“Life isn’t worth living,” I’ve heard many times from people struggling to find a reason to live.
If life ever feels dark and depressed, it’s an opportunity to learn more about Life. To learn more about God!
God is Life. God is good. Life is good. The Life God has given us to live abounds with joy, health, meaning, purpose and love.
You won’t find the Good Life through material sense. It’s not found in another person, in a material place, or a physical condition. It’s found through inspiration—through spiritual ideas coming from God.
Everyone has spiritual sense to hear inspired ideas coming from God. No amount of depression ever takes away our spiritual sense. We always have it, and it always works.
When you put your hope in God, spiritual sense comes alive for you. You’ll find hope. You’ll find God.
The sensation of hopelessness that depression creates is an illusion. It is self-deceit of mortal mind. It is material sense trying to find something good in a place it is never found. Look to Spirit, not to matter, for hope, and you’ll find it. God is always with you.
Life is not a depressing experience. Life is good. Life is God!
Live the Good Life and leave depression behind. It doesn’t belong to you, and it’s not yours to carry around.
You have a Life filled with spiritual inspiration to enjoy!
Brilliant!
This is good advice for each of us. Look for good where it exists, in God and our spiritual identities. Wherever we are in our thoughts, this can help us fill our needs and satisfy our desires.
Such loving advise thank you for your wonderful view. So often our material view of the world makes us feel like we are always making mistakes and no longer have a place in this world and are no longer needed. Thank you for sharing this as we are all children of God and need to pray for his guidance and joy in this wonderful world.
Thank you Evan for your brilliant insights! Last week I was a little in the funk (
what I call depression bordure ), for almost 2 days ;after a little argument with someone, I was like paralyzed couldn’t get back in to the surface of my spiritual-harmony.
I couldn’t even open CS littérature
Or make affirmations; all I can do is watching funny cartoons and one funny movie; it helped to remove some of pressure but not really deeper to remove all that material mind , dark clouds activity; finally the second morning after I got up I was still in the mortal dream , ruminating , oh I can again close my eyes for a while , maybe lay down again , just stay in that state . Suddenly I decided to get out it this labyrinth, strongly affirming my happiness and the deep connection with “ mother father God”, the only good energy,always available in the critical moments even if it seems miles away. I’m very grateful for all God’s children contributing for “Spirit view”.
Go gently into that good night, never give up, when nothing lifts you up, step UP, give yourself the clue, only GOOD is real, so go with gusto for the good, right there, right now, Look for it. . . . . . nothing good is hidden from us, hold on to the good, and take the upward route strongly, God shows the way.
Thank you Evan. Lovely to know we are always dealing with God, not mortals or mortal situations:
https://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/main/default/id/6276/ver/NKJV/colossians-3-22-25.htm
Colossians 3:22-25
(22) “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. (23) And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (25) But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.”
It’s extremely challenging when you’re unaware of the riptide pulling you away from destructive human emotions until you find yourself being swept further and further away from the false security of this material world. It is suggested that rather than fight against the direction the current is forcing you, to relax and flow with it until it releases you. It may not release you until you’ve been swept away a long distance, but it is safer to just ride it out. I’m caught in the riptide now. It will lead me gently, if I don’t fight it, to a safer, better place. It can only harm me if I fearfully and willfully continue to resist. Psalm 57:1,2 says:
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills [his purpose] for me.
SH 254:27, 28: If you launch your bark upon the ever agitated but healthful waters of truth, you will encounter storms.
Thanks Love, psalm 57 is an humble one to reconnect whatever bother us!☺️
Dear Evan, I am so grateful that you have opened up this conversation this morning. Occasionally I too feel trapped in depression, hopelessness, fear of the future. But in Liz infrequent times, somewhere in the distant thought a little light shines eventually, that Light of Christian Science ! It’s enough to cause me perhaps to look outside at the beauty of nature; to consider those I love in my life; the many graces which have carried me through challenging times… sometimes this takes a day, but usually I come out in a little while. As I’ve deepened my study of Christian Science, these episodes have almost vanished. In the words of a wonderful Christian Scientist who helped guide me in the early days, I want to stay “all prayed up!“ This is the best defense. As we learned last week’s Lesson, we ARE preserved in every situation. We are lifted out of slavery, the slavery of our own (mortal mind/powerless) thought
The quote from Science and Health, which Love referenced (above) concludes: “Pilgrim on earth, thy home is heaven; stranger, thou art the guest of God.”
