So, in case you haven’t already figured this one out on your own, I have ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Full blown, “I get distracted by shiny things and – squirrel! – can’t sit still for more than 10 minutes” disorder.
I’ve often wondered how my ADHD fits into my life as a Christian. So many of the characteristics of my ADHD simply aren’t conducive to the stereotypical model of what a Christian woman should look like. I’m not quiet, I’m actually pretty loud. I can’t sit still through prayer – even if it’s 30 seconds, if I’m not the one speaking, my mind wanders. I’d much rather get up and move around than sit and listen to someone talk. I’m easily distracted, easily excitable, and am far more prone to fluctuations of emotion of epic proportions than a quiet spirit.
One of the things that I’ve struggled with particularly (and continue to struggle) is patience. If you ask a specialist, a lack of patience is actually a key indicator of ADHD. It’s simply not something I easily possess. When I want something, I want it right then. Waiting frustrates me beyond belief. Now, as much as I want to, I simply can’t write this off as a symptom of my disorder. And trust me, I want to.
Overhead, on the shelf of my desk, I have the Fruits of the Holy Spirit taped up to remind myself what I’m striving for. They’re placed in order of how they occur in the Bible. I find it particularly ironic that when I look up from my desk chair, the first once I see, directly overhead, is patience. Everytime, I’m reminded of what I don’t yet have. 
I want to be patient. But I want to be patient now. A lack of patience makes the Christian life very, very hard. I’m wrestling with this and more often than not, I feel that I’m losing.
I wish I had a nice little neat ending like “and then I learned to emulate the patience character of God and now I’m patient, and life is candy and butterflies.” But that’s not reality. The Christian life is far more often scraped knees and bruised skin. When I speak of my walk with Jesus, I should probably just say my “Stumble, trip, fall, scrape my knee, cry, get up, whine, and learn to keep going” with Jesus. Cause that’s more often what it is.
That’s what I’m learning. What are you learning?
I want to run,
but I haven’t learned to walk yet.
I want to sing,
but I haven’t learned to talk yet.
UPDATE: Wow! I cannot believe the popularity that this post has had. It’s been over 2 years since I first published this post, and the amount of emails, comments, and conversations it has sparked has been incredible. Considering that I wrote this blog for myself as a creative outlet – it’s a little overwhelming. God really can use anything!
That being said, I wanted to provide a few updates. I wrote this as a freshmen in college. I am now finishing up my junior year, and I have to say – a LOT has happened over the past few years. God has been working on me like crazy. Life has been incredibly hard, but God has been incredibly good.
I still struggle in my walk with the Lord – a LOT. Patience is still an issue for me. But I’ve learned one important thing – my ADHD is not the cause of my sin. To be sure, ADHD significantly influences the WAY that I sin, but it is not WHY I sin. I sin because I’m a sinner. And sinners need grace.
Perhaps that’s the biggest thing that I’ve learned. That Jesus died for that. Jesus died for my ADHD. Think about it – he died for yours too. He died for the anger, the tumultuous emotions, the impatience, the impulsive decisions. He died for all that. And because He did – we are freed.
The prescription for living the Christian life as a person with ADHD is the same as the person without. Grace. Grace upon grace upon grace. You might have to modify how you read the Bible, or how you pray, or how to control your decision making. But the need for grace remains the same. Pray for it. God will grant you grace abundantly when you ask.
And he will give it. He will provide the grace that we need to cover the inattention, the lack of empathy, the forgetfulness. The sin.
“Grace grace, God’s grace. Grace that will pardon all my sin.”
That I Might Have Life 
71 comments
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July 21, 2010 at 1:10 AM
Gretchen
I hear you. I am in the process of learning too, and largely learning about the role of grace and how much I need it and need to give myself grace when often I feel frustrated by my ADHD.
July 21, 2010 at 6:48 AM
emilymueller143
It’s certainly difficult, especially when trying to get all of those “things” Christians are supposed to do in order.
Then again, maybe we have an advantage – we really can’t seem to “get it together” in the typical Christian way, so maybe we’re forced to rely on grace more? I’m not sure, but I’m learning 🙂
January 8, 2011 at 4:58 AM
John
Hello Emily.
I also struggle with ADHD but I am also Bipolar. So it’s Adderall and Lexapro for me everyday. I’m currently researching for a book I’m writing and my studies have led me to Israel and Egypt and the cultures of the folks who wrote the Scriptures and the myriad of characters who live in them. you might be happy to know that based upon modern psychological studies of David, Solomon and Paul, it is fairly agreed upon that they, too, had ADHD and Bipolar-like symptoms.
It seems we’re in good company. And as far as those “things Christians are supposed to do” are concerned? I would just concentrate and getting to know Abba every single day and those things take care of themselves. It took me 20 years to learn that one.
Bless you, sister!
John
December 31, 2010 at 1:50 PM
Brendon
oh do I know the struggle. I’m going through the same thing (only on the male side) glad to know there’s others who face the same hardships.
March 24, 2011 at 5:25 PM
Dr MOM
Hi! I stumbled on this blog as I was searching for some reference on ADHD and the Christian. I have ADHD and I truly relate to Emily’s comments. I am a doctor, a mom of 3 kids and I still cant balance my checkbook, plan dinner or keep track of stuff for my kids! I can write a killer research grant in a week but cant keep track of my appointments. I am beyond impatient…and I speak a different language that only I understand most of the time. Its called “gestures..you should know whats in my head- ese!”
