I am active on the social media site Quora and several months ago  I asked this question; “Which side are you on in the religion versus science debate”? 

To further explain what I was getting at I added this; “I believe that religion and science can coexist.  In fact I believe that religion, especially Christianity, answers the questions that science can't answer.  I also believe that it was the early church that championed science.

Christianity and Religion are not the Same Thing

 I first need to define religion and differentiate it from Christianity. What I am getting at is that religion is a method of worship or belief and Christianity is a relationship with the God of Creation and with that in mind, while you can be good and moral you can't have a relationship with the God of Creation on your terms it must be on His terms and since He is the creator, He has the right to set the terms, just like an artist can decide how he wants the model in his picture or his sculpture to look.” I asked the same question on Facebook and Google+.  Since my Facebook and Google+ post go to friends or acquaintances that you would think have views similar to mine I thought that I would at least get some comments agreeing with me but to my surprise I only got one comment from a friend who agrees with me that religion and science can coexist.  What that means I don’t know yet but I hope it isn’t because of apathy which is something that we Christians are guilty of.   I hope it was just because they were busy and didn't see the post.


The Responses

It may surprise you but most of those responding to my question agree with me that religion and science can coexist.  There were those who choose science only but none that choose religion only.  I was surprised because many if not most of the people who interact on the site I chose to ask the question, consider themselves intellectuals (I’m not one of those) and much like the Gnostics believe that they have special knowledge.

"I would say religion "tries" to answer the questions that science cannot.  Since there is no way to prove their answers correct, we have no idea of they actually do answer them."

"I do not necessarily believe that religion and science have to be at odds, but these days, they are. Given that, I am firmly planted on the science side of that.  Science brings you cell phones, computers, space flight, etc.  What does religion bring that cannot be had through another route?  You do not need religion to be a good, caring person.  You do not need it for morals or to help others. It served its purpose.  Now it just holds humanity back, IMO.  It's time humanity grows up, puts aside its stories of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, and confidently strides into its future.  A future where reason rules over myth, and not vice versa."

"I'm firmly on the side of science. Science has a framework for discovering the unknown, while religion simply asserts its answers. Science makes highly accurate, testable predictions about the future--and when those predictions are wrong, we re-examine what beliefs led us to those incorrect predictions and we change them and re-test them. Religion doesn't do this.  Religion, however, has the advantages of inertia (the Abrahamic religions have a few thousand years of Appeal to Tradition to back them up, while modern science has a relatively short history, and regularly changes due to improvements to our understanding of the world), a veneer of simplicity (your religious leader presents material to you and then explains the way they want you to interpret it; science is HARD and requires years of study just to get to a level where you can understand the basics of a field--it takes decades of blood, sweat and tears to reach the bleeding edge of your field), and lots and lots of money (NASA doesn't even get a penny on the dollar for every tax dollar Americans pay, yet religions often demand 10% of your income for tithes--and they GET IT)."

"Science and Secular humanism work for me. Religion answers none of my questions."

"Both. Being able to fully understand two separate concepts isn't a problem if you don't have an axe to grind in favor of, or opposition to, either side."

"Religion fills the gaps in which science currently has no answer for. People want a sense of thinking that they know everything about the world. Religion is a way to make sense of the unknown"

"My belief in scientific matters do not preclude me from believing in my God   What I like about science is that I have the mental freedom to consider theories of all types...and I can have a certain amount of physical proof from scientific investigations which are devised to test and retest  these theories.  Having said that, I have a personal belief in my own God although I don't subscribe to Biblical accounts of creation, etc. I'm not sitting on a fence because I don't believe there is actually a fence that divides science and religion."

"Donald Jacobs completely agree with you. As an engineer who is a devout Christian I believe that God created the universe with the Big Bang."







Here is a similar question asked on the same social media site

"Why do so many scientists summarily preclude the existence of God when by their own admission, they are unable to explain what created the initial conditions that led to the singularity that caused the Big Bang and the eventual creation of the universe?"

