Posts Tagged ‘Depression’
The Unique Nature of a Pastor’s Work
Ed. Note. In the most recent installment of this series, Pastor Sweatt discussed areas of pressure unique to pastoral ministry. In this post, he describes aspects of pastoral ministry that can add to a load of worry and care. The nature of a preacher’s work opens the door to depression. What is a preacher’s work?…
Read MoreThe Peculiar Pressures on the Pastor
The failure of pastors is sadly too much in the headlines in recent months. The reasons are many. Our culture is increasingly hostile to our message so that many are skeptical of organized religion. Even church members, hurting from their church experience, create discord by careless criticism and self-serving divisiveness. These and many more factors…
Read MoreBible Perspective On Suicide
The recent deaths of celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer Kate Spade raise awareness of a disturbing fact. Even famous and accomplished people commit suicide. What’s more, the New Yorker claims that suicide rates increase following high-profile suicides like these. (Suicides jumped nearly 10% following the death of Robin Williams). According to the Centers…
Read MoreBible Answers for Suicidal Thinking
A tragic wave of suicides among the rich and famous rocked our news pages recently. This past weekend two others jumped out of Manhattan buildings to their death. These unspeakable tragedies remind us that sometimes the least likely people in the least likely places are thinking about suicide. It also calls to mind that Philippian…
Read MoreConfronting Loneliness
A recent study deems loneliness a national epidemic, plaguing nearly half of our population. Specifically, 46% of Americans report “always feeling alone,” and 27% feel as though people do not understand them. Generation Z (ages 18-22) is the loneliest generation according to this study. Another important finding is that social media provides no cure for…
Read MoreDiscouragement
George Stiekes Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Psalm 43:5 Everyone faces discouragement at one time or another, even Christians. The psalmist David was a proven warrior. At one occasion, he claims that the Lord is the strength of his life, Of whom shall I be…
Read MoreThere Are No Unique or Hopeless Problems
John Vaughn Greatly discouraged believers are usually those facing problems that have them bewildered. The attitude that says, “No one has ever been through anything like this,” or “It’s hopeless; there is absolutely nothing I can do!” compounds the pain of overwhelming circumstances. The value of the Old Testament to the Christian is not only…
Read MoreRevitalizing Personal Worship
Through Quieting the Noisy Soul Jim Berg Shawna can’t seem to “click off” at nights, and her mind races nonstop replaying the events of the day. Fran was released from another job because of low productivity. She obsesses about cleanliness and orderliness to such a degree that she can never finish a job. Bob just…
Read MoreDealing with Depression Head On, Part 2
A Divine Description of Depression from Psalm 143 By Matt Recker “All I have ever wanted is to find a mate. I thought being married would change my depression, but since I have been married, I am even more depressed. We tried having children, but nothing we have tried has worked out. Then I thought…
Read MoreDealing with Depression Head On, Part 1
A Divine Description of Depression from Psalm 143 Matt Recker In a recent report on how Americans view the future of our country, 76% said they do not have the confidence that our children’s generation will have it better than us. The gloom many of our citizens feel goes beyond wealth, gender, ethnicity, region, age…
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