Feeling so low

[Br. Bear]

Greetings Dovedale,

Just want to reassure you when you say...


and in need of knowing there is someone there who cares?


that I am here and I care.

Some may say...Well, so what ?!!...but honestly, I do care and that is from my heart. Please let me tell you also that I am here ONLY because of Jesus. My friend, not only am I alive, but He gave me a new heart, and that is why I am here. Before Jesus, I was messed up and I certainly would not be writing in a forum or even using a computer, which is not to say that having Jesus in my life (more to the point, having the life of Jesus in me) enables one to use a computer, but rather, I am now able and willing to spend my time in service to others...let me point out here that all glory belongs to Jesus for this as it is by His Spirit that I am led. You see, where as before I was bound under the yoke of satan, that cunning evil task-master, now I am bound by bands of love to my master and friend, Jesus. Where I used to think I was in control, I found when I was set free that I had been tossed around as devil fodder, falling and hurting myself and others as often as I breathed. I now realise that we can only serve one of two masters, and I am SO happy that Jesus has taken me, a dirty and totally undeserving excuse for a man, and not only cleansed me and dressed me in His love, but He, as my new master, cares and shows me His tender mercies EVERY DAY !

All I can say therefore is I care and dear friend, God is gently whispering your name, calling in His everlasting love to you, just as He did to me...this I know He is doing, calling you and beckoning you, who He loves, to come unto Him. Our God is not forceful or pushy, He is in fact very noble and woo's us as a lover woo's His beloved...gently, surely, persistently and with a fire of determination that this world can not know. Will you accept my care for you ? So much more does the Lord Jesus care for you...and He does not know how to stop loving you.

As Chad pointed out, He is near....can I add that you need to answer Him...His beckoning is for you to come to Him.

Please don't read this as me pushing Jesus on you, Dovedale. I am just sharing what He has done for me and telling you the truth. As a parent, you would appreciate how it would be if you called to one of your children, who you love so very much, more than anything, more than anyone, and you will NEVER stop loving them, never, not ever, and as you called, you only wanted them to come to your loving embrace...and when they do...oh what undescribable love flows through you and them as they are swept up into your welcoming arms. This is just as God is, only like you and me, He never let's us down, never fails, is ever ready to embrace us...He never slumbers or sleeps, and He is never too busy or pre-occupied with other things. I know this to be true, Dovedale, and this is why I write now to you, because He first loved us. This is the very best advice I can give to you. Everything else is pale in comparison, but we can talk about those things too if you like.

As I said in a previous post, expect the blessing ... it is surely coming to YOU!

Bless you,

Br. Bear.

 

[ladylovesJesus]

Dearest sister dove

I prayed for you during our time of prayer yesterday before you arrived. I actually prayed that You would know how very much Jesus LOVES you.

Can you imagine if you called one of your children to you and they did not want to come and spend time with you?

Jesus longs to have that intimate fellowship with us.

We love you with the love of the Lord. It is Jesus in us that helps us daily.

Jesus loves you through other people. He is always with you.

Why are you downcast, o my soul? Why so disquieted within me? Trust in God, for even now I must praise him, my saviour and my God. (Psalm 42:5).

God bless you dear sister.

LLJ :rainbow: :rose:

 

[Word of Life]

Here is a little devotional & Prayer for you. Never think God has abandoned you, because He hasn't. There are reasons for those quiet times from Him. He is always there. He's just seeing how we react to those quiet times. When it's quiet, pray, talk to Him, read some Psalms out loud.

Healing Thoughts
By J. M. Farro

Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. - Philippians 4:8 TLB

Some years ago, I sought counseling for anxiety and depression. I remember sharing with my counselor how angry and resentful I was toward some of the people in my life. In one of our sessions together, he told me that it was all right for me to have negative thoughts about others, as long as I didn't act on them. This gave me some much needed--although undeserved--reassurance. After many months of counseling, I gained a measure of relief, but I never gained the freedom I so desperately needed. It wasn't until I began studying the Bible years later that I realized why.