Ive been a christian for over 25 years. I have struggled with embodying the fruits of the spirit for so long and yes, it makes you feel like despite all you have achieved you are still failing at the major leagues. I wonder what God sees? what Jesus thinks of ADHD? I agree that many of the great biblical characters had to have had similar symptoms/issues and not just Jonah and Isaiah!
So what do we do with all this? Do we need to talk before we can sing? Do we need to walk before we run? Maybe not…maybe its ok to do it out of order. Maybe just maybe we should focus on what and how GOD wants us to do this rather than what every one around us expects.
I read a website that basically stated that ADHD symptoms suggested rebellion against submitting to GOD and that people like me should be made to submit and listen and.. i lost track of the rest of the stuff that was said.
It is a GIFT. I pray for insight mostly these days- so that I can understand how gifted I am and how to use this gift to the best of my God given ability. I have stopped trying to fit me (square peg) into a round hole. I try instead to find alternative ways to open the door, skin the cat or whatever, there is always more than one way to do it,
with Dignity and Grace.
June 22, 2013 at 6:24 AM
Janette Neufville
I 100% agree that it can be a GIFT!! It’s not something necessarily to be medicated away. God made you, and He knows how best He can use you in His plan.
I agree also to your approach of daily prayer for guidance. Each morning I consecrate myself to God for His use wherever and however He sees fit– with all my quirkiness and foibles. I ask Him to help me do the things that are most important to HIM and to be able to focus and complete them. I ask that He rule over my mouth and help me not to offend others.
Through the day, I have developed several coping techniques. I have lists in my computer of major projects — and a calendar of deadlines and events and meetings. I have a confidant in my coworker who I ask to remind me if I’m not where I am when I need to be– and I’ve electronically shared my calendar with them (sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t– it seems God prompts them when I’m not paying attention). I take stickies and write down — while rehearsing my morning prayer (from my computer list) the 2 or 3 things that I will do in the morning, and number them in order… and I put it where I can see it easily while I work. Inevitably I will get distracted, but when I see– oh yeah, I’m supposed to be doing X… then I can usually get on track until it happens again. When I need to be especially focused, I close my door and let the phone go to voice mail because all it takes is a familiar voice, and I’m out of my seat and joining whatever is going on.
In meetings I pray that nothing crazy or distracting comes out of my mouth. I tend to talk ALOT in meetings, and there are times when I literally have to tell myself I will let 10 people talk before I say something again. Playing these games with myself keeps me occupied. Sometimes I volunteer to take notes to keep me focused, but that can be a double-edged sword, because you can be so busy writing what is said that you miss key points.
In the afternoons I generally start a new sticky, or at least I may add to it. What do I need to focus on now, God? On the way home I pray the same thing. Please help me not to go to the store or something else impulsive unless I NEED to. Help me to be wise with this evening. What needs to be done most? Is there a project that I need to dive into? Or should I cook and be domestic for my spouse? When I had kids their schedules were a tyrant, and I had them put all their dates into Google calendar and share it with me. One kid is very diligent and focused, so that was a huge help. The other kid may have ADHD as well — never bothered to test him, so there was always that SURPRISE! I need to be at this game in 15 minutes! We got him a run-around car as soon as we could, so he could stress his own life out!
We’re nearly empty nesters now. The kids survived us (me) and have even thrived. I pray about them morning and night.
God has blessed my career incredibly. I’m a VP now– and report to a president who seems to think I’m very gifted. People marvel at my energy and seeming ability to work on 20 things at once. I pray for employees that will understand my “you know what’s in my head”, as you said! For those that will mesh with my style, my interrupting them, my randomness.
This was a wonderful blog post, and thank you for sharing your journey! Change the way you think of your ADD/ADHD people! It’s not a disease to be cured– its a GIFT!!
June 22, 2013 at 6:27 AM
Janette Neufville
Oh yeah, my prayer list is a color-coded list on the computer. That’s the only proven way I’ve found for me to focus and remember everything I wanted to pray about! It’s worked for me for the last 20 yrs or so…
July 6, 2013 at 4:54 AM
annemarieking
Thanks Dr Mom! I have to preface so many discussions with an open invitation for others to let me know if I am talking too much! How embarrassing n how freeing to be honest upfront. I wanted to develop more mental discipline and also go back to teaching. I was afraid I would cut corners. I wrote out my self assessment, got feedback n cried out for God to lead. I was convinced I needed a mentor more than grad school. I am now a volunteer research asst. It helped shape my goal of being an Evidence Based Educator.
August 15, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Michelle
So love this post and your comment Dr. Mom. I have been starving for some connection to other Christians who struggle with ADHD. I am a married mom of 2 (one with special needs), working full time, trying to do all that the Lord calls me to do. The question is — just what does that look like for me? Thank you for adding we can just look for the alternative routes to serving and pleasing God with our gifts instead do it all “Like everyone else”.
August 1, 2011 at 6:38 PM
Chammy
I am so grateful to have found this page, you all made me laugh and shoed me not to take myself too seriously. I have adhd and temperal lobe epilepsy on top of it. Ritalin and Tripleptol have played a major role in my life and while they may help in my day to day activities, it has not helped my walk with God in the least as sitting down to concentrate on a verse or book in the bible is an absolute no no. That is how I came across this blog and am so grateful to have seen my life covered in a few sentences. I will definitely be back. Wow Dr. Mom, how you managed to conquer the medical world with your prognosis is by Gods grace alone, so you must be doing something right. You all really lifted my spirits. Janet, I am living your life this side to a T! You are not alone! Thank you!