I’ve always loved that precious thought – – that i am a brave pilgrim venturing into new worlds, and all along the way I am God’s guest in Her house!
Thank you, Evan, and the SpiritViewers who will undoubtedly be adding beautiful and inspiring ideas today! I look forward to following the conversation. This morning meal shared is very precious to me.
With utmost love to all
It occurs to me after reading your message, Evan, and the messages from your respondents, that this negative pattern or dream that some of us have had, or are experiencing, is mental malpractice, and it puts us to sleep; caught in the dream of lies and material falsehoods about our true nature, our true being, our existence, and the Truth about Life. Thank you all for the wake-up call.
Speech to text AI changed my words incorrectly. Not “gods”, but “God’s.” Not “D5M5”, but “DSM-5”. Even though they lacked the parts of the brain associated with self control and impulse regulation, these dear ones have more self-control and self-regulation, when it comes to gracious patience with others. Not “the guy”, but “that God” was not finished with them. Etc. Before I press send or post, I make sure it reads the way I want, but I forgot to disable the microphone and the phone’s tendency to change my words after I read them. Sorry.
I think we have all had times when we have felt the pull of depression
try to sink us out of harmony. Finding solace in nature is something
that fortifies my trust in God’s care. Seeing how perfectly God’s Love
embraces the world around us, is a lesson that strengthens our
appreciation for every synergistic design in this beautiful world. The
other day I was marveling how a bee was so delighting in Life and
helping to make God’s/Soul’s garden so lovely.
It brought back a demonstration I had where I didn’t realize there was
a nest of yellow jackets in the ground until I had run over it with my
lawnmower. The swarm was not at all happy and although there
were many upset beings, I was only stung a few times that let me
know they were there. Seeing them as God’s creatures protected
me from harm. The challenges we face are proofs of God’s care
and when we are victorious over them, we do know that “Life is
good”. These trials are not always easy. I sure know that, but
sometimes we just have to realize that, “Man’s extremities are
God’s opportunities.”
I’ve been missing the shared links to helpful articles recently. Please keep them coming!
I’ve been missing the shared links to helpful articles recently. They’re much appreciated, so please keep them coming!
Thank you Evan. Thank you all. When we meet challenges on the way, we should seek safety in the divine Mind where all the comfort we can imagine or want to have is found and is already ours, In the Bible we read, ” Know me and ye would live.” Life is worth living because we read in Science and Health that “God is Life.”
Demonstration of purpose chases the blues away for me. One’s purpose may include a job, but being employed isn’t the only way to demonstrate purpose. I pray each day, knowing that my true purpose is to reflect
God-like qualities in everything I do. That brings me joy. My purpose isn’t to make a life in matter grand and a nice life in matter the outcome of my labors. My purpose has already been designated and nothing can change that, and that is true about everyone and all of God’s creatures and creations. Has anyone ever seen a thing with so much purpose as a honeybee or a towering redwood?
I am in awe of all the Bible characters who demonstrated purpose by just being in the right place at the right time. They were certainly listening. Discovering purpose leads to opportunities that are rewarding, that meet our needs as we meet those needs of others.
Kim what you said reminded me of what someone shared during the Annual Meeting of the Mother Church last week. He saId that after a healing that was very profound for him, he realized that the regular job where he earned income was now in his mind a part time job, and his full time job was knowing and growing in and expressing spiritual truth.
Evan great topic, as we probably all experience that seeming darkness at times, myself included. I loved your reassurance that “no amount of depression ever takes away our spiritual sense.” Also the idea that hopelessness comes from thinking we can find good in a place it is never found (in a material view of life), forgetting that happiness and goodness and joy are all spiritual and flowing always from God.
Another thought: We are not the part-time reflection of God, we are the full-time reflection of God. When good seems to come and go and we start to think that is a normal/natural thing, we must be entertaining the false belief that either God comes and goes or that we somehow come and go from Him. Impossible!
Some years ago I was sunk in a very deep, deep, dark, depression, and hopelessness regarding our business and its state of affairs. I felt I was drowning, and that we were going to lose everything. I finally came upon this quote from the Bible trust in the lord, with all thy heart, and lean, not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy ways I held onto this, and in due time many sources of monies from all different avenues that were unexpected, came into our business. It was the most amazing thing to watch in our business was saved. I am so grateful to God for his care And Mary baker eddy the discover and founder of Christian Science who has certainly kept me on the right path all these many years it is not only helped me, but my family in so many different ways and avenues. God is great.
