Did God do it or the Enemy?

[TrinityLives]

I have been pondering this for awhile and thought I would bring it to all of you and see what you think. I honestly do not know what to think about it.

Many of us have spoken about our trials and battles with Depression. I am one of those people.

For years ( at least 13 or 14) I have been told I am Bi-polar, I have OCD , I don't have Bi-polarism but Post traumatic Stress....... whatever the case I know that mentally there is something that is off at times. What I wonder is how much is "normal" and how much isn't.

I agree with some diagnosis being I struggled with Anorexia for 13 years with paranoid anxiety to suicidal and angry all the time...


My question is, Are medications such as Anti-Depressants man made or God inspired?

As others here have recently written about , I too wonder why is my faith not enough? Am I not being faithful? Have I truly given my life to Christ? When I pray for God to control my life and work in me do I mean it?

I believe so, so why do I still feel miserable on the inside?

Is something really chemically messed up that I need medications or do I just need more faith?


Now I understand that this is a scary question for some to answer because we worry if we give biblical answers that someone may forgo needed medicine and injure themselves.....

But what I guess I am really getting at is the need for the meds.
They are so freely given out it makes me wonder how many lean on meds and not God if this is the case then are they God made? I wouldn't think so...

But if God gave us these medicines , just like heart medications or any other needed med, am I suffering needlessly?


I have been on meds since I was about 24, I have tried being off them about 3 times since and never make it longer then 5 months.....I thought I had been off a year now but its been just now 5 months!

Each time chronic or what they term "severe" depression settles in and I have a hard time functioning on any personal level.

How do you know when life is just throwing so many curve balls that being sad is normal?

How does one know when its not?

You would think after more then a decade of dealing with this I would know but I haven't a clue?


Any ideas?

I also hope no one thinks I am some Psycho .. to the outside world I seem quite normal , whatever that means


Your Sister in Christ

[NeverAlone]

Don't worry Cass. You never had me fooled at thinking you were normal
Everyone knows we psychos have to stick together!


I wish there were a simple answer to your question but, there truly isn't.

I cannot think of a single place in the Bible where it says that by being a Christian we will have an easy life. Quite the opposite actually. We will be persecuted. Not just by the world but also attacked by demons.

I knew a girl once who strictly believed the demons only ONLY attacked angels. That they could not attack a Christian unless the Christian had messed up somehow. While it is true that we can let Satan get a foot hold on us, it is also true that we are prime bait for them to go after.

I am also on antidepressants. I do not feel it is because of any spiritual attack. Though, that does not mean that it is not.

I am a biology major and have done more readings than I care to on how our bodies work. When we're sad, certain neurotransmitters are at lower levels. Antidepressants can raise those levels.

I regretfully say that I have had my fair share of spiritual warfare at this point in my life. I believe that God allowed those situations to take place to help me to begin realizing the difference between physical pains that need medication and spiritual pains that force me to depend on Him.

Essentially, what I'm saying is, I think there sometimes is a true need for medication in your life and there always is a need for us to depend on God with our EVERYTHING.

Everything is a concept that I fight with daily to give up to God's hands. But I'm learning.
Giving up everything in our lives to the Big Man in the sky is something that we as humans hate. It is us admitting we are helpless without Him. It is us being humble enough to admit we are faulted and cannot fix it all ourselves.

When my moods shifted so quickly from joy to anger or sorrow I prayed that it all would stop, and that I could be one emotion for more than a few moments. The answer I got?? My mother telling me that I had an appointment with the doctor to tell him what was going on to see if he had any insights.

I don't know if that helps any. But, I do know I have had this very same conversation many times before and I have little doubt that it is one I will have again.

Loves and hugs to you Mama Cass!

[Theofilus]

Honour the physician for the need thou hast of him: for the most High hath created him For all healing is from God, and he shall receive gifts of the king. The skill of the physician shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be praised. The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them. (Sirach 38:1-4)

I know it's not Scripture, but I think these are wise words anyway. At any rate, it gives us an idea of how religious Jews of the 2nd century BC thought about it. Personally, I don't have a problem with taking medications. I've been taking anti-siezure drugs for over 46 years (I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 3). God hasn't healed me yet, but I believe He will when the right time comes, either in this life or when He returns.

[Annie]

not every case is a medical situation. Sometimes depression is an indication that there is just something wrong in that person's life that needs to be addressed. It could be a spiritual problem, perhaps things just aren't right between the person and God. But i do believe it could also be a medical problem.

