[Kunoichi]

*smile to Blitz *hugs

Thank you for encouraging us all Blitz.

Well folks....I do not see how i'm going to get out of this...neither of us (meaning my boyfriend and myself) know how...

We just had our cable shut off.....so no internet except when we borrow off our neighbors....

God will keep us safe and guide us...of that I am sure. I just say this on faith because..well that is all I got at the moment...

washer broke too...and well still in the tight financial spot lol

We have food though..which is good...and I got a roof over my head, of that I am thankful..

Just guessing the Lord is teaching me how to be content with nothing....so I will be content with having more than most in this world and having less than most in our culture...

All glory be to God forever and ever! Amen

[silver_wolf454]

Wow, thanks for starting this one. I am weak in this area of my mental health. Bouts of awful lonelyness and feeling ugly, bouts of Satan mocking me, I know I've come so close to slitting my wrists and I never want to get that close again. *sighs* I don't know where I'm going with this but it's nice to vent I suppose.

Anyway, Just keep Silvy in your prayers and thoughts because she is weak.

[Kamille]

Wow, thanks for starting this one. I am weak in this area of my mental health. Bouts of awful lonelyness and feeling ugly, bouts of Satan mocking me, I know I've come so close to slitting my wrists and I never want to get that close again. *sighs* I don't know where I'm going with this but it's nice to vent I suppose.

Anyway, Just keep Silvy in your prayers and thoughts because she is weak.

Asking for help takes a lot of courage, especially if you feel shame. I think you are strong, but only because of Jesus who dwells in you.

Once again I pray for all who have posted on this thread.

[HiddenWoodchuck]

Oh man... depression, it is all way too familiar to me... in fact, I guess I could call my current state of mind nearing depression, but it is... somewhat different then before. It hasn't rendered me useless, I mean, to like not wanting to do anything... before I used to be so badly depressed and full of anxiety(to which they tell me I have so many different forms of... that I just can't remember all the names for them, but social anxiety is an example.) that I could not go anywhere or do anything, I just wasted away curled up to myself, not eating much of anything and only going out to visit endless amounts of doctors... I posted my story in the testimonials forum, and that was just some of it... depression rules my emotional battles, and I have been able to fight it off the last few years by trusting God, but lately I have been really emotionally worn out... so to speak. I dunno what I am going through, but I am still able to work and put on a happy face to those around me, but inside I feel emotionally unstable, like I want to have a breakdown and cry for days, but I cannot afford to do that, I can't be losing focus on doing a good job at work and I can't let others know I am feeling bad, because then they feel bad, I don't want that at all. I know this from experience.... I know the only reason I am able to continue about my daily schedule is because God is still holding me. I don't understand why, because lately I haven't done the best for Him. I have been too busy with my self pity... it's sad.

Anyway, enough about me, I will be praying for those who post in here, as well as the general lust thread and this forum in general... lust and depression... the two biggest things I battle, the two things that keep me from becoming closer to God... I don't speak much about the lusting, but it is a major problem, and I can't help but think it has contributed to my downfalls... I wish I could warn everyone who doesn't know the danger of lust and depression before they fall into it, because you feel enslaved and like you are no longer in control of your thoughts or actions. I strive to be fully free from my sins.

Thanks Okami, for making threads like these, it's awesome that you like to be so helpful.

[Danderson]

Know that I'll be praying for you guys.....Remember, that like all feelings depression is just that....a feeling...here one day and gone the next....Unlike our Savior....

Though I've not felt it recently, depression has taken ahold of me often, especially when I just feel like I'm not getting anywhere in school.....yet, have so much to accomplish in so little time.....

[Blitzkrieg1701]

Man, that God of ours is something else, isn't He? Right on the heels of one of the worst days I've had in a long time, Sunday was one of the BEST days I've had in a long time.