AMEN, gracious thank you for sharing your experience. Quoting you “GOD IS GREAT.” With a lifetime of proof, it’s never forgotten just HOW GOOD GOD IS!!
I just had another thought that I wanted to share the statement from the Bible pilgrim on earth thy home is heaven stranger thou are the guest of God makes me realize that God as our host is a wonderful host and we are as His guests are treated to the best care of provision and health and harmony goodness and love.
Thank you Evan for alerting Spiritviewers to prayerfully address and counter the treacherous claim of depression. It’s a seemingly debilitating phase of the carnal mind. It is malicious in its claim to completely obscure man’s natural spiritual sense. I have a dear friend who is often paralyzed by depression.
Christian Science gives us the spiritual understanding and firm basis for reasoning our way out of this dark spell of mortal mind. Even when the blanket of darkness seems all encompassing, we know that it has no real power or reality. It can help to take one quality of Truth and work with it, such as joy or peace, to chip away at the gloom and open consciousness up to the light of Christ that is really always present as our true and only Mind.
When I retired, I thought my “good” life was over. I struggled immensely with worth and finding interests and even more loss of friends. I worked with a dear practitioner for quite a while and we discussed volunteering and using God given talents. I tried quite a few things until I found what was a right fit for my “talents.” Oh, have I been blessed but even better so have the ones I volunteer for, I.e. advocating for needy children and their families. God leads us to do the right thing that truly expresses more clearly His love.
Thanks Linda, what you say is very true. I heard a spiritual teacher (not CS) once say, on the topic of depression: “YOU (the real you) cannot be depressed. Your head can be entertaining depressing thoughts, but YOU can’t be depressed.” I liked that because it shows that what we truly ARE is always intact and whole, untouched by lies, and the problem is in entertaining and being seemingly mesmerized by falsehoods about God’s child.
Here’s a Q&A chat the topic from a Sentinel 2008 with Janet Kennedy CSB
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/jshh93e3og
I am at a very different time in my life. No urgency. Daily things to pay attention to. I have had a lot to do but this has been a time to be less distracted by a job and to listen more
It is a time to resolve things in the light of the Truth that I have pushed aside as I had to prioritize what to do each day.
I remember experiencing the resistance strongly as I learned the Truth. Without the human intervention it seemed boring. But I learned I never suffered from the Truth, just hanging onto the burning pot handle of the false sense.
MANY THANKS.
So appreciate today’s post and all the responses of helpful thoughts. Thank you, Evan, and SpiritView readers.
Thanks Evan and all for sharing your thoughts on a subject that needs addressing at this time, world-wide!
One of my favorite Psalms 139
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light around me.
There is no place you can go that God isn’t already there holding you and surrounding you with loving light! Brings a smile of joy every time I think of it!
That is really lovely, Libbie! It reminds me of Mrs. Eddy’s
Miscellany … “The [O]ne divine intelligent Principle that
holds the earth in its orbit by evolved spiritual power,
that commands the waves and the winds, that marks
the sparrow’s fall and that governs all from the infinitesimal
to the infinite, namely God”.
God holds us and the stars, the moon, the universe in perfect
order and harmoniously surrounds us with the wisdom/pages
of His loving and joyful words, always pointing us to what we
need… always watching,
He always Knows and reflects sweetly
with Love’s amazing, complimenting direction, warms us with
His light and peace, even when darkness seems to cover us and
is so, so willing to give more and more Love to us. All we have
to do is ask and Spirit answers our call.
I connected with a dear friend I had known when I was working
and she had then been working at another nursery/greenhouse
and today/ it was great to see her and hoped she would be there.
I hadn’t seen her in years but she knew me right away. It was lovely.
One Mind knows.
Rose dear,- I just listened to the audio chat you posted on dealing with depression. Thank you!. It gave me an expanded sense of how to support my friend who seems to battle with this belief, and provided wonderful guidance on healing depression. One point that stood out to me is not to dream the dream with her, but to consistently acknowledge and magnify the good God qualities this loved one expresses. Also to encourage gratitude for the simplest things. This lifts the mental atmosphere, and opens up a pathway for progress. I so appreciate your loving contributions to this precious union of hearts.
Dear Linda, I’m so glad to hear that the Sentinel chat on healing depression was helpful to you. Love to both you and your dear friend, she is blessed to have your support.