Posted by dove on January 28, 2000, at 11:32:34
In reply to Re: Religion and Depression, posted by dj on January 28, 2000, at 10:26:52
Jesus came to heal the sick, the blind, the broken-hearted. His kingdom was not born of this material world, but of the spiritual. Any Christian church with the heart, spirit and love of Christ should welcome you, even if you don't buy the dogma, doctrine, rituals, or traditions. Who is Christ, if not the Son of God born of flesh, and who is God, if not the Father, and who is the Spirit, if not the Comforter. Every aspect, the three profiles, of God reflect healing, love, nurturing, and life.
I wage an inner battle, a battle of mind against my heart and against my spiritual soul. I feel like a failure as a follower of Christ, in large part, due to my depression. I'm afraid to share my beliefs because my life doesn't display this neat/clean, content/happy scrupulous morality. I know God heals the broken-hearted, the depressed, but I'm still here struggling. I would never dream of placing those same values on someone else. I would explain that Christ gave us doctors, chemicals, minds, in order to heal. But, in regard to myself, I always feel like I've somehow failed, and my walk is so bumpy how can anyone follow where it leads?
I wish the I was braver, I wish I could speak with the heart of Christ. I know God cares deeply for His creations, and I know that the laws and commandments he made are much more than don't do this and don't do that. Those commandments serve to protect us, our fragile hearts and our fragile minds. We harm ourselves and others so often, and looking back on my own life, I see numerous, uncountable, instances where if I had followed the guidelines of God, I would have saved everyone, including me, a lot of pain.
Jesus gave his heart and his life to those in the most need. The Bible clearly states his calling and his purpose, and no church should ever withdraw their love and fellowship from one who is outside the "church". Jesus was no respecter of men, no titles, race, wealth, social standings, class, good-works, evil-deeds, clouded his purpose. He went to those in need and to those who were searching. What more can any christian say or do?
dove
poster:dove
thread:19818
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000128/msgs/19880.html