August 21, 2011 at 3:24 PM
PJ
Great post. Love your remark “I want patience, but I want it now!”. So recognizable. For me (male, nearly 40, only very recently diagnosed with ADHD) I suddenly realized some of my best successes (I’ve run three businesses at the same time 🙂 and some of my worst failures (not all of them survived 😉 were at least in part due to the dopamine deficiency we know too well.
But I also realized my spiritual growth – or lack thereof – was highly influenced by this. I always wondered why I couldn’t focus on even my own prayers if I weren’t saying them out loud, for instance. If you can’t even pray … I guess I’ll need slot of discipline and a lot of creativity to follow Christ my own way. The discipline may be tough, the creativity comes with the territory though 🙂
Good luck, thanks for sharing.
October 4, 2011 at 12:01 PM
DAR
I am so glad I came across this. I did a search for Christian and ADD. I have had it my whole life though was diagnosed when I was 12 and am now 27. I have been a christian for a long time but never went to church until I met my husband in 2002. The walk has been a slow stumble fall walk. I question everything as I love to research and I get very confused and bored with the bible really fast and tend to avoid reading it. I am currently trying to change this. I have trouble remembering to pray regularly and in the last few years have decided to write down all of my prayers in a prayer journal as it tends to keep me on task and keeps my mind from wandering part way through. I wish there was a way to make the bible tolerable for me. I also wish there was a group/ forum where us Christians with ADHD can come together and discuss things and discuss new ways that might help others with their walk. Oh yeah and patience is something I am constantly failing at on a regular basis.
October 4, 2011 at 12:12 PM
emilymueller143
I know the feeling. Here are a few things that have made Bible reading a little better for me. First, I do it every day at the same time in the same place, usually with a cup of coffee. The routine helps my brain get ready to read. Then I pray that God would grant me grace to focus and pay attention, and that he would keep Satan and distractions away. Secondly, i almost always use a reading plan. The preset schedule helps keep me from the dilemma of “what to read”. Thirdly, I never try to read more than 1 to 2 chapters a day. I read those chapters twice at the most, and then put it away. If I’m having a really bad day and simply can’t get it together, I will listen to an audio recording of the Bible while I’m doing something else mindless like washing dishes or cleaning my room. I have an ESV study Bible that comes with a subscription to the ESV website which has the entire Bible audio recorded, so I use that, but there are lots of recordings out there.
And as for patience – well, I’m learning a lot about that right now. I’m realizing that patience (at least the godly, holy kind that the Bible describes) has less and less to do with my ADHD and more and more to do with a quiet soul that rests in the promise of what God desires for my life. And right now I’m learning that by going through a long, arduous period of my life. It’s not my favorite way to learn, but I’m learning.
If you really want to learn patience, I know that the Lord will graciously respond to teach you if you ask. With ADHD, we may have problems with patience, but everyone grows the fruit of the Spirit at different rates. But, if they are a Christian, they will grow. Don’t give up!!
God made us, ADHD and all, and He is sovereign over it all.
October 6, 2011 at 7:16 AM
Chammy
Francine Rivers writes books about figures in the bible which helps ADHD sufferers relate to in a big way and makes the bible real. Like Wilbur Smith on Africa and Stephen King on thrillers, Francine Rivers takes on characters in the bible and their life stories and provides you with a book that you can’t put down. She has helped me grasp the monotonous, mind numbing and confusing word and turned it into something I can understand and relate to. She is a God send for ADHD and their christian walk. Hope this helps …
October 6, 2011 at 11:25 AM
DAR
Those are some good ideas and it makes sense. I am actually trying to learn patience with a friend who I am mentoring at the moment who isn’t really taking my advice and I think she is going to have to learn some things the hard way. It is taking a lot of patience to stay by and help her and know that it is very possibly I could end up watching her crash and burn and have to help pick up the pieces when if she had listened some advice she would have avoided the problem.
I have read Francine River’s book lineage of grace book about 5 women in the bible and it was amazing. It was the first and only time I felt these people were real and were speaking to me. I know she wrote one about 5 men of the bible and I still have to track that down and read it. I wish she would just write the whole new testament out because it would be amazing to me.
I think I definitely need a reading plan and definitely need to put bible reading into my schedule a long with a whole bunch of other things. I think that would really help.
Do others here feel they have problems hearing from God or getting a word from God. I feel my noisy brain masks a lot of what God might be trying to say to me during the day. The only time I know for sure I have heard from God and usually it is something important is in dreams that are way to real. This has only happened 3 maybe 4 times though and can be 6 months to years apart. I am pretty sure he talks more then that in general. Any ideas?
October 6, 2011 at 1:06 PM
emilymueller143
I really truly believe that the only way to hear from God regularly is to read His Word regularly. The Bible is God speaking to us. If we become familiar with the Word, we become familiar with this voice. And then we’ll recognize His voice when he speaks to us. It’s just like with a friend. If you spend a lot of time with them, listening to them, you can pick their voice out of a giant crowd. Heck, spend enough time and you can probably pick out the way they cough (true story.)