These answers are over whelming for science over God.  I have not added all the responses which are many but this will give you an idea.  While not all of the answers are for science the one answer included here that does not preclude the existence of God versus the number that do is representative of all the answers to the question.

"Those who believe "god did it" assume they now have all of the answers. Scientists don't claim to have all of the answers. The fact they question everything is an effect of their lack of arrogance and apathy toward knowledge. Because they know they don't know everything and because they continually ask questions, your life expectancy is more than double that of human beings who lived a thousand years ago - you know, when "god" was the most popular answer to everything."

"Scientists do not "preclude" the existence of god, they simply say (over and over and over and over and over) that they have seen no evidence of god and therefore see no reason to behave as if god exists. And besides, scientists deal with the unknown/unexplained all the time. Their job is to find provable answers to previously unexplained questions. That's what they do. Resorting to "god" to explain the big bang would be a totally unscientific response to an as-yet unsolved scientific problem. If scientists behaved in such un-scientific ways, they wouldn't be scientists."

"Because scientists don't generally reach for a convenient, highly improbable, non-falsifiable, supernatural cause for natural phenomena they are having a tough time understanding. They are scientists after all, so they do research and test and refine theories which can be experimentally validated."

"Because supernatural beings are not scientific explanations."

"Personally they may believe or not, but as a scientist, they will require sufficient proof for any hypothesis. Many truths can be better explained philosophically rather than scientifically and a correlation is being sought. Even before the Big Bang Theory, the origin of space was tried to be explained by Kanad and other Hindu sages. The physical existence of God is not likely to be proved, but other things will soon be revealed."

 

This question was originally asked many months ago and today more than 80 answers have been posted and nearly 70 people are following it so that the get notification when there is a new answer or comment.
 
My Observations

What does this tell us?  It tells us that we who know that God is the creator of all things and that it is because of Him that we live and move and have our very being, need to do a better job giving the evidence of His existence than we have in the past.  We need to stop just pointing at the bible and saying that because the bible says it so it is.  We need to point to the bible and then show the archaeological evidence, the evidence of events and blessings in our lives that can be documented.  We need to not be intimidated by those with advance degrees and scientific theories and present the evidence.  I interaction with some of those who say there is no God that if you present evidence that can be documented, they will stop interacting or their responses will become increasingly irrational and viscous. Where do we find that evidence?  We find it in the bible of course but there are other resources that support biblical evidence.  I am going to provide in this blog and website as many of those resources that I can find and document.  To use a sports analogy we need to stop just playing defense and start playing offense.

My goal, and yours should be as well, is to do what Jesus told his disciples, as recorded in Matthew 28:18-20 (HCSB) Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

About a month ago I wrote a post “Praising God in 140 Characters or Less.  The object of that post was to point out that we want everything “quick, fast, and in a hurry”, including our time and relationship with God.  In my study of Scripture I do find that God did and does things “quick, fast, and in a hurry” too.  In the Genesis account in the bible it says that “God said” and things happened instantly:

Genesis 1:2-3 (HCSB)2  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.3  Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:6-7 (HCSB)6  Then God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water.”7  So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so.       

Genesis 1:9 (HCSB)9  Then God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.

Genesis 1:11 (HCSB)11  Then God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.” And it was so.

There are more examples in Genesis Chapter 1 but you get the message.

With Man However Things Were Different           

Genesis 1:26-27 (HCSB)26  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”27  So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

It sounds almost the same as with the other things that God created instantly when He spoke doesn’t it?  But let’s go to Genesis Chapter 2 for more detail. 

Genesis 2:7 (HCSB)7  Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.

Genesis 2:21-22 (HCSB)21  So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place.22  Then the LORD God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.

Yes He could have made man by just speaking it as he did with the earth and the things in it and it would have been so instantly.  He didn’t do that with man however he actually formed man from the dust of the ground that He simply spoke into existence.  Then he created woman by actually performing surgery on the man Adam. 

