Stress Center Peer Support

I have been unemployed for over a year. I was in school for the most part, but it seemed that when I asked God to get me a job the answer was 'no'. Now I'm out of school and I went to places that help disabled people get jobs, but I have to wait even longer. I hate waiting and God isn't there. I lost faith in him. I stopped praying, I stopped reading the Bible, and I might just drop out of church. God is torturing me.

cleveland' Sounds like you have a right to give up on God, but without Him what do you have. Life is not easy nor fair, And I have a different times felt like giving up on God , but then told myself where would I go,Keep up with the programand justkeep trusting. thats what I have to do. Keep reaching out to people in need and it will help you I am sure'I volunteer at the library and a community thrift store.. Just get out and Thank God Even for our trials .He is trying to get our attention, to try to teach us to have a closer walk with Him . I have tokeep telling myself this.I am a widow , 79 yrs old and it really gets lonesome, so i reach out as much as I can and go to churchany time the doors are open . atleast I get posotive strokes for a little while. God Bless Hope you will be feeling better soon

Hello,
I am sorry to hear that you are losing faith. I know first hand how you feel. I am always asking God why do I have live this way with anxiety. Have you got the program? I am on my 4th session and it really does help. I know its hard to keep faith when your life sometime crumbles right before you, but God is watching over you and something good will come out of all this. I have been writing down all the positive things in life so I will be thankful for something, just when I think things are bad I take a look at others that are much worse off than I am. I do understand you being discouraged belive me, but through it all I still think God is watching over me. I hope that something good will happen for you soon. Its your choice to decide if you want God in your life or not, but I do think something good is going to happen for you. Good things take time, everything happens for a reason. You take care and I hope things will be smoother for you soon... Have a great day..
Gina

Hi all,

I know that it seems as if God is not there when we are going through difficult situations. More times than not, we have given up on Him. We are looking for fast fixes and answers, and we are not wanting to wait to see how God will help us. The Bible says that God will never leave us or forsake us. He hears our cry for help. Sometimes He gives us the answer, but it was not what we wanted to hear or believe, and we ignore it.
Please keep on seeking Him and praying.

Reach out to someone - a friend, a fellow church member. When you feel that you are at the end of your rope - tie a note and hang on. God will see you thru. It's hard on us because I've wondered why God would let me go thru this terrible panic/anxiety ordeal for so long. But then I think of the suffering Jesus did for us and my suffering is to tiny compared to his. Please keep your faith - ask your Pastor for assistance. God loves you!

Just this morning I listened to Joyce Meyer's video "I Belong to God and He loves me" Psalm l39. I encourage you to purchase this video and play it often. I do. It is such a help. Do not doubt for one minute God loves you. Ask him everyday what He has for you that day and He will show you. Do your program. Keep coming here.

Erna, so glad for you to join us. You will not be lonely. When we are lonely it's only because we choose to be. Both of you will find this is a friendly community and you will make many friends. God bless you all!

Hi MrClevland-

First off god is here to guide us not make things happen for us.. I think you are where you are for a reason, respect that- he put you somewhere for a reason- there was a reason you didnt get a job, a reason the things you requested did not happen- you must respect his plan for you and further, embrace it -You must thank to receive..I think the most important part of god for me is the spiritual side- not the 'religious' if that makes sense. I do not attend church and I have never believed wholey in anything however, I get daily scriptures from Joel Osteen <A HREF="http://www.joelosteen.com" TARGET=_blank>www.joelosteen.com</A> and I am going to post a few below that I believe could give you some insight which sort of explains how I feel about god:
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Today's Scripture

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

As a follower of Christ, you are a new creation! You have a new spirit, a new walk, a new life! Are there “old” things in your life that you are trying to get rid of? Maybe you have old behaviors or addictions that you want to change. Remember, the new has come. It’s a new year and it’s time to be the new you. Let this year be the year you break old habits and addictions. Let this be the year that you move forward into a new life of victory. And your new life includes all the spiritual blessings the Lord has promised in His Word. You have a promise of peace. Health. Protection. Provision. Be encouraged today and know that no matter what is happening in your life right now, you can embrace the new life God has prepared for you. Make the choice today to leave the old behind—leave behind old behavior, old thinking, old words. Embrace the new by faith and you’ll move forward into the life of blessing the Lord has in store for you.

