Q&A On Depression And Anxiety

Posted on November 6, 2011 by

The following are some common (biblical) answers to questions regarding Depression and Anxiety. Please add your comments or questions below …

Question: “My life is filled with thoughts that I am just not good enough. How can I improve my self-esteem?”

Answer:

Recognize your true value. There is a difference between a big ego and understanding how much God values you.
Put a stop to harmful thought patterns.
Identify positive people in your life and spend more time with them.
Begin new thought patterns. Replace each negative thought by reminding yourself how much God cares about you.
Study and memorize God’s Word. Remember what Christ did for you out of His love.

Question: “I struggle with worry and anxiety. How can I find peace?”

Answer: I think it’s safe to say that everyone will experience anxiety, in varying degrees, at some point in their lives. Anxiety is a natural response to danger, either real or perceived. Some anxiety can be healthy. For example, when we are confronted with a snarling dog, anxiety makes our senses more alert, our heart beat faster, our adrenaline surge, etc. so we can get ourselves out of a dangerous situation. For many people, though, their “anxiety button” gets pushed in non-life threatening situations or even regular, day-to-day living. When that happens we need to take control of those intrusive thoughts (2 Cor. 10:5). Instead of listening to ourselves, we need to speak the truth of scripture to our situation. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from hearing the Word of God. When faith in our loving, sovereign, powerful God increases, we can trust Him to take care of the situations that worry us (Phil. 4:6-7). If you find that it’s still hard to quiet the voice of anxiety or it is interfering with your life, it may be time to seek out a good, Christian counselor who can help you learn steps to peace.

Question: “How can I stop hating myself? Does God have a purpose for me?”

Answer: Everyone wonders why God put us here on this earth. Some think their reason for being here is to have a family, inspire someone, or simply just to bring smiles to people’s faces. We forget what the real purpose for living is. Often times we believe that this is our life to live. Isaiah 43:1 clearly states that we belong to Christ. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” Christ has shown us that our life is not our own, but that we’ve been bought. Life is no longer something to contemplate because even though we are physically living, spiritually we are dead and Christ is living through us. Galatians 2:20 These answers are easy to find but hard to live by. No one can give a perfect answer to tragedy, but God has given the perfect answer for strength. Isaiah 40:28-31.

Question: “How can I handle the overwhelming stress of my life?”

Answer: The only way we can deal with stress is with Jesus Christ, and by believing that He can help you. Without believing in Him we are our on our own, and success in coping with stress is almost impossible. We also need to trust and obey Him. We should trust Him to do what is right because His ways are always best for us. Disobedience and sin can produce stress and cut us off from the only means of peace and joy. By obeying His commandments we reap the blessings of true contentment from a loving God.
Finally, we need to seek His peace daily by filling our minds with His Word, lifting all things to Him in prayer, and sitting at His feet in awe and reverence. It is only by His grace, mercy and love that the stress in our lives can be managed. Here are some verses to look up that may be helpful: Matthew 6:25; Mark 4:19; John 14:1; Proverbs 3:5–6; Psalm 34:4; Philippians 4:6–7.

Question: “I seem to have lost my joy in serving God.”

Answer: Psalm 100 speaks to this; v.2a says, “Serve the Lord with gladness” it then goes on to give the first step in fulfilling this; “come before his presence with singing”. Serving the Lord should flow out of our intimate relationship with him. Regular time spent in his presence equips and empowers us for service. Psalm 16:11 reminds us that in his presence is the fullness of joy. Secondly, time spent in his presence recalibrates our perspectives v.3 “Know that He is God…not we ourselves” our sufficiency is of Him not ourselves (2 Cor 3:5). Serving Him without regularly seeking Him can lead to misguided perspectives. Thirdly, remember we are His people, the sheep of His pasture v.3. He provides and protects as he is the good shepherd, live these truths out to renew your joy in serving the Lord!

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