When God created man He did so in a manner that developed a personal relationship with him.  It wasn’t instant. 

The only place in Scripture where I can find God doing something instantly with regard to His relationship to man is in salvation.  Which is both instant and free:

Romans 10:9-10 (HCSB)9  If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.10  One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

Yes God performed and continues to do miracles that make instant changes in circumstances, to benefit those of us who have accepted that gift of a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus.  That gift was given by God’s grace because He wants that relationship with us.   but where the relationship has already been established.  

Our Response Should be more than Praising God in 140 Characters or Less Although We Can

Scripture provides examples and instructs us to wait, and spend time with God and in spending time with Him we are blessed by Him. 

Psalm 25:5 (HCSB)  Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I wait for You all day long. 

Psalm 37:7 (HCSB)  Be silent before the LORD and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans.

Isaiah 33:2 (HCSB)  LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and our salvation in time of trouble.

Lamentations 3:26 (HCSB)  It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the LORD.

Micah 7:7 (HCSB)  But I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Matthew 6:6 (HCSB)6  But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Luke 6:12 (HCSB)  During those days He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God.

Acts 1:14 (HCSB) All these were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (HCSB)16  Rejoice always!17  Pray constantly.18  Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.19  Don’t stifle the Spirit.

James 5:16 (NKJV)16  Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

My favorite Scripture for not Being Instant 

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Yes we can find ways to pray and praise God instantly in 140 characters or less and yes God will hear and be pleased with your praise and prayer if it’s done in sincerity and love for Him.  But if He took the time to form you from the dust and breath life into you and then instantly save you and give you eternal life, shouldn’t we spend more than 140 characters, or 30 seconds of prayer and praise in thanking Him?


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In Acts 13:22 Paul, in his sermon in the synagogue in Antioch, said that God testified about David. Acts 13:22 (NKJV) … 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'’ 


That is very high praise for a man who was such a terrible a sinner, having committed adultery and murder. (See 2 Samuel 11).   How can it be that God Himself testified that David was a man after His own heart?

Who Was David Really?

We read a lot about David and his accomplishments as a warrior, his reign as king of Israel, and his struggles with Saul and with his own family beginning in 1 Samuel 16 and through 2 Samuel.  But where we really learn about David’s character is in the Psalms.   David’s life, just like ours, was far from perfect.  He had his ups and downs just as we do.  But what caused God to call him a man after His own heart was that David had absolute faith and God and his heart was always directed at Him.  He was committed to God with all his heart, soul and mind just as it was commanded in Deuteronomy 6:5 (HCSB)  Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

 Let’s look at some of David’s characteristics:

 1.     David had absolute faith in God.  A great illustration of this great faith is in 1 Samuel 17 where David, the young shepherd, confronted and killed the Philistine giant Goliath.  When preparing to meet Goliath David said in verse 37 “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you.”

 2.     David loved God’s Word.   David is credited with writing over half of the 150 psalms in the Bible.  In the Psalms David often mentions how much he loved God’s Word.  Psalm 119 is a perfect example.

 This from the Wycliffe Bible Commentary

Essentially a didactic poem, this psalm takes the form of a personal testimony. Although the poem contains allusions to persecution and shows certain characteristics of laments, its main purpose is to glorify the Tôrâ (God's law or teaching). The psalmist directs almost every verse to God, using many forms of petition. At the same time, he uses some synonym for the law in all but seven verses. The synonyms are: law, testimonies, precepts, judgments, commandments, statutes, sayings, word, way, and path.

Here is what he says in verses 47-48 about his love for God’s Word.  “47 I delight in Your commands, which I love. 48 I will lift up my hands to Your commands, which I love, and will meditate on Your statutes.”

3.     David was repentant.   When Nathan the prophet confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba he admitted it.  Here was David’s response 2 Samuel 12:13 (HCSB) David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Then Nathan replied to David, “The LORD has taken away your sin; you will not die. 

