What do you do when you find yourself in a funk, for no apparent reason? When everything around you seems like so much drudgery. When it feels like the joy has gone out of everything. When you find yourself dragging out of bed, in a futile attempt to postpone the inevitable (the start of another day of same old, same old). When I was first introduced to the grace of God, and Christ in me, I was so excited. It gave me strength to get up every morning. It energized me for months. These days, I find myself annoyed and impatient with everything around me. Am I depressed? Do I need to see my therapist again? My doctor? I feel like I am slipping backward, becoming too self- focused again. I know that some of this sounds like classic symptoms of depression, but I am hesitant to ascribe it to that. Thanks anonymous

Hello my dear,

Hey, I understand the funk, I really do. I can also confidently tell you that Paul, Peter, James, John, and the rest of the gang understood it, too. Hmmm ... I would suppose that Jesus experienced it as well since he is familiar with our weaknesses. I don't write this to try to make you feel better, but that you might find strength in the camaraderie we share together in Christ. It's not unusual; it's all part of our life in him.

...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; Philippians 3:10

You know, the power of his resurrection part sounds fantastic ... and I think that's what we always wished we would experience - in relation to our feelings, that is. I always did anyhow. The fellowship of his sufferings and being conformed to his death somehow didn't catch my attention for many years as being a reason why I might have felt less than spiritual.

But everything about this present world is contrary and hostile toward our new life! Our very bodies seem to demand of us that the miraculous life is just a hoax ... for they are falling apart and breaking down little by little every day. The demands of the world around us are sometimes aggressively attacking us, and sometimes quietly grinding and hacking away at our confidence in Christ. We might disregard this most of the time because we're thinking we've done nothing - you know, like witnessed to somebody or taken a public stand for Christ - to cause such an attack. I think we underestimate the life within us.

You've been going through a lot of changes and emotional stress this last year, and I'm sure that this has also taken its toll on you. On top of that, I've discovered that in reflecting back on better or more spiritual times or frames of mind that I have often found myself wanting or sensed that I'm lacking something.

Love, Jim