How do people with great faith sustain their faith?

Question

I am struggling with a feeling of emptiness and I really want some answers on how people sustain their faith thru depression and such. I am bipolar, so I struggle with depression quite a bit. Thanks for any insight!

Answer 1

by supressing thier spirits within. Im guessing youre christian, i was miserable as a christian.

Answer 2

"Faith without works is dead"

You must be doing something. Experience is a get help to faith. If your faith is dwindling, then you may not be taking action on your faith. I can't tell you what to do, but I can make suggestions. If you can try helping in a project at your church. Or if you can sing, join the chior, or teaching a class. Starting a bible study group. Or start a support group for others who may have bipolar. Or simply talk to others (whom you may regularly encounter on the streets) about your belief. As long as there are non believers in the world, there will be jobs for Christians to parttake in.
I hope you find your nitch. I wish you the best. God bless.

Answer 3

Eleni, read 'A Closer Walk With Christ' by Raymond Thomas Gawronski.

Those feelings of emptiness if you are a person of faith as you say, could be the spiritual desolation that Ignatius speaks of, and this book address that in easy to understand terms.

I was ready to give up too, when I found this book, and wow! what a difference it made!

If I can help in any way, you can email me.

Answer 4

--YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I have been struggling with a chemical imbalance for the last 30 years. You need to realize that such an illness can make you feel negative about everything, so do not panic!

--There are Scriptures that have given me great comfort through this constant struggle, you might be familiar with some of them:

(Galatians 6:3-4) “3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deceiving his own mind. 4 But let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person.”

--Note how important it is NOT TO compare ourselves or let others compare us with others, it is not healthy even if one is not suffering with an imbalance.

(Philippians 4:6-7) “6 Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let YOUR petitions be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard YOUR hearts and YOUR mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”

--Did you note that prayer to God in Jesus name in all types of needs can bring comfort, can help our "mental powers"(not cure)make sure then you are indeed praying to God not to his son , but through the mediator , Christ, and not recited prayers, make your prayers personal--did you note the different forms of prayer that are mentioned?

(Romans 12:3) “3 For through the undeserved kindness given to me I tell everyone there among YOU not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think; but to think so as to have a sound mind, each one as God has distributed to him a measure of faith.”

--It is also important to have a measure of self-like & self-love, without becoming Narcisstic.

--I hope you are seeing a good doctor you trust, because like myself, I need medication that is limited but indeed can take the edge off of my depression, anxiety etc.

--When you are limited as to how much activity you can handle, do simple things with the Bible ideas, Here is what I have done for the last 30 years and indeed does help. I also struggle with a chronic fatigue, which limits the amount of energy I can put into something:

1. Listen to Bible readings, when you can't read the Bible(not religious ideas that do not coincide with Bible teachings that you know for sure--there are doctrines that confuse even those that do not suffer from a chem. imbal.

2. I enjoy Bible time line charts , I have three that in particularly go back to Adams creation , about 6000 years ago and show parallel lines with secular history.

Answer 5

You have to read the word, pray and praise. For people who are depressed, it also helps to be in a good community, and around people with energy because they tend to cheer you up.

But in your private time, sing praise songs.. they say "God inhabits the praises of his people." Also, "faith comes from hearing the word of God...." look at it often and read his word.

Also, one of the most common commands in the whole Bible is "remember." DO NOT forget what God has done for you in the past. That is the quickest way for the devil to convince you that God doesn't love you. Don't forget.

Also, feel free to email me if you have specific faith questions. A friend of mine is bipolar and I remember the questions she had, and we discussed things in depth....

Answer 6

If you have the feeling of emptiness you can read the psalms of David from the Bible ...and pay attention to what powers God has got. King David , had also depression as it results from psalms ..he cried etc ..but he trusted God and knew that God keeps his head into His hands ..so David knew God was right and trusted God and knew that as God was right , He shall forgive him and shall sent him the human powers again.Because David had sinned , that is why David struggled with this feelings of depression -God let him suffer - this was his depression and took the powers from him . Becasue David slept with the woman of his first soldier and sent the man in the first line to get killed and get rid of him when Bathseba get pregnant with the baby of David.God talked to prophet and priest Nataniel and sent him to David and God took the first baby of David and Batsheba .Because the people of Israel listened to the people from around who worshiped idols , some of them took more then one woman (as wife )and this was anyway a thing forbidden by God. So anyway king David had more then a woman why did he took the wife of his captain?

But after this sufferings of David , God forgived him . Joseph was from king David 's family as God said . King David was a shepard when God chose him as a king . God used also to talk in a loud voice to the phrophets of the Old Testamet.e.g.(Isaiah, Iezechia , Daniel )The most important phrophets were the priests ...or from the priests family..Those who listened to God..

Answer 7

The best way to sustain your faith is by reading the word of God (the Bible). I also keep a prayer journal - instead of praying out loud to God all the time I also write him letters in my prayer journal. It really helps me keep the faith. Lastly, it helps if you surround yourself with people who have the same beliefs (or very similar beliefs) as yours.

Answer 8

Their is no great faith sweety it is simply have faith in God.
I used to be suicidal and when thoughts come to me to try to get me back in a state of depression I'd read a lot of Psalms and I have brothers and sisters in the Lord I ask them to pray for me and I just keep my faith in God. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.
Read the beatitudes also and really listen to what they say.
I lost my brother 2 1/2 months ago,he died of Hepatitis C at the age of 52 and I didn't think at times I was going to make it.I asked my church family to pray for me and talked to them about what was hurting me so bad and that helped.Knowing someone really cares means a lot.God bless you.

Answer 9

As our faith is tested, the true spiritual state of our hearts is revealed. When life's problems come to us we can either act within our own strength, doing whatever we can to manipulate the outcome, or we can trust in God’s strength, taking our hands off and allowing Him to enter the scene.

As we begin to walk by faith, there will be times when we stumble and fall. Heck it's happened to me so many times I lost count.

However, falling and getting up is part of learning how to walk. Once we get up and dust ourselves off, we take our next step with more wisdom, more strength, more faith. My daddy told me that I would never learn to ride a horse if I didn't get back up on that horse after being throwed. My brother told me the same thing when I fell off my first bicycle. He said I would never learn to ride if I didn't keep getting back on that bike. Some have failed at relationships and marriages, and are afraid to give their heart away again. You never learn how to have the right relationship or marriage, and may never find the one that you truly love and that truly loves you unless you keep trying. Some have failed at business. You learn from your mistakes and you will never taste success unless you try again.

Walking by faith is a lifestyle, a way in which we conduct ourselves. As God molds and shapes us more into His image, He desires for us to live a life of faith, a life that relies upon Him for everything we need.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Answer 10

it is so hard girl to sustain faith...probably even more that you are going through that feeling of emptiness.....i have been struggling too, to fing God and my faith and I am still on the search... please dont give up now because this is just a phase,....keep trying to find what convinces you the most, cause whenever you do, you will fill it in your heart and mind...just pray God to help you on your way...tell Him your needs and intentions... i think He could be listening to you

Answer 11

because in spite of all the negativity around us, miracles are still happening ! Sometimes, I have even wondered if Earth was really "hell". But, talk to your Creator, put it in His hands. When you just don't know what to do, give it up to God ! .....and watch what happens ! There are people around that I believe are angels, or damn near ! (not talking about the holy rollers) . For me, I believe that God knows when we pray or talk to Him. He hears every prayer. You have to ask God to show you the way, and mean it. Then go about taking care of your responsibilities, and let God take care of the rest. Just as God can punish, also, He can make life happy for you too !