Beating depression isn’t easy. You don’t just wake-up one morning in great spirits after a lifetime of depression.

I wish.

Then again, you might.

There have been people who experience “one-minute-to-the-next” miraculous cures. They are few and far between, however. Most people have to work at recovery.

You’ll probably take some detours as well. There will be times you just want to give-up.

But challenge yourelf.

One way you can do that is by examining your beliefs.

Are your beliefs yours, or are they hand-me-downs from others, your parents, your pastor, your friends or God forbid, news media and personalities? And I’m not just talking religious beliefs. Whether you are religious or not, it’s still important to know what you believe and how you came to those beliefs.

I’ve been a Christian for many years and I am still challenging my beliefs. More and more, I’m making my faith my own based on my own study. I’m not just pulling things out of the air. I read a lot. I study. a lot. I pray about what I read.

It’s surprising the number of people I know whose faith is second-hand. They believe what they believe because of a pastor, sermons, books they read, things other Christians say. And it is hard to be among Christians and feel strong enough in one’s faith to say, “Hmm. I don’t quite see it that way.”

But let me ask. How can you possibly cling to your belief system if it isn’t genuinely yours?

You can’t.

It’s just like the proverbial building your house on sand. When the storms and rain come, it collapses because it didn’t have a sound foundation.

Read and study and make your beliefs your own.

If you’re a believer in God, don’t be afraid to question your faith. While faith in God is believing something you can’t prove, it doesn’t mean you can’t examine it. I can’t think of a single verse of Scripture that says we can’t.

And I believe the more you examine your faith, the stronger it will be and the more you will feel equipped to manage your depression.

God bless and have a good day.

(For the next two days, I will write about the link between habits and depression, and words and depression.)

The post, “Your beliefs and depression. What is the link?” appeared first on faithsighanddiy.com

God bless and have a great day.