But yeah. That’s what I think. I also think purposely clearing your schedule to spend time where you can have quiet and emptiness without any kind “activity” allows God room to speak. I find that the best time for this, at least for me, is early morning. I wake up two hours before I have to be anywhere and use the first hour of my waking day to sit in the silence with God. I read my Bible, pray, and then just listen to Him. It really does help.
April 15, 2012 at 4:23 AM
ann
Many of us w ADHD crave deeper learning in Bible study versus the volume. I know see the higher value for me to meditate on one verse in the Amplified version or a whole section to seek to understand God’s perspective I am a kinesthetic learners so it works for me to write it out as written and also in my own words. The smart phone app., The Version helps a lot when I email sections to myself then insert spaces so I can really chew on it. Jeremiah 9:34. Proverbs 3:5-6. James 1. Jesus Calling is a good devotion book reminding me each am and bedtime to keep it simple and cry out to Christ Jesus…and start over fresh each day.
January 22, 2012 at 6:52 PM
Chrissy
Thank you all so much i have just realised that i too have ADHD
it is very obvious in my family, the one thing that upsets me is that sometimes the frustration of wanting to do things now, and failing has lead me to discouragement and then depression, i am starting to find ways to handle this, as you said, passages like in Isaiah 43 Thus says the lord WHO created you, (god knew us before we were in our mothers womb he knows all about our weaknesses) FEAR NOT for I have redeemed you ransomed you instead of LEAVING YOU CAPTIVES I have called YOU by Name YOU ARE MINE
When you pass through the waters I will be with you and through the rivers they will not overwhelm you When you walk through the fire you will not be burned up
I am starting to find that when I feel afraid or very anxious as my mind is overactive i try to repeat the simple words The lord my god loves me, he is in me and with me, he knows all about me, it dose say that if you keep repeating this words, and refuse to reject yourself it dose have a calming affect but the key is to keep doing it, I know in my home group I keep interrupting and i feel so rude I was going to with draw and thought no, talk to the home leader in honesty and Dont be ashamed of ADHD God is not ashamed of me, and the TRUTH shall set you free, the word the renewing of the mind, is repeated so many times, maybe in that God was trying to help us in renewing old behaviour patterns, and with the lack of patience which is very prominent in this disorder it might over time in repeating good and positive things about Gods view of us, regardless of mans help us, please lord help us, thank you lord for creating this site so we can share and not feel alone, I often speak to myself when i become aware of my mind going into a tangent and say stop be still do breathing excersises
I just lost my mother through cancer, have just gone through cancer myself and my sister is about to have an operation on the bowel too, and I have to keep saying GOD IS WITH ME GOD WILL SEE US THROUGH he loves us just as we are thank you all so much for your posts you have really helped me God bless and help you all x Chrissy
February 11, 2012 at 4:54 AM
Heidi
Thank you!
I have peace and hope now that I know what is going on with me.
A true friend (one who speaks truth even if it hurts) told me that I am changing. Meeting me a year ago, I just surrended life to Jesus. As the year passed the meds I was on for ADD was failing me. Perhaps it contributed to the switch to a more healthy diet, my brain negatively responded to my meds (1 antidepressant, mood stabilizer, anxiety,sleeping and ADD Rxs). I stopped taking it ADD Rx after an embrassing eposide at work (how horrible it is to experience an adverse reaction in front of co-workers and not be able to excuse yourself to recover- I work in retail).
I prayed to be freed from the meds. After stopping ADD, I continued w/ the sleeping. God’s grace got me to sleep. Yeah. Great, let’s reduce another. I’ve been w/out my anti-depressant before – NOT GOOD! I wanted to commit suicide, when I did want to. God blessed me during those time w/ family. Not the best of support, but when I had bed sheets blacking out the room and pillows over my head to block out noise, their love provided. (Praise the Lord for them). I reduce Lamictal. Forgetting it was a mood stabilizer, I was changing & didn’t understand why I couldn’t yeild fruits and walk in the spirit as I once did. My mind was not in sync. I was have a Battle in my mind. Be transformed! I’m trying but everyone, whom I laughed w/ before, were irriatting me.
God has been sending out His word for me to pray, but how can I stay focused. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone with this. Staying focused is a fight; now harder w/ reducing my mood stabilizer.
After my long talk w/ my friend about my change, I drove home, crying to God for help. With what, I didn’t know but I know I’m not right. I came home, turned on the tv and there it was. A program was on discussing this same subject. I would have never though it was my mental illness was preventing the Spirit from shining. I returned to my normal dosage on 3 meds.
I know now my ADD will be with me. My quest is to use to my advantage. How? Got to pray that the good Lord will guide me to something I will be able to dedicate for short term and make a difference in the world. I will post up the gifts in my car and locker for me to focus on.
God bless you all. Walk in love.
March 8, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Janice Triplett
I am so glad that I have stumbled on to this site!!! My best friend is 55 year old male with ADHD and oh how he struggles with his Christian walk.. I want to help, but his impatience prevents that on so many levels. Can someone offer some solid methods of supporting an adult with ADHD. He loves the Lord and means well but as the story goes……. Everyone always blames his problems of disodedience but I see something totally different… Help!!! and thanking God for each of you in advance.
March 8, 2012 at 2:58 PM
emilymueller143
Is he medicated? If not, I advise you to advise HIM to get medicated. I know a lot of Christians advocate against it, but it has literally been a life saver to me. I also urge him to get a Biblical counselor for some behavioral counseling. I suspect if he is anything like me that he has some deeply ingrained habits that need help to reverse and change.