Father God, I praise You. I thank you that Your ways are not ours. I thank You that You provide blessings when we least expect them. I thank You that You provide us with what You know we need, not what we may what or ask for. I thank You for the trials You allow us to go through, as they are never more than what Your Holy Spirit will sustain us through. Lord, it is so easy for our hearts to forget these truths, even when our minds may still hold into them. I pray for all of us that you will remind us anew of the love You have for us and the great power through which you've made it available to us.

Father, I also lift up the specific requests of my brother and sisters mentioned here. I pray for Kunoichi, both for her emotional state right now and the scary financial situation. Lord, if it is Your will that these trials may teach her, then I pray that You will use them fully to those ends, since I know that You can sustain her in even the most dire circumstances. Yet, at the same time, I still pray that You might meet these needs as quickly and as completely as You would see fit. You are a God of miracles, of course. But, above all else, I thank You for the steadfast faith and hope in you that she has already demonstrated and the great encouragement it's been to the rest of us. Please, Father, continue to feed that faith and let it flourish even more.

I also pray for HiddenWoodchuck and this emotional exhaustion that is afflicting him. I thank You for sustaining him thus far, especially in regards to work, but I pray that You will grant him a joy and peace that reaches far deeper. I pray that You will rejuvenate his spirit and allow him to rest in You, even when everything in him may tell him that he can't. Above all else, I thank You for holding on to him in all things, regardless how little he may feel he deserves it. I thank You that You already loved us when we were at our most worthless, and that You still are at work in us even when we may feel like we're at a standstill.

I pray for Silver_Wolf as well, that you will strengthen her and protect her from the enemy's assaults. Father, I thank You that the salvation you have worked in us is not something that's happening one little bit at a time. I thank You that You have already made us into new creatures, that when You look at us You see Your Son, not the people we once were. Lord, I pray that You will grant her certainty of the newness You have worked in her and that You will continue to grow her in Your strength and Your Security.

I pray for Bakura_Fan, Gabriel 9.0, and Alexander as well, even though it's getting late and I'm growing too sleepy to adequately put down the right words. You know their needs, and You know what You are doing to work in their lives according to Your will. I just reiterate the silent prayers I've offerer to you on their account before, and ask again that You will grant them peace and joy in You.

In the name of Jesus Christ we pray
Amen

[Kamille]

That was beautiful Blitz. Thank you. Thanks, God.

[Kunoichi]

*hugs thank you Blitz....really that means so much to me

well i quit my job..so no job and no money but well, God is with me so I will keep pressing on.

[12praiseGOD]

wow that is a beautifull and I am sure a very effective prayer. I join you in that prayer Blitz, GOD bless you and every one else.

[Nikolai Melodie]

I'm having a lot of problems with this as well... ehh, it's not something I feel inclined to speak about. I just need a lot of prayer, because I've recently begun to be rather...self harm-ish.

[Kamille]

*hugs thank you Blitz....really that means so much to me

well i quit my job..so no job and no money but well, God is with me so I will keep pressing on.

God bless you always, Kunoichi. The strength of your faith in God is truly inspiring. I thank God for you and your love of Him.

[Sheenar]

I just want to say that it is awesome that this thread has been created. Depression is such a prevalent problem. We need all the support we can get!

Please pray for me in the situation with my mother (see the My Mother prayer thread for more info.) Pray that I will truly and completely trust in God --that He is good, He is there, He knows what He's doing...and that I would just rest in Him. I just need to heal.
Pray that doors will be opened to pour myself into ministry and service to others --so that I will not turn inward and withdraw into myself just because my circumstances are difficult. I do not believe that is what God would want me to do. That is how I get depressed.

I just need Christ to be the center of my focus. I do not want to go back to where I was...that scared the heck out of me!

Thank you guys. I am blessed to have your encouragement and to be able to encourage you in return.

[Blitzkrieg1701]

I just need Christ to be the center of my focus. I do not want to go back to where I was...that scared the heck out of me!

Is second that for myself. With all the emotional ups and downs of these past couple of days, I'm just kind of worn out. Plus, after being really busy for the past few weeks, I've got next to nothing to do right now, and it'd be really easy to start stweing over stuff again. So yeah, please pray.