 Not only did he admit and confess his sin but in Psalm 51 is his prayer of repentance.  Here is what he said in the first two verses of this psalm 1  Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. 2 Wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

I encourage you to read the entire psalm.    It expresses a depth of individual experience, the sense of sin, and asking for forgiveness.  It is an example of not only David’s heart and it should be ours as well when we realize that the sins that we commit not only affect others but that they are an act of rebellion and disobedience to God. 

 4.     David was very grateful.  Throughout his life, during times of triumph and despair, good times and bad, David was always thankful.  Psalm 100:4 (HCSB) 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.  

 
David’s life was one of many ups and downs, highs and lows, but by his GREAT FAITH in God he left us an example of his love of God through the beautiful poetry of the psalms that he wrote.  In them we get a glimpse into David’s heart and in the end we see his great trust in and his love for God and His Word.   As proof that God considered David a man after His own heart read 2 Samuel 7.  In that chapter David tells Nathan that he wants to build a house for God. God then tells Nathan to go back to David and tell him that because of stuff that had gone on in his past he could not build a house for Him but that his son (Solomon) would build it.  He also told Nathan to tell David 2 Samuel 7:11, 16 (NKJV) 11  since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house.  16  And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' " (emphasis mine).  That one who sits on the throne of David forever is Jesus Christ who is often called in Scripture “Son of David”

 Yes we can truly say that David was a man after God’s own heart and an example to us in our walk of faith.  Can you identify with David?  Have you done things in your life that you thought you could not be forgiven for but then God forgave you?  Have you ever said to God as David did in Psalm 51 Psalm 51:10 (HCSB) God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me?

Please leave your answers below in the comments.  You may never know how much your comment could bless someone.

In Hebrews 12:1 the writer encourages his readers and us by saying (HCSB) “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,”.  He starts his encouragement by saying therefore so he is referring to something or to group (large cloud) he has said before this statement.  In chapter 11 he identifies a number of people who he says have won God’s approval because of their faith Hebrews 11:1-2 (HCSB) “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For our ancestors won God’s approval by it.”

Who are these people who have been called the “Faith Hall of Fame”?  

Here is a list of them:

• Abel – Hebrews 11:4 (HCSB) By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain ⌊did⌋. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith. 
• Enoch – Hebrews 11:5 (HCSB) By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God.
  
• Noah – Hebrews 11:7 (HCSB)  By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 
  
• Abraham – Hebrews 11:8-10 (HCSB) By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 
  
• Sarah - Hebrews 11:11 (HCSB) By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful.
  
• Isaac – Hebrews 11:20 (HCSB)  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
  
• Jacob – Hebrews 11:21 (HCSB) By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and he worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
  
• Joseph – Hebrews 11:22 (HCSB) By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones. 
  
• Moses’ parents – who by faith hid Moses from the edict of Pharaoh and did not leave him to die
  
• Moses – Hebrews 11:23-28 (HCSB) By faith, after Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin. For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward. By faith he left Egypt behind, not being afraid of the king’s anger, for Moses persevered as one who sees Him who is invisible. By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites. 
  
• The People - Hebrews 11:29 (HCSB)  By faith they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry land. When the Egyptians attempted to do this, they were drowned. 
  
• Rahab – Hebrews 11:31 (HCSB) By faith Rahab the prostitute received the spies in peace and didn’t perish with those who disobeyed. 
  
• Others of Israel - Hebrews 11:32-38 (HCSB) And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.  Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, ⌊hiding⌋ in caves and holes in the ground.
  

There has been a lot of discussion about depression since the apparent suicide of Robin Williams.   Robin Williams was a Christian and that prompted me to write this post addressing Christians and depression. 

Definitions 

Merriam-Webster Dictionary 

• a state of feeling sad
•  a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way

This is from Harvard Health Publications

It’s often said that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but that figure of speech doesn’t capture how complex the disease is. Research suggests that depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, depression has many possible causes, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. It’s believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression.