I suspect that his problems ARE disobedience (anything that is not faith is disobedience), but his disobedience may not be motivated by sheer stubbornness as much as ingrained habits and patterns of thought caused by his ADHD. I have some wonderful friends who counsel constantly to see past my ADHD and not allow it to take the blame for my sinful behavior. While I do believe that my ADHD does contribute significantly to the WAYS that I sin, I can’t say that it is the REASON I sin. I sin because I’m a sinner with a heart that often desires things that don’t glorify God.
Other than that, PRAY. Pray like crazy. God can change anyone – he’s changed me completely. And offer your friend grace upon grace upon grace. Radical, unrelenting, pursuing grace is one of the most effective agents of change.
Praying your friend gets the help he needs!
March 8, 2012 at 9:54 PM
DAR
I have have ADD and have trouble on my christian walk though it has slowly gotten better. Anyway I was diagnosed at age 12 and since you dont out grow it am still learning to deal with it at age 28. I was never medicated. I learned lots and lots of coping techniques. I tried medication for 3 months last year and it worked for about a month and a half before it started having adverse affects and gave me wicked headaches. I suggest trying to look for help from several associations. There is a ton of resources out there for this condition. Just requires a little searching online as well as there are many books out there as well. I am also doing neuroptimal Neurotherapy to help with my ADD and Bio feed back is also another good choice. Medication has to be carefully weighed with pros and cons (this opinion is from doing research and has nothing to do with religious views i was the one who was given the choice to be medicated or not and chose not to be, I believe everyone should do what is best for them). Take a peek at that site and search for some others. I have a bunch stored away I will have to take some time to look them up. I hope he is able to get the help he needs it takes a lot of courage to think it through and to deal with it but he can come out on top and learn to manage but I do believe that the christian walk will always be a little harder for us.
http://www.add.org/ Is a site for adults with ADHD
March 11, 2012 at 5:08 AM
Spiritfilled Mom
I must admit it never occurred to me that ADHD symptoms were a big cause of most of my struggles in life, and as a Christian. My second husband and I have fought almost every day of our 4-year marriage because he says I don’t “listen” and constantly argue. Little did I know, that’s because my brain is so far ahead in its thoughts, and because I don’t like conflict, so I try to find solutions to every complaint he makes before ever acknowledging what he has said, or offering sympathy. At 32 years old, I finally received revelation this week in a way I can actually understand what has happened. I always suspected one of my children to have ADHD symptoms, but my thoughts have been so scattered that I never even stopped to wonder if I might qualify for this diagnosis. That was until I was giving a therapist my son’s history and he simply asked me if I “had” ADHD.
My response was “well, I do have trouble staying on task a lot, I struggle with being consistent with the kids (even though I know that’s what I need to do), I have forgotten to do things – very important things, I avoid taking my car in for oil changes like the plague,” and the list went on and on. Ouch.
As a Christian, I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and that I am who GOD says I am. But now I can take ownership for my actions, thoughts, and speech, without being ashamed of who I am. God still has a plan for me, and it is good. He has a plan for ALL His children, including everyone out there who has felt “lost” in their own circumstances. I, too, have been quite successful in my life with work, school, etc. But I had to work twice as hard to do ANYTHING right, study for hours on end, and develop skills to simply survive. It wasn’t for convenience or sheer practicality that I became an organization guru. I just have TOO MUCH STUFF!!! As a mother of 5 kids now, I often find myself overwhelmed with all the responsibilities that lie ahead. But I am a master of lists, and I can actually follow through, as long as I don’t bury them under a TO DO pile of paper, or lose them in my purse, or forget my cell phone (aka personal assistant) in a restaurant. Thank God for the calendar feature on my phone that tells me everywhere I need to be. God has grace and mercy, and I have found that given the right motivation and vision, I can still manage to do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me. I just someone to relate to – and I found them here.
Thank you for starting this blog. It has really opened up a new outlet for me to feel “normal” – to know that I am not alone. Indeed, God is soooooo good!
April 15, 2012 at 4:03 AM
ann
Which Christian college should we consider for our daughter with ADHD. She loves math and science yet struggles with writing and organization. I am willing work more hours when she shows more self initiative.
June 8, 2012 at 11:41 AM
emilymueller143
I’m sorry Ann, I guess I really can’t comment on that. I am enrolled in a public state university right now. Honestly, if your daughter really does struggle with schooling she may be better off starting at a community college while living at home. They’re much cheaper, and there are less distractions.
If she does go away to school, any college she likes will be good, so long as she gets involved in a Christian ministry and gets tutoring!
April 15, 2012 at 4:14 AM
ann
My experience has been validated a lot by a continuing education course I took from Western Schools. I recommend it as a book. The name is something like, “ADHD thru a Lifetime.” and is found online. It explained why many of us need to work partime, hire others to help us organize, need coaching and mentors, etc. It explained why my exhusbands looked attractive and what shaped my identity. SHAPE, from Rick Warren’s church, the tool that shows my unique design, made a huge difference. As a RN, I treasure the flexibility and variety of my work. I am grateful for the smaller classes at Junior College but I don’t know what is available now my for teen who struggles with writing an has high aspirations to be a scientist.