The truth was, I could never have peace and joy as long as my mind was filled with negative thoughts about others. I know now that our thoughts are seeds, and when we sow the wrong kind, we can reap a bitter harvest of depression and despair. Jesus talked about the thought-life and He said that "evil thoughts" make us "unclean." (Mark 7:20) In Revelation, He says, "I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person." (2:23 NLT) It should be obvious then that God is aware of our thoughts, and there will be consequences for wrong ones. Perhaps it didn't matter to my counselor what I thought of others, as long as I kept it to myself. But it matters to God. He says, "In your hearts, do not think evil of each other." (Zechariah 7:10) As long as I was entertaining bitter and critical thoughts about others, I was out of God's will, far from the life of peace and joy that I craved. I was spending too much time focusing on all the people who hurt me, and on all the different ways they hurt me. And it was destroying me mentally, emotionally and physically.

God knows that wrong thinking is highly destructive to our well-being, so the Bible has a lot to say about our thought-life. When the apostle Paul talks about spiritual warfare in 2 Corinthians, he instructs us to reject all wrong thinking and to make all our thoughts "obedient to Christ." (10:5) In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us not to think like the rest of the world, but to be renewed in our minds so we can think like God and do His will. We can re-program our minds by devoting ourselves to God's Word--which is Truth--so that we won't be easily deceived by Satan, other people, or our own carnal thoughts. And we can pray like David did: "Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires." (Psalm 51:10 TLB) If we will cooperate with God to change the way we think, He will turn our lives around. The verse above in Philippians 4:8 tells us that we need to think about things that are true, good, right, pure and lovely. And we must focus on the good in others. We also need to think of all the things we can praise and thank God for. As we sow seeds of forgiveness, kindness and thankfulness, we will reap an abundance of peace, joy, and healing. The prophet Isaiah said of the Lord, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!" (Isaiah 26:3 NLT) Once I began to put my trust in God and to keep my mind on Him and His promises, I began to enjoy more peace and wholeness than I ever dreamed possible. As I determined to change my thoughts, God changed my life--and He will do the same for you.

Prayer: Lord, give me a new awareness of how my thoughts affect my spirit, soul, mind and body. Teach me how to discipline my mind so that I won't dwell on things that are harmful to me or displeasing to You. Help me to renew my mind with Your Word and to devote myself to prayer, demonstrating my total dependence upon You and Your grace. Thank You that as I sow good thoughts, I will reap a harvest of well-being, peace, and joy!

By J. M. Farro

 

[MAJ52653]

As a minor manic depressive, I get lots of bummer moods. When I do, it is nothing to do with me, or my situation, or God being disappointed with me, etc. It is my body's chemistry. I just remember that no matter how low it gets, sooner or later the scale will turn the other way and I will be bouncing off the ceiling.

You may not have bipolar disorder. You don't have to. All humans get depressed periods. But the same thing happens to everybody. All emotions wear off. No matter what emotion or mood you are in, eventually it wears off. No emotion lasts forever. At least not in this life. In heaven joy lasts forever, in hell hate and rage last forever. But not here.

Try reading the history of the church. Every Christian mystic or other great writer eventually runs in to 'the dark night of the soul'. They feel lost and cut off from God no matter how great the previous relationship was. Yet when they work their way through the 'slough of despond' they find that the rough times, testings and depressing times lead them to an even bigger, better and deeper relationship then they had with God before.

So just hang on. Sooner or later the roller coaster will climb back up.

Meanwhile try reading 'Life is Rough, but God is faithful' by Sheila Walsh, or 'Disappointment with God' by Phillip Yancey.

 

[chezza67]

have you listend to the song praise you in the storm it really helps me when im low GOD BLESS YOU

 

[Dove]

No I havent heard of that one Chezza, where would i find it?

 

[ladylovesJesus]

dear dove

Casting crowns sing praise You in the storm. You can do a google search for it and listen on youtube to the song.

God bless.

LLJ :rainbow: :rose: