Don't Panic! This is Only a Test

by Joyce Meyer

There's a scripture in the Bible that says, "In the world you have tribulation and trials" (John 16:33 AMP). I believe most people would agree with it. If you read the rest of that verse, you get to the encouraging part where Jesus says we can take heart because He has overcome the world. But the truth is, we all go through hard times and have to learn how to overcome them through Christ.

Sometimes God allows or even arranges for us to go through difficulties in this life because it's during those times that we grow in our faith and develop more of the character of Christ. Trials reveal what we really believe and what's really inside our hearts. They test us. And until we're in a situation where we have no choice but to face an issue we need to deal with, we don't really know what we would do.

James 1:2 (AMP) says we should "consider it wholly joyful" when we experience a trial or face a temptation. Verse 3 goes on to say that "the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience." That sounds lovely to have endurance, steadfastness and patience during trials, doesn't it?

Postpartum's Gaping Black Hole

I had no idea what was happening to me. I only knew that the worst thing in the world was to be conscious.by Denise Blumberg

\My first struggle with Postpartum Depression occurred when I was still living in the United States, with my husband and three kids. I was 33 years old, and had for the previous six years been working on my Ph.D. A mere two weeks after submitting the final draft of my thesis, I gave birth to a healthy, eight-pound baby girl. She was born at home, by choice, and I was surrounded by friends and care-givers.

The period immediately following her birth was exhilarating. My Ph.D. came through during Sukkot, which added to an already festive Yom Tov. Life was normal and happy. I was busy with the kids, tending to my family's needs, the house, going back to aerobics classes – all the normal functions of daily living.

Spider Surprises & Spiritual Attacks

The other day I called my mom to see if she wanted to join me for lunch. She agreed to pick me up and then we surprised my two sisters, my grandmother, my nieces and my nephew who were already enjoying lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  It was really nice to see everyone together! Sometime during the conversation my mom shouted out, “Did she tell you what happened yesterday?” Her tone made it sound like an interesting story.

My oldest sister’s eyes lit up as she begins to divulge a horrifying story. She was cleaning the drapes in her bedroom when a black thing fell from the top of the curtain, passing behind her shoulder; dust was also flying around, so she didn’t think twice about it.

Panic Or Pray?

by Marvin Williams

• Subscribe on iTunes
• Play MP3 (Mobile)

Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: 2 Chronicles 14:1-11

Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. —2 Chronicles 14:11

Bible in a Year:
Zechariah 11-14

An 85-year-old woman, all alone in a convent, got trapped inside an elevator for 4 nights and 3 days. Fortunately, she had a jar of water, some celery sticks, and a few cough drops. After she tried unsuccessfully to open the elevator doors and get a cell phone signal, she decided to turn to God in prayer. “It was either panic or pray,” she later told CNN. In her distress, she relied on God and waited till she was rescued.

Asa was also faced with the options of panic or pray (2 Chron. 14). He was attacked by an Ethiopian army of a million men. But as he faced this huge fighting force, instead of relying on military strategy or cowering in dread, he turned to the Lord in urgent prayer. In a powerful and humble prayer, Asa confessed his total dependence on Him, asked for help, and appealed to the Lord to protect His own name: “Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude” (v.11). The Lord responded to Asa’s prayer, and he won the victory over the Ethiopian army.

What does depression feel like?

Young Man Nude by the Seashore by Flandrian Hippolyte

“It was not really alarming at first, since the change was subtle, but I did notice that my surroundings took on a different tone at certain times: the shadows of nightfall seemed more somber, my mornings were less buoyant, walks in the woods became less zestful, and there was a moment during my working hours in the late afternoon when a kind of panic and anxiety overtook me…” – William Styron, Darkness Visible

Sometimes the Depression Self-Screening Tests are just too clinical, and the symptoms don’t really “click” with you. Some of the criteria are general, and if you’re suffering from depression, specifics are easier to understand. I know that I might not have diagnosed myself with depression just on the basis of those symptoms. I had no change in appetite, and no sleep problems (getting out of bed was what was difficult). Below are some un-clinical symptoms.

• Things just seem “off” or “wrong.”
• You don’t feel hopeful or happy about anything in your life.
• You’re crying a lot for no apparent reason, either at nothing, or something that normally would be insignificant.
• You feel like you’re moving (and thinking) in slow motion.
• Getting up in the morning requires a lot of effort.
• Carrying on a normal conversation is a struggle. You can’t seem to express yourself.
• You’re having trouble making simple decisions.
• Your friends and family really irritate you.
• You’re not sure if you still love your spouse/significant other.
• Smiling feels stiff and awkward. It’s like your smiling muscles are frozen.
• It seems like there’s a glass wall between you and the rest of the world.
• You’re forgetful, and it’s very difficult to concentrate on anything.
• You’re anxious and worried a lot.
• Everything seems hopeless.
• You feel like you can’t do anything right.
• You have recurring thoughts of death and/or suicidal impulses. Suicide seems like a welcome relief.
• You have a feeling of impending doom – you think something bad is going to happen, although you may not be sure what, and/or…
• …You have a very specific fear that torments you constantly.
• In your perception of the world around you, it’s always cloudy. Even on sunny days, it seems cloudy and gray.
• You feel as though you’re drowning or suffocating.
• You’re agitated, jumpy and and anxious much of the time.
• Your senses seem dulled; food tastes bland and uninteresting, music doesn’t seem to affect you, you don’t bother smelling flowers anymore.
• Incessantly and uncontrollably into your mind comes the memory of every failure, every bad or uncomfortable experience, interview or date, like a torrent of negativity.

Note: I wrote this a few years ago, and it has made its way around the Net uncredited. If you want to reproduce it in any way, please look at the terms of the Creative Commons license at the bottom of the page.

Also see How Depression May Affect Your Life. Archived comments in response to this article can be found here.

Please feel free to post your comment about what depression feels like. Don’t post:

• Questions about depression and how to handle it.
• Comments on how you think it should be managed, including finding God.
• Requests for other people to email you.
• Your depression “biography”.

Please note that comments are moderated – if you post a comment, it will not show up until it is approved, and this can take a few days. Comments asking for responses will be edited accordingly.

gotquestions   http://www.wingofmadness.com/what-does-depression-feel-like-446