April 17, 2012 at 5:51 PM
Janice Triplett
Sorry for taking so long to respond Emily, after much prayer and thought I do understand you affirming that disobedience could indeed be a source of some issues (due to the lack of faith). Much prayer is indeed needed to overcome what has become a stronghold. But I fully believe that Greater is HE……. I appreciate the encouragement that has been offered and will continue to be supportive and relentless in extending and seeking God’s grace…. Much love to you!!!!!
June 8, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Skyler Tritapoe
Wow, this is just awesome. I’m called as a Youth Pastor, and have a ministry God birthed inside my heart called One Step, and I’m seventeen. I have a background of drug abuse, and I also have depression. I was in Flint, Michigan with my Youth Group and we went to this Church that had a quest speaker. He was a missionary in Tibet, which, if you don’t know, is crazy hard to do. He has AD/HD. I talked to him afterwards and asked him if he ever prayed for God to remove the AD/HD, which I was currently doing. He said “All the time.” He told me that he learned to be grateful for what he had. For one, just the struggle itself brings you closer to God because you always need his help. But there are also qualities that we have, that many other people don’t.
Emily I relate with you on this like crazy. It’s so awesome I found this. And it’s sweet seeing everyone else on here talking about it. It’s so cool we are not alone with this. God bless you all!!
June 8, 2012 at 11:42 AM
emilymueller143
That’s awesome! All throughout the Old Testament, God uses people who aren’t “fit” for service. It’s all about Him, not us!
So glad to hear you have a calling to ministry. Keep praying and walking with the Lord! 🙂
June 12, 2012 at 6:30 AM
PJ
Great how these replies keep coming in! I think this blog post is nowone of the first things you see now when Google’ing “ADHD Christian”. It seems many struggle with it.
In the 10 months since my last post (and early ADHD diagnosis), I’ve come to think that this kind of struggle could be something quite important for churches to deal with. Not just for all those that actually have the diagnosis AD(H)D, but for all who may benefit from an “out-of-the-box” view on how to practice your faith.
Think about it: no matter who you are or how you think, everyone has been told a few “excellent” ways to “organize” your daily devotion and “integrate” your faith into your life. But there is always an inherent risk that these “best practices” might become new dogma and almost biblical in rule. And then they become more restrictive than supportive.
Take for instance the much heralded discipline of “quiet time”. If you’re like me, this has been at once the perceived solution to build my faith AND the worst nightmare to have to go through whenever I tried. Which is why I always failed. Which is why I felt horrible about myself. Now I understand this is r.e.a.l.l.y. not something I need to be trying (in the way I have). Have you ever seen a kid take quiet time? Aren’t we all jealous of how they just “live” with Jesus? Plus, consumed in “my way” I get stuff from the bible that no one else gets. Just don’t make me follow a reading program or even a daily 15 minutes worth.
But that’s not unique to me, nor simply due to ADHD. Lots of people may find this an unnecessary method and are using different ways to focus their thoughts on God and exercise their faith. I mean there’s billions of Christians in billions of circumstances. How does a prisoner read the bible? How should a person tied to his bed exercise charity? They say “Creativity loves Constraint”!
So instead of focusing on those things that ADHD Christians may find difficult (and need help with), it may be more useful to see what ADHD brings to the Table (punt intended). God will find a way to be with us as long as we have a longing heart and a willing mind.
I’ll start with: >creativity and lateral thinking<. I love this TED Talk on how schools kill creativity, yet that it's creativity what we need to tackle the problems of this millennium! Doesn't that go for the church as well?
Cheers
PJ
PS: Lest you think I forget, I don't mean to downplay the issues ADHD can cause in our human and spiritual relationships. We should take responsibility for those as much as we can.
October 24, 2012 at 10:15 PM
unenotebleue
Thank you so much for these words. May God continue to bless you, and your writing.
January 24, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Joel
January 24th, almost three years after you posted this article, I found it while searching “ADHD Christian”. I’m a father of 2 great kids, one of which has ADHD, and that diagnosis led me to do research and ultimately my own diagnosis at age 46. I’ve struggled for so many years not knowing why (insert long symptom list here). I became more and more depressed as I learned that each symptom and struggle I had was ‘typical’ for ADD. I’ve been baptized 3 times over the course of 30 years, each time was a cycle of ‘All or nothing’. I would begin with all sincerity, an effort to be a christian, reading daily, going to fellowship, sharing with others, then struggling each time with ‘undiagnosed’ ADD and falling away from believers and quit going to church and then fully engaging in all pleasures of the flesh. I’m trying to ‘re-commit’ my life to Jesus once again, yet I’m having such a difficult time.
I’m an expert pessimist, highly skilled complainer, and very adept at finding a fault while being unable to see the positive in situations. Major impulse control issues, short fuse temper yet very creative and logical. Have many projects started but unfinished. Recently I just gave up trying.
My issues:
Anger, pessimism, resentment and disgust with government (fed, state and local), and teachers Unions who pester parents weekly for more money while they stuff their pension funds with the money which should be for the kids. I’ve lost trust in Police and Fire departments as a result of first-hand experience in witnessing corruption, lies and being abandoned while my neighborhood burned to the ground.
My marriage is about to fall apart after being together 22 years, 21 of which had struggles due to my ADD which neither of us knew about at the time.
