Prayer for depression/calamity

[dominic135]

I'm not much of a church person although I've belonged to a few, but I pray daily. Everyone has faith stories and they usually send chills up and down my spine.
I was raised Catholic but as an adult I've belonged to the Lutheran and Presbyterian congregations. The name doesn't matter to me as much as the people I meet in church. It's the organized part of religion I have problems with but I can attest to the power of personal prayer.
I believe in tenfold. About 15 years ago, my son got me to join a church many of his friends went to. They welcomed me and before I knew it, I was an elder and a choir soloist. I was a single parent with 2 sons at the time and I couldn't tithe the expected amount but I gave what I could of cash and invested time as Sunday school teacher and Elder.
We weren't there but a year when my youngest son was paralyzed in an auto accident. I had tithed about $500 that year. When Christmas rolled around, the pastor came to my home and gave me a check for $5,000 to help with the hospital bills! $500 x 10! They turned over the Christmas collection to members with large medical bills. I'll be grateful for ever. It was a time I thought even God had turned his back on me!
I pray for others and for myself, for the strength to handle life's hurdles. The tenfold return left an indelible mark on my heart.
Another problem I encountered after the accident was depression. My prayer for that is very unusual. When I was down the most, I started praying anytime I found myself alone in the car. I mentally made a list of everything I was thankful for... and I mean EVERYTHING! If I had only $2.00 in my wallet, I thanked God for that $2. If the sun was shining, I thanked God. Everything my son learned to do for himself from his wheelchair, every bill I was able to pay, every smile I received, I thanked God!
You know, it's very hard to get depressed when you are busy looking for the good things in life to be thankful for!
I feel sorry for people who are only able to fixate on their problems, or the things they lack.
It took three years for us to become accustomed to our handicap! It was a hard grind. I had days that I felt invigorated and oddly happy at times, and when I did, I would get a card from a friend of a friend who informed me we were recipients of various prayer groups from all over the country. It got to the point, when I had a good day, I'd expect one of those cards or phone calls! Prayer works, no matter what religion you are! We carry our churches around with us 24/7 and it doesn't matter how devout you are... God listens! As the song goes, "you can't always get what you want, but you get what you need!"

[MaryB]

I have always been thankful for what I have. And in lean times it seems like I was always able to scare up sales to get me over the hump and survive another month! I long ago learned to do without and to set aside food and supplies for those lean times so I can survive. God has helped me when needed but as the saying goes "God helps those who help themselves" and it sounds like you have done what is needed to help yourself!

[USMC87]

Thank you for your post and honesty, We will be praying for you and the family.

[buckwheatpaul]

dominic135, What a great testimony....while we can question God for what happened to a loved one we will never know the reason until we are physically in His presence! God does work in many strange ways and virtually all of us have experienced them. The trick is to hold on and keep faith that God will protect us; give us grace when we need it; and bring us unto Him when our earthly time is up. God bless your son, you, and your family.....Paul

[Boaz]

dominic135, what a great testimony....while we can question god for what happened to a loved one we will never know the reason until we are physically in his presence! God does work in many strange ways and virtually all of us have experienced them. The trick is to hold on and keep faith that god will protect us; give us grace when we need it; and bring us unto him when our earthly time is up. God bless your son, you, and your family.....paul


..... Amen .

[Preacher Jim]

Dominic135 I have learned that you can always lean on the Lord or seek shelter under his wing.
the other lesson was you can't out give God.
thank you for you post
Amen

[w5pv]

I read a passage once that said basically In the time of need call upon the Lord and you will see the gates of heaven.Amen

[Blackwater]