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for making me new. Help me to understand Your plan for me so that I can fully embrace Your promises. I choose today to leave behind the old life and ask that You empower me by Your spirit today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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Today's Scripture

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Every obstacle in your life is subject to change. It doesn’t matter what you may be facing, there is an answer in the unseen. The unseen is the spiritual realm where the promises of God exist. Your faith brings those unseen things into this natural realm. When you are fixed on something, you can’t be moved. There’s a determination that fuels your focus. When you fix your eyes on the unseen—the promises of God—your faith will not be moved by your circumstances and you’ll eventually see those promises come to pass. Make the decision today to fix your eyes and mind on the promises of God. Meditate on His promises until they become more real to you than the air you breath. Declare that His promises will come to pass in your life. Declare that you have His favor. Declare that you are more than a conqueror. Don’t allow fear and doubt to change what you are speaking over your life. As you continue to fix your spiritual eyes on the unseen promises of God, you will see those things come to pass in the natural and you will move forward into the abundant life the Lord has for you!

A Prayer for Today

Father God, today I choose to fix my eyes on you. I choose to fix my mind and heart on your promises, no matter what it looks like in this natural world. I know that Your Word is true and that your promises will be fulfilled in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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Today's Scripture

“We thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of man, but as it actually is—the Word of God which is at work in you who believe” (I Thessalonians 2:13 NIV).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

When you receive the truth of God’s Word in your heart, it automatically takes root and begins to work in your life! You may not always see it right away. You may not always feel it, but know that God began a good work in you, and He is faithful to complete it. When you are faithful to receive His Word, it opens the door for Him to work. The Bible tells us that the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. That means, if there’s any confusion in your life, or if anything is unclear, the Word of God will divide the truth from the lies. The Word of God will direct you and light the path you should take. The Psalmist talks about loving the Word of God and making it your meditation night and day. I encourage you to find a few scriptures and write them on note cards. Ask the Lord to make those verses come alive in your heart. As you pursue and love the Word of God, you will see Him working. You will rise higher in every area and live the abundant life He has in store for you.

A Prayer for Today

Father in Heaven, thank You for working in my life by the power of Your Word. Thank You for loving and setting me free. I choose to receive Your Word because I know Your Word brings life. I bless You today. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Today's Scripture

“Surely goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

What are you expecting today? Are you expecting to rise higher in life? Are you expecting good breaks? Are you expecting goodness to follow you everywhere you go? If you are expecting to get the short end of the stick, your own wrong thinking will keep you in mediocrity. Remember, God will meet you at the level of your expectations. Pay attention to what you are thinking about and make the choice to believe God for good things. Every day, imagine there are blessings, favor, increase, and promotion in your path. They already have your name on it! It’s just a matter of time before you come across them. Start confessing everyday “Something good is going to happen to me today.” Stand strong when trouble comes, knowing that your best days are ahead. Believe that God’s blessings will overtake you! Expect goodness and mercy to chase you down. If you’ll learn to raise your level of expectancy, God will pour out His blessings and favor on you. You’ll rise to new levels and live the life of victory He has in store.

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, today I expect your goodness and loving-kindness to surround me. I choose to believe that my best days are right out in front of me. Help me stand strong in You so that I can see Your blessing in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name.
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Today's Scripture

“Light arises in the darkness for the upright…” (Psalm 112:4).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Is there any area of your life that needs light today? Maybe you’re in a seemingly dark situation or maybe you need some insight into a decision you have to make. Maybe you need the light of understanding into a particular situation. Whatever is going on in your life right now, God’s Word promises that light will arise. He promises to illuminate every area of your life. The Bible tells us in the book of Psalms that God’s Word is a lamp to your feet and light to your path. You can turn the light on, so to speak, by studying and meditating on the Word of God. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and shine the truth of God’s Word throughout your being. As you meditate on the Word of God you will see that light arise in your life. Your path will be clear, and you will move forward into the abundant life the Lord has in store for you!

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, I ask that your light shine brightly in my life today. Help me, Holy Spirit, to walk in the light so that I can be pleasing to the Lord in every way. Thank you for your faithfulness to me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Today's Scripture

“A Righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19)

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

No matter what “troubles” you may be facing today, God has promised to deliver you! And notice this verse doesn’t say He's going to deliver you from “some” of your troubles — “if you say and do everything perfectly.” No, if you are righteous today, God promises to deliver you from all of your troubles. How do you know if you are righteous? When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, when you accept His forgiveness and believe He is working in your life, then you are righteous. Your faith and belief in the goodness of God is His righteousness at work in your heart. The Bible says in Romans 4, that “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

If you are facing troubles today, expect that God has a way of escape for you. Expect that He is working behind the scenes on your behalf. Meditate on this verse and let it sink deep into your heart. Know that God is good and He is your Deliverer today. Believe in His goodness and faithfulness and He will deliver you into the life of victory that He has planned!

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank you for making me righteous by the blood of Jesus. I receive Your promises and choose to believe that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. Thank You for being my Deliverer today and always! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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I hope these help, I printed them off and read them continuously.. its amazing the perspective one can gain-

Best wishes and please keep in touch.