Anyhow, I just had to post on your article because I was in tears as I read parts of my life in this article, even in the comment section. I don’t know why my eyes are leaking, whether it’s the realization that I’m not alone in ADD struggles, or sad about all the sin and backsliding I’ve done, or whether I’ve lost hope that God will take me back. Some scriptures talk about “he will pray but I will not listen”, “he will seek me out but will not find me”. I feel like it’s a message about me, having found God, becoming a christian, then willingly falling away. I had no idea how much of an impact ADD had on my life or abilities until recently.
Logically, ADD symptoms put me at a disadvantage when it comes to following the commandments and behaving appropriately. My heart desires to do His will, yet my mind and body continually fail. I need a miracle, bunches and bunches of mercy, and prayer.
Thank you for blogging about this.
February 12, 2013 at 6:23 AM
PJ
Hey Joel, your story is very familiar. Having a few year’s worth of perspective now, I can tell you that the diagnosis can kick off a positive development in all areas you mention, if you let it. There’s lots of practical tips as well, but mostly it’s about an attitude towards change. Feel free to look me up for support, shouldn’t be hard to find :-).
January 31, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Ginger Terrell
LOVED this post. I can relate on so many levels and still fight to be patient in the waiting….a very hard task indeed. But I’m learning that He loves us SO…oh how He loves us and I’m good with that.
February 27, 2013 at 12:09 AM
Debbie
Dearest brother Joel,
Rest assured God has not forgotten you or stopped listening to you. Those are Satan’s lies to keep you away from the love of your savior. I understand what you are going through, ADD has made every aspect of my life very difficult to say the least. And oh how the enemy loves to beat me with condemnation until I give up and walk away feeling as though I could never measure up. I was at a woman’s study one night and the negative thoughts were piling up. “You don’t fit in” “You don’t measure up” “You’ll fail again” Then, I couldnt take it anymore and I walked out feeling so alone. That night I swore I would never go back, but you know what? on the way home I turned on the radio and a pastor was talking about how the enemy will try to keep you isolated from other believers. I knew that was what was happening. So what, we are not the same as every other believer. God didn’t create us to all be the same. We need to embrace the gifts we have and not look at what we consider to be deficiencies.. When I started homeschooling my oldest son, who has ADHD, I learned a lot about how our school system tries to put us all into one learning mold and it hit me, yes we are different than others, but that in itself is beautiful. Don’t give up , continually seek Him even in the desert. I just went through a long period like 5 years where I just couldn’t feel God, but I just kept saying where else will I go, and kept seeking Him even though I didn’t hear or feel Him. Ask God to forgive you and get back up again =) He loves you Joel, He really does. He wanted me to let you you know,He will never leave you or forsake you. Don’t give in to the enemies lies! Also, you may need medication to help with the ADD/depression. I resisted antidepressants, but then I felt as though God was asking me why I was resisting exactly what I needed. Silly girl, lol. Anyway, they really helped =) God bless Joel, I will be praying for you =)
February 28, 2013 at 3:03 AM
The Gotham Ninja
Omgosh thank you!!!!! I am having the hardest time with my adhd, in a lot of areas like focusing on things and completing tasks, but above all else its patience that I struggle with the most, especially during this time of needing to help my dad with moving into the new house. I keep wanting and wanting and wanting but its like, the word keeps engraving itself in my face: “Patience Be patient” I’m like, easy for you to say. You dont have adhd! But lately I’ve felt God talking to me, its like He’s saying to quit it with the medication. Which is crazy considering that I’ve been getting medicated for my adhd practically all my life. But God knows all, and if he’s saying to stop it then he has his reasons and I need to obey. And even crazier, I feel like he wants me to get into martial arts, something I’ve been very interested in for most of my life but never really tried to get into it. God truly does use anything, just like in the Newsboys song “The Way We Roll”, as I’ve been learning over the years, and I do mean anything, even a children’s show called Power Rangers, which is where my interest in martial arts began. But I never thought of using it to help me with adhd, and I cant wait to get started but like God keeps telling me, patience. I pray that my family is willing to help me with it, cause I really need it and I wanna obey the Lord and if this is his will, I’ll do it 😀
April 7, 2013 at 4:48 AM
LCCHI
It’s so difficult to try to read all the books (in addition to the bible) I want to read so I get a handle on my ADHD and the challenges it raises and along with Menopause, PTSD, dealing with an ADHD child, divorce, finances, etc. Sometimes I think I should just lay those all down and just read only the bible. After all, those in the bible did not have other kinds of resources or research we have these days. I think the abundance of info is actually making my ADHD more challenging…..too much information overload. Anyone else felt/thought this?
April 10, 2013 at 4:22 AM
MB Foster, tutor
This blog entry is still useful after all these years – three years being a lifetime in the web’s attention span. Glory be!
I’m yet another adult with ADD. I’m pushing 50, and sometimes I get pretty down on myself because of the thousand ways I’m disorganized and don’t follow through. I am allergic to routine and I can be very selfish in the ways that I use my time. (For example, lately I have spent hours surfing the net for beautiful art images. Yet I’m not an artist, so it’s pure consuming without production. Meanwhile, laundry remains undone, phone calls remain un-made, tasks on my to-do list languish a slow and bitter death… I’ve also gone through times of reading obsessively, becoming hyper-involved in various projects, and, yes, Facebooking ad naseum.)
Two BUTS:
1) ‘All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.’ Romans 8:28. I don’t know WHY I’m driven to look at art so much lately, but I trust that even if it seems like time-wasting and selfishness, God will do some good work through it, both in me and in the world. “It is not always granted to the sower to live to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in faith,” said that good saint, Albert Schweitzer. So I pray both for self-control AND for God’s will to be done through my ‘work’, even if the work seems misdirected.