Can a Christian Be or Become Depressed?

There were just some things we didn’t talk about in church.  We don’t talk about sex and money for sure and we don’t talk about our hurts and issues because the church culture says that now that we are in Christ everything should be perfect in our lives.  If it’s not, then there is something wrong with our faith.  Because of that people with real issues never talk about them and never deal with them.

Because there has been a prohibition of talking about certain things or not expressing our feelings when we are hurting in certain areas like money or sex we often putting lipstick on a pig so to speak.  We are masking how we hurt so we don’t get help.  I use to hear some old time preachers and old time mothers talking about the church being a hospital well if you can’t talk about your sickness what kind of hospital is it?  Is it only one that deals with the common cold or a stubbed toe and not drug addiction or sex addiction, or depression?

The church has a problem talking about depression because we somehow believe that Christians should not get depressed.   Talking about it can be uncomfortable because many of our church leaders don’t know a lot about it so we in the church don’t talk about it.  

The fact is that we do have people who are depressed and with other issues who never talk about them.  The church should be a place of healing but it is often a place of cover up.  When people don’t address their issues what happens is somebody eventually finds out and it becomes rumor and gossip, the leadership finds out about it and asks that they step down from leadership or leave until the problem is solved, or they just leave because they can no longer keep up the charade.  

Today’s Christians are not unique in becoming depressed either.  Biblical giants had problems and bad days just as we do.  There are even examples of some of those giants who admitted that they were depressed and wanted to die.  Moses and Elijah for example. 

Moses in Numbers 11:14-15 (HCSB)14  I can’t carry all these people by myself. They are too much for me.15  If You are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now. If You are pleased with me, don’t let me see my misery ⌊anymore⌋.” 

Elijah in 1 Kings 19:3-4 (HCSB) 3  Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, 4  but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “⌊I have had⌋ enough! LORD, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.”

Some might say yes but that was before Jesus and His sacrifice.  Well the great Apostle Paul sounded depressed in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (HCSB) 8  For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia: we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life. 9  Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.

So now that we realize that God fearing Christians can become depressed where do we go from here?

Warning Signs That You are Headed for a Crash

First I want to say that I am not a psychiatrist, physiologist, social worker, or trained counselor.  I am involved, along with the adult bible study group of my church in an in-depth study on dealing with stress, worry and anxiety.  The study deals with depression, some of the signs that we may be headed that way and some potential remedies.  In no way am I advocating that if you are depressed you try to deal with it yourself without the help of a trained professional.  If you are depressed get help!!!!

Depression is usually not brought on by one thing although a tragic event can trigger it. 

Sign 1 An Unrealistic Pace

We are always rushing from one thing to another one deadline after another, a long to do list and everything has to get done today.   In a quote from the book my group and I are studying, the author, Pastor Perry Nobel, says he heard someone say once “If I were the devil, I would invent a device you could hold in your hands that would ensure you’d  always have your schedule in front of you and give people access to you anytime they wanted”.

When we are operating at an unrealistic pace when we do that we have no intimacy in our relationship with God because they don’t spend time with Him.  We are always in a hurry working for God. When somebody criticizes us or pulls our coat tail about our pace we get angry and like the author of the book we are studying say “The devil never takes a day off”.  His friend responded “I’m not sure the devil is supposed to be your example.

To really know what I Father wants for us and to know what He has done for us and what He wants us to do we have to slow down and spend time with Him in His word the Bible.  The Bible is where we find the promises of God.  Listen to Him not our own emotions.     We want control and when we decide that we are going to take control then comes the stress and anxiety.  When we trust God because He is in control and when we spend time with Him we will understand that He has given us reminders that He loves us and the greatest of these reminders is Jesus who gave His life for us.   

In the Ten Commandments the commandment that God spent the most time addressing was the one on rest.  

Exodus 20:8-11 (HCSB)8  Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9  You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10  but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. 11  For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

Sign 2 Unrealistic Expectations of Others

When we are depressed we often put the blame on  others and are angry at them for the way we feel. 

It’s easier to blame somebody else than ourselves.  They are the ones with the problem not us.  That’s the way depressed people act sometimes and I can tell you that it’s true I have firsthand experience. We should stop asking God to change the other person, because He won’t in most cases, but ask Him to change us and our attitude.  If we always maintain a victim mentality always blaming others we will never walk in the victory that Jesus promises.

Sign 3 An Unrealistic View on Life

If we don’t do anything differently things will not change and we will stay in our depression or state of anxiety.  Depression and anxiety do happen but they don’t just pass like the season.  If we think that depression is just a season and it will pass then we have a serious problem.  We must go through it.  But we don’t have to go through it alone we have God who said that He would never leave us or forsake us.  Even when things look insurmountable.   

Deuteronomy 31:6 (HCSB) Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Joshua 1:5 (HCSB) No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5 (HCSB) Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Sign 4 An Unrealistic Desire to Be Liked by Everyone

I use to have this problem.  I wanted everybody to like me so I did some things and went some places that I should not have done or gone but I wanted people to like me

Well everybody is not going to like you so don’t sweat it.  Everybody didn’t like Jesus and we can’t let what others think about us dominate our lives we should be seeking the approval of God and not man.   Using my example I don’t even remember the names or faces of most of those people that I was concerned about them liking me.  John 12:42-43 talks about people who actually believed in Jesus but were afraid to admit it. 

John 12:42-43 (HCSB) 42  Nevertheless, many did believe in Him even among the rulers, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, so they would not be banned from the synagogue. 43  For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Remember Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night and didn’t come out to the closet so to speak until after Jesus was crucified. 

John 19:38-39 (HCSB) 38  After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus—but secretly because of his fear of the Jews—asked Pilate that he might remove Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and took His body away. 39  Nicodemus (who had previously come to Him at night) also came, bringing a mixture of about 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes.

Getting off the Collision Course

If you are headed for a crash it’s probably because of a combination of two things.  1) What happened to you.   There are bad things that really did happen and you are still carrying that baggage and you need to deal with it and 2) Choices you have made. We have to accept responsibility for our choices.   

Shattering the Chains that Hold You Back

Denial Doesn't Help It Hurts - Rather than denying that we are depressed or anxious we should face it and address it. 

Realizing That We can’t do life alone - We were not made to be alone remember in Genesis what God said about Adam?

Genesis 2:18 (HCSB) Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.”

When Jesus was facing his crucifixion and that night in the garden of Gethsemane he took Peter, James and John with Him so that he was not alone. 

Matthew 26:36-37 (HCSB) 36  Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37  Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

We Must Address What’s Broken on the Inside of Us - When we reach the point that we understand that our problems are often times of our own making, then we are on the way to conquering it.  Many times our problems are because of things out of our control but most often they are of our own making.  In those cases relief can come through repentance.  God’s desire is to take us through the dark times in our lives.  We should ask God to show us what was wrong inside us.   For us it may be pride, greed, sexual immorality, or other things but if we ask God to show us He will and He will even show us how to make the changes that we need to make we just need to do them when He does show us.  

Situations that cause stress anxiety, and depression are real and here to stay until Jesus comes back.  
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John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  But remember and believe these two things:

• Believe That God is Holy and Good - Focus on God and His character.  We know that God never changes.  We change but God never changes and His character doesn’t change.  
• Believe His Promises - God is always with us and He has more power than anything that we may come up against 

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

If you are depressed or think that you are depressed or headed toward depression seek professional help first but keep these things in mind.

• Denial Doesn’t Help It Hurts.  
• We can’t do life alone
• We Must Address What’s Broken on the Inside of Us

If you have ever been depressed or are depressed now your experiences can help others who are going through that struggle right now.  Please share your experiences in the comments.  You will be a blessing to others.

God bless you,

Donald