I can definitely understand why you are feeling the way you are feeling about God. I have lived with anxiety for many years now, and I have a child who has severe autism. Autism is a disability that can cause a person not to be able to speak, hinder development, and cause many different behaviors which can include screaming, not sleeping, etc. What some people don't know about autism is that there is a regressive type. This type of autism means that your child appears normal and has normal development for the first two years of life and then loses the development, and sometimes this happens overnight. My son had the regressive type, so in a very strong way, it was almost as if he had died because he lost many skills that he has not regained. I say all of this to tell you that over the past 7 years since his diagnosis and battling with anxiety which definitely increased after his diagnosis, that I have learned so much about God. It would take me forever to tell you, and I may not say all of the right things, but I'll try to help you in any way I can, and please know that I do not judge you for feeling the way you do. God gives us freedom to make choices, and from everything that I have been through with my anxiety and my son, I am certain that God is real, loves us all, and only wants what is best for us.
Right now, I can see that you are seeing many things happening to you that are bad that you feel are coming directly from the hand of God. The truth is that you really don't know for sure why you didn't get that job. The truth is that there could really be something that God is keeping you from at that job that could harm you. The truth is that if it was because of God that you didn't get the job, that He has a better plan for you than you realize. Please don't limit yourself to deciding whether or not God loves you through whether or not you get a certain job at a certain time. God loves you no matter what your circumstances, and uses so many different ways to show you that love. I remember in the past before my son's diagnosis, having what now I consider to be tinier panic attacks, and the moment I had the panic attack I would immediately be angry with God. Why did I get so angry with Him? Because I had a distorted view of God. I believed that God was like my abusive father, and if I chipped a nail I thought I was being punished by Him too so why not blame him for panic attacks? I believed that anything bad that happened to me was from God. I didn't think He wanted me ever to have joy or be happy. That was how my earthly father was, and our parents tend to be the ones who shape our view of God. I was also just immature in my faith, and that was to be expected as well at the time. God didn't let me stay there though, and He has used my painful experiences with my son to actually show me His unconditional love for my son who can't talk or go to the bathroom, and to me his imperfect mother who struggles with anxiety. There is scripture that says, "All things work together for good to those who love Christ Jesus". Does this say that all things are good and your supposed to like everything that happens to you like your child being sick, being unemployed, having anxiety,losing a loved one? No! Sometimes people get confused about that. This scripture says that God will take what is bad and use it for good when you love Him. Instead of looking at that as some potential punishment that if you don't follow Him He won't help you, try looking at it as a benefit or perk to following God. If you do decide to follow Him, you have His assurance and promise that He will use your bad circumstances for good. He can also get you out of bad circumstances as an additional benefit, and prayer really does change things. "Nothing is impossible with God"(Luke 1:37) What benefits:)! So, my advice is to consider the possibility that you are looking at God through a distorted lens and that will probably take time to mend. There are many wonderful Christian books, and I highly recommend, "God Has A Dream For Your Life" by Sheila Walsh for your circumstances. She is a great and loving Christian author. You need to see God as a loving God. "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, and not to destroy you, to give you a future and hope." Jeremiah 29:11 is the verse that I believe that God wants you to know. There are many other great books if you would like to private message me about them and some other sources. Also, for me personally, just reading books on miracles, and watching the show "It's a miracle" or paying attention to miraculous news stories like the family being rescued in the blizzard, are just so encouraging that God really is there. When you read these stories or watch them, you see that these are just everyday people who weren't perfect, and God gave them miracles. He'll do that for you too, because He does it for all of us. God is a constant source of love. It's such a blessing to know that. I know it's not something that you can imagine right now, but that's one of the greatest benefits from God. Peace, and love no matter what your circumstances. Knowing that you have value as a child of God no matter what your job status or disability. Knowing that God works through you whenever and wherever you are if you just let Him though it may be as simple as you opening a door for someone who's carrying too many packages. It may be just very simple. It may just be your presence on the supermarket isle because someone else felt alone and just needed to see another body in the store. We tend to underestimate the way God uses us because we think it has to big and grand. He does that too, but He also cares for us so intimately that He uses small situations to show us that he's there too. In fact, the Bible says that God works through us the most in our state of weakness. "For when I am weak, He is strong." 2Corinthians 12:10 When we are the most broken, and look to the Creator of the universe for our strength, He loves it because others are most likely to see God in us, and that helps them see His love and majesty and actually comforts them.
