I saw many very helpful and encouraging comments in a recent thread concerning the many people who suffer from anxiety and depression. I am encouraged by how much people on this message board help each other out and am posting this as an addition to the many fine bits of advice given in the other thread.
Moderators, if what I am sharing violates any Buckeye Grove rules or policies I apologize and would understand if this thread is deleted. I pastor a church and deal with depression and counseling on a regular basis in pastoral counseling and also talk to people in clinical counseling as a licensed Ohio clinical counselor. My advice is not to think that one must turn to God, pray and have a Christian support network OR SEEK CLINICAL HELP. I believe God can work with clinical counselors the same way He uses medical doctors along with prayer and His Word to heal people physically.
The Bible has a lot to say about living in peace and joy. On one hand I would encourage you to use this as a way to let God help you. However, IN NO WAY am I suggesting that you avoid seeking a counselor, psychiatrist or the medicine that can help you. We don't know why some people receive physical healing through prayer or never have certwin sicknesses or diseases just like we don't know why others have physical/mental illnesses and then do not receive a physical/emotional healing through prayer. In the same way we don't know why some people have chemical imbalances that affect one's mental state, pray and still need medicine.
Summing things up, don't give up on prayer and turning to the Bible for encouragement. Please realize that you can combine God's spiritual help with all of the wisdom of mental health professionals and the medicines you may need. Never judge somebody else's mental issues because we don't know his or her chemical imbalances or what horrible things they may have experienced.
Moderators, if what I am sharing violates any Buckeye Grove rules or policies I apologize and would understand if this thread is deleted. I pastor a church and deal with depression and counseling on a regular basis in pastoral counseling and also talk to people in clinical counseling as a licensed Ohio clinical counselor. My advice is not to think that one must turn to God, pray and have a Christian support network OR SEEK CLINICAL HELP. I believe God can work with clinical counselors the same way He uses medical doctors along with prayer and His Word to heal people physically.
The Bible has a lot to say about living in peace and joy. On one hand I would encourage you to use this as a way to let God help you. However, IN NO WAY am I suggesting that you avoid seeking a counselor, psychiatrist or the medicine that can help you. We don't know why some people receive physical healing through prayer or never have certwin sicknesses or diseases just like we don't know why others have physical/mental illnesses and then do not receive a physical/emotional healing through prayer. In the same way we don't know why some people have chemical imbalances that affect one's mental state, pray and still need medicine.
Summing things up, don't give up on prayer and turning to the Bible for encouragement. Please realize that you can combine God's spiritual help with all of the wisdom of mental health professionals and the medicines you may need. Never judge somebody else's mental issues because we don't know his or her chemical imbalances or what horrible things they may have experienced.
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