Have you lost touch with your faith?
Have you forgotten or do not see how God is with you during the struggle?
Have you been unhappy and do not find hope or optimism in everyday life?
Do you have regrets for mistakes you have made and are not looking forward to the future?
Spiritual depression has to do with you losing your excitement or zeal over the things of God. When you experience spiritual depression, you sense that you are losing your connection with God and with His people. It is the belief that you are alone, and that God is not with you. It can be brief or for a short season.
Psalms 42 lets you know that you are not alone in feeling this way. It says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted in me? Hope though in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance.”
Many will also encourage you to find refuge in prayer or in reading the Bible. I would also like to suggest that you can find solace, coping strategies, hope, and encouragement when working with a counselor.
Signs to Pay Attention To
You may experience any one of the following:
● Feeling disconnected from God
● Feeling cut off from God.
● Struggling to find joy in worship.
● Withdrawing from your church or religious community
● Avoiding members of your church
● Losing interest in regular church activities or performing from a sense of duty
● Negative or pessimistic thinking about God and religion
● Sense of spiritual hopelessness or discouragement
● Physically tired due to not having balance in your spiritual life.
● Your trials and sufferings have greater significance than your relationship with God.
● You are too busy to make time for devotion and prayer.
● Your inward perspective has greater authority than what God says about you.
● You believe that you committed a sin that God cannot redeem you from
● You are lukewarm. You are double minded and living a lifestyle that is worldly in some circles and righteous in others.
Spiritual depression can feel worse if you are already experiencing emotions tied to sadness in general. This can include feeling worthless which shows up in negative self-talk. Loss of energy to do everyday tasks. Your desire to not be around other people. For no reason, you find yourself bursting in tears. This can be at home eating a meal or you are taking a walk in the neighborhood. You can also be experiencing insomnia along with chronic aches and pains while feeling spiritually disconnected. It is possible for you to experience spiritual and clinical depression simultaneously.
There are many reasons why you may get depressed. It can be because of a breakup within a relationship. It can be because of the death of a loved one or because of a loss of job. You can be depressed because of your financial status or because you are not happy with the community where you live. Depression can also show as being subtle with the beginning of negative thoughts or an early childhood trauma.
There Is Hope
Isaiah 41:10-13 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
Sometimes those words are easier to read than to believe. You know it is true in your mind, but not always in your heart. Dealing with spiritual depression can be difficult. Working with a counselor can help strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ and assist in helping you see yourself as Christ sees you. Not only can you experience healing but a strengthening in your relationship with God.
Schedule an appointment for an initial counseling session today.