Im a committed christian, going through rather a monumentous trial yet...

[graceinabundance]

I cant shift my low mood even though I know god is with me.

I feel guilty and I know I shouldnt as God understands but to me it feels like my low mood is leading me rather than him.

Not good.......

I am niffed off with myself

Hello Grace... Don't be too hard on yourself. Knowing God and accepting him in your life doesn't mean that life will (or even should) be easy. I am so sorry to hear that you are struggling and will pray that things get better for you soon. Is there anything practical that you can do to help yourself right now? Have you seen your GP? Might antidepressants or counselling help? Do your family and friends know how you are feeling? And can you get/are you getting support from them? What about your local church? (Sorry if I'm stating the obvious... but I want you to remember that you are not alone with your problems.) Meanwhile, it may be that the best you can do for a little while is to acknowledge that God is there with you in the dark times, holding your hand and helping you through it.

I didn't want to leave your post un-replied-to, but others who are wiser than me will be along soon, I'm sure. Meanwhile, I am thinking of you.

Can you share a little bit of how you came to be feeling like that? Remember Selwyn Hughes' saying that depression is like the common cold of Christianity. We all suffer sometimes and so are likely to understand how you are feeling.

Christianity is not a happy pill.
It feels a lot of the time like its just letting yourself in for more challenges.
Cliches like 'He doesn't give you more than you can handle' and the Footsteps poem 'it was then that I carried you' feel just like cliches, until you look back after things have calmed down and realise how much you didn't feel alone
Give yourself some slack, everyone had hard times

I'm a Christian and I'm on antidepressants

Well done for recognising the problem and doing something about it hiddenhome. If you had broken your leg nobody would expect you not to have in in plaster, would they.
I do hope and pray that in spite of everything you can sometimes see something of the 'joy of the Lord'

Hi guys,

I was at a good christian meeting tonight and feel much uplifted - I pray I can keep myself uplifted by thinking of things above and not of things below

I read your first post and my instant thought was "talk to other Christians and absorb some of their strength!" then I read your next post and bingo!!

Glad you're feeling more positive Keep it up with the meetings. I can't get enough of them

I think thats a key thing, real fellowship together as believers isnt it? x

Yes grace, I've just read an article on why religious people tend to be happier, and a large part of it was due to the "forging of close bonds with people who have a mutual and meaningful purpose."
Christians are definitely not exempt from hard times, but when I've been through a particularly bad time, I look back and see how God sent people to help and support me through it.

Grace - this time last year I was really strugglng. My bil was terminally ill and it's only now getting ready for Christmas that I can really see how much of a struggle last year was. I was absolutely worn down by it. So very, very sad and I found I couldn't really pray about it at all. Or it didn't feel like I was praying - just so much pain and fear. I was really helped by support in RL, support on here - I had a couple of threads that really helped me and finally by an experience two days before bil died. I knew he was dying. I was in the house alone and I watched some videos on youtube of some of my favourite worship songs and I ended up sitting on the floor absolutely howling and really quite suddenly I found I could pray and I was filled with sense that I was there talking to God and HE was there and He had been there all along. Even when I thought I couldn't talk to him, that something was in the way, He was there and He heard me. He is with you. You are His precious child and whether you are up or down He is with you.

thanks for replying, so kind.

went to a group tonight again and it was so good. fellowship with other believers is not to be neglected i now understand!