Being a Christian with Depression

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Jesus. Church. Go to service on Sundays and pay your ties and don't ever let someone see past your oversized sweater and suede ankle boots. All of that sounds so cliche but you know it's true. When I was going through the toughest part of my mental illness I was ashamed to call myself a Christian because of my depression. But what if I told you that Jesus gets us? He walked this earth for 33 years just so that He could one hundred percent get us when we cry out to Him in those 2 am hours. What if I told you that all He sees is a child that's just lost their way and needs to be held? In an article that I read recently on the The Spychiatry Resource named "Stigma and 7 Million American Christians with Depression" written by Len Lantz, he speaks about how mmany Christiains who suffer with the disorder. Even though Christianity is associated with lower Depression rates, it doesn't mean that everyone is going to be the same. I realised that I was depressed very young and early on and I felt ashamed because I remember thinking "am I not a Christian? Is God mad at me?" When the short answer is that He never was and never will be. In the Bible there was a prohet named Elijah who begged God to take his life, he was being harassed, hunted down, and the queen Jezebel at the time wanted him dead. Can you imagine someone wanting you dead? It must have been a horrible feeling. Now look at this, in First Kings chapters 18 through 19, it says that the Lord sent down an angel to give him food and help him rest. The Lord wants us to heal and He understands our struggles, He knows that we are human and that we can't change that. He loves us for us, no matter what is going on in our lives. As I get older, and wiser, I see it a little better now especially being on the tail end of everything an seeing that I just needed to be loved on. So many people just need to be loved on and listened to and as Christians, we tend to be the ones that are the Prayer Warriors and the listeners and therapists, but sometimes we need to take a step back and see that we are also humans, God's children and children cry, throw fits and that is totally okay. God is our Father for a reason. Run to Him, cling to Him, cry to Him because that's what He wants you to do. A few things that have helped me is listening to worship music here are some of my favorites that have helped me get through hard times: 1: In Christ Alone- Shane and Shane 2: Even If- Sidewalk Prophets 3: Even When it Hurts - Hillsong 4: The Blessing- Kari Jobe 5: Famous For- Tauren Wells 6: Champion- Bethel Music. I hope this helps someone. And if you haven't been told today, you are loved not only by me but by a God and Father who knit you in the womb and knew your name before you were concieved. He wasn't confused when He made you. He knows your story. He loves you.

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