Dominic, that's a great testimony. Probably the biggest mistake we all tend to make, is simply believing that God rewards the good for compliance and punishes the bad for their misdeeds. It just doesn't work like that. Christ never promised us an easy life if we followed him. On the contrary, He promised us it would be hard. That way, He knows who is REALLY His. Only those who are devout keep the faith through thick and thin. He sees much more than we do, and His standards and expectations are higher than ours, I think. I once heard a very inspiring alcoholic give a speech in a seminar about alcoholism, and he started by stating his name and saying, "... and I'm very happy to be an alcoholic." At the end of his little but inspiring talk, he explained, "Some of you may have noticed at the beginning of my talk, I said I was very happy to be an alcoholic. You may have found that surprising, but it's true. You see, I now realize that had I never been an alcoholic, and been through all the bad times that spawned for me, I'd never ever have come to the point I am now in life, where I appreciate everything and everybody in my life like I do now, and I'd never have become as satisfied with my life as I am now. It's a humbling thing to deal with alcoholism, but sometimes, we just need humbling, and alcoholism was the mechanism by which God taught me to be humble enough to receive the messages I needed to hear, and see the things I needed to see. So I thank God every day for my alcoholism, because it's made me the man I am today."

Everyone has their own personal version of trials in life. You have yours, I have mine, and all God's children have theirs. And it's all to bring us to our knees, and to help us understand better our real and rightful position in the overall scheme of things. I'll never forget that man's speech. It crystalized for me, what I'd been suspecting for a long time. I could only smile when he said it. I understood.

When we don't get what we want in life, we tend to think God has forsaken us, when the reality couldn't be more the opposite. He has promised He'd never put anything on us we couldn't carry, but the more capable among us often get tested the most sorely. It's his way of "fertilizing" us, his "garden," so that we will bloom and blossom to our fullest.

And it's long been said and recognized that when we come to our final moments in this limited life we live here, that how much money we made, or what we built for a home, or any of our normal worldly concerns, will matter at all. All that'll really matter, is our Faith and our loved ones, and knowing we did our best, even if we did falter now and then.

There couldn't be a more blessed assurance in our lives than that, and though it hurts us to see a loved one suffer or to do it ourselves, it doesn't mean Christ has turned His back on us. Merely that he wants us to achieve something that we probably couldn't or wouldn't without that "problem" to prompt us and motivate us to learn and do what we need to. The world tells us that it's the physical things that are important, but that's a lie. We can't take one, single thing physical with us when we leave this life, but we CAN take the love we've known and the satisfactions we've known in serving our God, and the seeds we've sewn, especially within our families. THAT is what's REALLY important in this life. All else is tinkling cymbals and sounding brass, but many are lured away by that. Just about everything in this life we live is geared to separate the wheat from the chaff in one way or another. You've done well. Keep up the good work. Glory lies dead ahead of all of us, if we'll simply "do the right thing," even if it's hard sometimes. What greater Gift could we ever have?

[Pine Baron]

dominic135, First welcome to the forum, welcome to the chapel, and thank you for your testimony.
We are all here to help and support you.
May God give you a clear path and the strength to persevere. May his Grace continue to pore over you and your family. In Jesus' Name. Amen

[WRideout]

Church is always about the people, seldom about theology, and never about the building.

In 1998, after a year of being partially employed, I was faced with the choice of which bill to pay, due to lack of income. I needed to pay the phone bill so I could find a job, but also needed to pay the mortgage. One afternoon, my church pastor came to the door and handed me an envelope with $400.00 in it. I had to go hide so no one could see me cry.

Wayne

[Blackwater]

Dominic, there's a time coming when you'll feel so richly blessed by what all you've faced and cared enough to do. And you obviously raised your son rightly, for him to be so determined to do all he can for himsellf. You've been tested, and you've passed the test, even though it was very trying and difficult. Self-respect is something few seem to demonstrate these days, and is probably one of the diseases our land faces today. You'll never have to worry about lacking that, though. Being humbled by all you've faced is NOT any sign that you haven't respected yourself, your son, and the Lord in everything you've done. You've done exceedingly well, even if it hasn't always been quite "perfect" in your mind. You've been challenged, and you rose to the occasion admirably. I don't even know you, yet, I have a tremendous amount of respect for you already. Many falter and fail when given your circumstances to deal with. God bless you and your son for what you've both done and achieved in this life. You've set an example, kind'a like Job, for so many others to follow. In a day and time when so many truly NEED someone to set an example for them, you and your son have both provided that shining light, that can show us the way if only we'll apply it in our own lives. God bless you both, and thanks for your story here.