I promise you that this has not been an easy road for me, and it is far from over. I am not always happy, and I do wish my son was miraculously healed. And that's O.K. because God can handle me feeling my bad feelings and telling Him about it. That's a loving God:). Shortly after my son's diagnosis, I tried to be strong, but I just couldn't. Many other life threatening circumstances happened, and for several months I had what you could definitely call a nervous breakdown. At one point, I was on a medication that was causing me severe problems, and I literally could not eat, sleep, or drink from the trauma. I was sure that God was punishing me, that I was in hell, and when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they did. I literally almost died from that experience, but a loving God rescued me. Someone prayed for me, and I felt a wave go through my body, and I wasn't completely healed, but I was better. From that point on, I continued to lean on God. It's not that I wasn't leaning on Him before, but my perception of Him was wrong and needed changing. Also, I don't know why I went through what I did, but as I look back on it, I can see that there were people involved who were not following God in their treatment of me and my son. That had a lot to do with my pain, and not God. Also, God did send people who were doing His will to help me and my family. I really did see miracles from that point on, and I continue to see them today because my perception has changed in what I consider to be a miracle. You know, these miracles aren't necessarily monumental and don't involve my son being cured, but they consist of meeting a stranger who says the right thing at the right time, a well-timed phone call, unexpected money, my son coming over to the coach sitting at my feet and saying "Mama" to me on my birthday after a silent prayer to God reminding Him that my son hadn't said the word "mama" in a while:), or finding my lost dog, Nemo, after commenting to my husband that we shouldn't have named him Nemo because now we have to find him, and then saying maybe his name means we will find him just like in the movie "Finding Nemo":). These are all just miracles. Sometimes my perception is still distorted, but He continues to work with me-lovingly, gently, patiently.
Is my son cured from autism? No. Do I still have anxiety? Yes, but not as often, and I'll be thankful for that and keep praying and working on it. Do I live in a mansion and have everything I want in life? No. It's life, and I am slowly swallowing and digesting that. Do I want anything else bad to happen? Of course not, and I am at least going to ask for that from God. There is no one on this planet who has a perfect life. It's not heaven. That's for the after life, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't give us glimpses of heaven when we are here on this planet. Pay attention to the fact "For God so loved the World, that He gave his only begotten son."(John 3:16) Life won't be perfect here, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't love us or want good things for us here, and good things can still happen for you. I am certain of that. Psalm 27 ends with David being confident that God will "Let me see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living." David who is so close to God knows that there is Heaven, but He is also confident of His goodness in this world. I know that you are angry and hurt and in pain, but the truth is that whether or not you believe in God, life is hard sometimes and sometimes harder for some of us than others. I just don't think turning away from God will give you the answer you are looking for or make your life better. I just think it is your perception of Him that needs changing. There are also other factors besides God in this life. Christians believe that there is a Satan who roams around like a lion on this planet just waiting to devour us when we turn from God or are just weak emotionally, physically, or spiritually, and the world is filled with imperfect people who do not always do the will of God and this may cause us pain. We don't always know where the source of our pain comes from, but it is clear that it is probably not from God. It is also clear that even if we do not know the source, the more we take the time to see the truth about God, the loving God who cares about the number of hairs on all of our heads, who knows each of us as intimately as we want Him to, that when we tap into that love our circumstances may not change(and they can always change too:), but our perception about our circumstances will surely change. One of my greatest struggles over the years has been, "Who am I God?", but I have found that I have been asking the wrong question. The question that I should have been asking is "Who are you God?", and the more that question is asked and answered the less I have to ask the wrong question. It doesn't matter who I am. All that matters is that I let a loving God work through me to accomplish His always loving will. And guess what? His will can actually be something that gives me joy. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) I hope some of this makes sense. I feel that God wants me to end with this scripture "Surely, there is a future and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 23:18 God gave me that scripture before all hell seemed to break loose, and I have seen Him use it many times to help me. What a loving God:). Also, Psalm 27:13-14
I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
Finally, I really don't want you to think I am speaking as some type of Polly Anna or that you should feel any guilt for how you are feeling or that I am someone who has it all figured out. I am someone who has had many struggles, and I really have seen a loving God help me in many ways during my struggles. He really is there. Will I ever feel the way you do? It is possible. We are all only human, but at this point I have just seen that I really do get better the more my perception of God as a loving God grows. It really does help, and has been a key in my recovery.
God Bless you and I will pray for you.

Luvpiggy:
Thank you so much for that.
You just gave my day a lift.
I needed to read just that!
Wishing you a good rest of the day!
MaryJane

You know I have been there too. I have felt as if everyone has left me even GOD! But you know, God doesn't intend for us to live like this and he doesn't want us to live like this! He wants us to depend on Him for everything and any probs that arise He wants us to let go and let him take care of it! This is so hard to do, I know I've been there and I'm still not good at it, I want to be able to handle it myself whatever may come at me, but we are not suppose too. He wants us to give it all to Him to handle for us! I believe that once all of us begin to do tis more we will see results. We all tend to have God in a little box somewhere and then when we really need Him we let Him out to work out our probs right then. The only prob is that we don't allow Him to be with us all the time only when we need Him. So let's let God out of the box forever!!! Hang in there and MAY GOD ALWAYS BE WITH YOU!