People are paying more attention to their mental health than ever before. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental illnesses diagnosed. There are countless different reasons why people struggle with these conditions. Read on for example prayers for depression and hopelessness.
Many people turn to their faith and spirituality when they are in times of crisis. When one is feeling hopeless, often the only sense of comfort that they can find is through prayer. There are many different prayers that you can use if you are struggling with depression and hopelessness, but here are some of the most common.
Psalm 23
Psalm 23 is one of the most famous Psalms, and one of the most famous passages in the Bible actually. This psalm is sometimes called “The Shepherd’s Psalm” because if famously opens with the phrase “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”
This is a great psalm to recite as a prayer when one is feeling depressed or hopeless, because of the theme about trust in God.
This prayer uses a metaphor to compare God to a shepherd.
God is the caretaker who guides, protects, and feeds the sheep in his flock. This makes it a wonderful prayer to recite if you are feeling depressed and hopeless. It will help to remind you that everything is ultimately under God’s control, and you do not need to be afraid.
Prayer to St. Dymphna
St. Dymphna is the patron saint of those struggling with mental illness. St. Dymphna is a Catholic saint who was martyred and canonized in the 7th Century for defending her purity.
Because she is the patron saint of people suffering with mental illness, she is an ideal person to pray to for people who are struggling with finding prayers for depression and hopelessness.
“Good Saint Dymphna, great wonder-worker in every affliction of mind and body, I humbly implore your powerful intercession with Jesus through Mary, the Health of the Sick, in my present need. (Mention it.) Saint Dymphna, martyr of purity, patroness of those who suffer with nervous and mental afflictions, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.”
Make Your Own Prayer for Depression and Hopelessness
If you do not feel comfortable with the prayers suggested above, you can begin instead with your own prayer. In fact, you might feel more comfortable doing this because instead of reciting someone else’s words, you are saying something that comes from your heart.
When you are coming up with your own prayer for depression or hopelessness, it’s a good idea to think about what you want to say ahead of time. Think about the emotions that you are feeling and see if you can figure out the cause of your depression or hopelessness.
Figuring out the root of your depression or hopelessness will not simply make your problems go away, but it will give you a starting point for how to deal with them. By talking to God about the problems that you are facing, you can get problems off of your chest and find some clarity.
Example of a simple but effective original prayer for depression and hopelessness
A quick example of a simple but effective personal prayer could be something like this:
“Please help me Heavenly Father because I have been having a very hard time lately. I feel like I’m drowning in despair, every day gets harder and harder for me. Everybody around me seems to be happy and enjoying life but I feel like I am chained to a giant ball of depression and hopelessness.
I am in debt and I am having relationship issues. There are concerns about my health. I am sick and I am worried it might be something serious.
Only You can help me, Heavenly Father, so I am turning to You for guidance and comfort in this time of stress and darkness in my life. Please comfort me and help me manage these difficulties. In Your holy name I pray, Amen.”
Conclusion
It is important to stay mentally healthy, however many people do not realize that mental and spiritual health are closely linked to each other. More people are paying attention to their mental health than ever before. People are often looking for ways to manage their mental and spiritual health together.
Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental illnesses that people suffer from. Many people today describe feeling hopeless about their future. In times of crisis like this, people tend to turn inward and rely on their spiritual faith.
When struggling with depression and hopelessness, sometimes turning inward to God and praying can be the only source of comfort.
There are many prayers for depression and hopelessness to choose from, but a lot of people like to recite Psalm 23 or pray to St. Dymphna. On the other hand, many people only feel comfortable praying when they are speaking their own prayer. Whichever method feels right for you is the one you should choose to turn to.