Medication to treat depression when it is indeed a medical issue shouldn't be considered wrong or bad. The way i look at it is that those who do suffer from a chemical imbalance today that causes depression have been blessed God because He chose to place them in a time and place to receive the treatment they would need.

i think a lot of people throw out that "you just need to have more faith" argument because they can't believe that a fallen body could have anything wrong with it. Its a faulty argument because every single person who pushes that line of thought will get sick at some point in their lives and they will die (provided the rapture doesn't happen first). Sometimes God asks us to stand and watch as He does great miracles to heal people, but those time are always at His will and His timing not ours. We can have faith in faith all we want but we cannot force God to move in a way that He is not willing for whatever reason.

I suffer from fibromyalgia which occasionally causes me to be depressed as well. In my case i know its just my body working against me so if my depression ever got to the point i couldn't handle it anymore i would be seeking medical treatment for that. I have sought medical treatment to manage my other symptoms and i am taking medication to control them and am confident in what i said earlier that God has blessed me by placing me in the right time and place to receive the treatment i need. God could heal me in an instant from all my problems if He chose. I have no doubt whatsoever about that. But for now this is just my thorn in the flesh and something i know He can use for His glory.


My favourite passage to reflect on for this sort of thing is:


7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, ?My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.? Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ?s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Cor 12:7-10

[DMcKay]

You have already received all the things that I would have said to you from several sources. When Scripture says that we have received the Spirit of a sound mind I believe that this is the norm. But how many of us are normal? We don't survive on the type of diets that our bodies were designed for. We don't keep Biblical hours from sunup to sundown and then bed. We are constantly trying to do things faster and create more time for ourselves in order that we can do more things with the time we have.
Our diets are filled with all kinds of chemicals and preservatives that can't be good for our bodies. And most of us don't or can't get the kind of physical exercise that our bodies need.

How many of us are willing to trade our lifestyles for those of the Amish? They have some of the least physical and mental problems of any group. And yet, their doctrine is just a bit off kilter.

[under His wings]

My husband takes depression meds and it is a God-send. I truly believe that. He does not need a high dosage, he has tried to get off of them before and it took time to find that he didn't need as a high a dosage as first thought. I know that the only reason he is on meds is bc He trusted God. Before he truly had a relationship with Christ he gave in to the stigma that mental health was a matter of self-control. Once he became strong in Christ, he was able to seek help. He probably would have never sought help without Christ.

Yes, I believe God can and does heal some people with mental health issues. He also heals some people with cancer, but those who are not healed this side of Heaven are no less faithful.

Christians who tout that "if you had enough faith" are very dangerous IMHO.

God bless, T

[tessa_s212]

To say treating depression with medication is wrong is like saying treating people for colds, illnesses, and disease would be wrong as well.

I hate to see medicine used as a crutch, but it CAN Be a good thing. It isn't that you are a bad christian, it isn't that you don't have enough faith, it is that you ARE still human with a human body that was born imperfect.

Don't listen to those religious whackos. When used properly, medication is a good thing. (Though some of the medicines used don't really help people anyway...butl, that's an entirely different topic for an entirely different thread.)

[silentpoet]

Paul reccomended that Timothy take wine for his stomach. God gave doctors and those developing drugs their brains for His reasons. This is not to say that all scientific advances are inspired by God. But I believe that many advances and drugs are from God to help us along.

I struggle with depression and bitterness. For me it is a deeply spiritual matter because I am trying to reconcile the concept of a loving God with some things that have happened. I struggle greatly with trusting God. Sometimes in those struggles I get insights that help comfort and encourage others. However there is not really any comfort in it all for me. But I do the best I can to do God's will in spite of how I feel about God.

[TrinityLives]

Though I know this is a computer world I still feel that since we all share our intimate details in life that I would bring this here as well. I do feel that there are many of us here that look out for one another.

I have been praying for quite sometime on this issue. Crying out to God to let me know what He would have me do.

I saw my Doctor and started medication again. The strange thing is that they say that it usually takes weeks before you feel better, but for me within 24 hours I feel so much better then I have in almost a month.

Today is the first day I haven't cried or been overly angry about something....

This leads me to think that I must truly have a chemical imbalance.

I know that not all people who take meds are forgoing their relationship with God. I know that some truly need these meds and it is a God send.

But because there isnt a test , yet, to say for sure its not like diabetes where they say " yeah you need this take it". Its a guessing game and its a hidden one at that.

So I want to be honest here with my brothers and sisters who take the time to pray for me, guide me and encourage.... I believe I was led back to medication, and I believe I am one of the many who will need it for most of my life.....

Thank you all for your input and as always I have no problem talking with anyone who is struggling... PM if you'd like


Your Sister in Christ

[Annie]

I'm glad to know you've sought the help you needed and found what works for you