Does anyone else have issues with their depression and religion?

What I mean is that we are *supposed* to be grateful and thankful for all that we have (and lets be honest - most of us have a LOT to be thankful for). And God did give us the greatest gift through Christ....

BUT - yet I can find NO joy or happiness in this life. I have so much that I should be thankful for (a nice home, cars, health, awesome kids). Yet I hate my existance. I can think of nothing better than to simply die in my bed..... I PRAY for it pretty much daily.

Anyone conflicted by this - or am I just a jerk?

I have a spiritual connection to a Higher Power through a 12-Step program I'm in where we're taught to have an "attitude of gratitude." I do have a lot to be grateful for but, as with you, it doesn't seem to help my feelings of deep depression very much.

I try to think of how much worse things could be if I didn't have this or that in my life, and it comforts me for a bit, but it's short-lived and then back to being in the dumps.

[ToeJam]

I am not personally religious but my wife has an interesting take on obstacles that we face in life: Life is a test, but God does not give us any more than we can handle.

I don't know if you'll find comfort in that sentiment but I know for my wife, it gives her strength to keep going and still keep her chin up.

[Sadley]

Originally Posted by Useless Me

Does anyone else have issues with their depression and religion?

What I mean is that we are *supposed* to be grateful and thankful for all that we have (and lets be honest - most of us have a LOT to be thankful for). And God did give us the greatest gift through Christ....

BUT - yet I can find NO joy or happiness in this life. I have so much that I should be thankful for (a nice home, cars, health, awesome kids). Yet I hate my existance. I can think of nothing better than to simply die in my bed..... I PRAY for it pretty much daily.

Anyone conflicted by this - or am I just a jerk?

I did, when I was Christian. What we are "supposed" to be doing is unknowable. To gain a greater level of intelligence and understanding you must question all things. I question, how do we know what we are "supposed" to be doing? How would anyone know the answer to this? By reading a book that was written by other men? How do we know that whom we're told that wrote these books are who we think they are? As far as I'm concerned, it is unknowable. I wasn't there personally as someone wrote it, and, well this goes deeper but how can I prove that any other person is even real, even if I was there "witnessing" the event? Can we even trust our memories? Our minds naturally will judge and generalize things in order for us to help ourselves remember certain things. Unfortunately, you can't prove anything in this life. Man creates ideas, that define things as certain other things, to create math, to create an absolute out of something that isn't. Everything is only as it is said it is by one if another continues to define it as such...

I realize that probably won't make much sense to you. That's ok. I don't expect anyone to understand what I'm saying, after all, it is only what is in my head. I can only hope that someone will get the message and more simply put, free yourself from the bindings of your mind. Don't continue to accept everything you're told as a truth, as we did when we were children. I encourage anyone reading this to question what I'm saying.

wish i could type better today but i only have the use of one hand....i have grown up with christianity, believed in J since a young child, but i think i was depressed for as long as i can remember.
So yes I question why i struggle or why any christian struggles once they are a believer. I'll bet even in the bible some writers struggled with depression at times, but i feel that we should be able to get out of prolonged periods of hopelessness. I don't think gratefulness is totally the answer either, because it just makes me realize how many people are suffering and in pain and hungry, and for me to be grateful while they have no food, makes me ungrateful for the condition of the world, if you know what i mean. i think that we are under attack, and depression is one of the tools used to make us want to lose faith and hope. Only trust Him. p.s. you are not a jerk, and we are allowed to question things... help my unbelief someone said in the bible to Jesus