2) One of the old Liar’s tricks is tangling together truth and lies. So it is a LIE that our ADD makes us useless to God. But it’s also a lie that our ADD is a ‘get out of jail free’ card. Our ADD isn’t the prison we are in. Sin is.
I found the article at http://www.gotquestions.org/ADD-ADHD-Christian.html quite helpful because the author graciously gleaned things from the Bible that I can talk to God about (during my brief, scattered, self-interrupted prayer times). Posting these verses where I can see them lets me pray them without trying to force myself to meditate upon them.
Hope this very long post is helpful to someone out there. All that is really a way of saying THANKS to Emily for her graceful, transparent blog post.
May 11, 2013 at 9:33 PM
Christians with ADD ADHD
Please join as at ChristianswithADDADHD on Facebook. We would like to hear from everyone. God bless.
May 18, 2013 at 2:37 PM
nicki
All i can say is that whatever you do never out your children on any adhd medication. I am 14 yrs old and i have taken meedication since 2nd grade. I now am in a beautiful walk with Jesus Christ; Praise the Lord im redeemed. But when you take your pills you are the person you want to be for Jesus but without them your completely crazy, lazy, i also feel literally weak without them. So i try taking them more. But now i dont know who i truly am; the girl with the pill, or the girl without. I truly feel trapped and they also become an addiction. My brother is addicted and is very angry. Thats why im trying to change the way i eat as well. If you are adhd, take fish oils and the vitamin zinc. But most of all pray and read the Bible. I know it is easy to get bored, but that is when you need to get on your knees and cry out for God’s grace and His strength, and help to keep you focused. It is so much easier said then done. But Jesus didnt die for us to keep making excuses. He loves you and would never give you more than you can bear. Dont give up hope. 1 Corinthians 13:13- Three things will last forever–faith, hope, and love– and the greatest of these is love. …… Faith is the foundation and content od God’s message; HOPE IS THE ATTITUDE AND FOCUS; love is action. I want to get off of the pills and have seld control through God’s strength. And it will happen on day. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
May 18, 2013 at 5:31 PM
emilymueller143
I’m sorry medication didn’t work for you, but I have to say that personally, my medication has been a God-send. Perhaps you haven’t found the right medication (I went through several before finding the right one, and even now I adjust my dosage regularly,) or perhaps medicine isn’t for you. But, I don’t think anyone should make sweeping generalizations.
Medication, along with prayer and and the Bible (and a good diet, exercise, therapy, adequate rest, etc.) have all played a roll in helping me get my ADHD to be a manageable part of my life.
Medication doesn’t change who I am; It helps the real me find its way out.
May 19, 2013 at 3:28 AM
annemarieking
Someone posted about wondering how much time to devote to Bible and other books. Sometimes, I feel contempt for myself, others or God. I sense that when I hear myself saying, the “shoulds, coulds or woulds” Dr Dan Allender talks of this in his study guide. Wounded Hearts. So, it helps me to then ask God to work with me on just one verse, or one attribute of God or one concept until I sense that I understand it well enough to say or write it in my own words, or well enough for now. I think we are made to walk closely w Him so this helps me.
December 15, 2014 at 1:11 AM
RK in Denver
Nicki,
I know that you mean well. But you need to understand that, at the age of 14, you don’t have enough life experience yet to be able to lecture people about using medications for ADD/ADHD. For many people, medication makes the difference between keeping their jobs or being fired, staying in school or failing out of college classes because they can’t get their work handed in on time, or at all (one of my students this semester). ADHD is a PHYSICAL condition affecting brain chemistry; telling yourself “just try harder” is a recipe for discouragement.
October 12, 2015 at 11:01 PM
Tawny
Nicki… I have to comment because I feel like the minute anyone points out how addictive these meds can be, they’re put to shame. I am in the wellness industry and NEVER thought of myself as having an “addictive personality”. But adderall or other similar stimulants… That has been a huge eye opener for me. If you are a pleaser/ perfectionist, and have the dopamine issues, it makes perfect sense that once you take these meds you never want to stop. You can “please everyone” forgetting that God is the one we are here for. Then, after a while, the effect isn’t the same, and just as you said, you feel like a prisoner. I KNOW this isn’t everyone. But, I would consider all of the factors and risks before anyone on this site advocates medication… Yes, they felt like a life saver at one time for me. But there are a lot of sacrifices that go along with that long term. Weigh them out. Nicki… I am saying a prayer for you and hoping that those of us who do choose to stay on medication never let the medication control us. And also that those of us who choose to come off can live with the pain and exhaustion that can come with withdrawals even on prescribed dosages.
June 4, 2013 at 3:33 PM
Angela
I was diagnosed with ADHD in August of 2011 at 39 years old. I am the mother of two boys and stepmom to three boys. It was my husband that found this blog and thought it might be helpful for me. Everything you described in your blog in Feb 2010 feels like a mirrored image of me. I struggle with my walk with God as too, I am extremely impatient among every other symptom of ADHD. I recently took a Spiritual Gifts analysis and as I see myself as being a selfish person, my spiritual gifts analysis showed that my gifts are mercy and serving. This confused me. A wise man told me that the selfishness among other things is not the ADHD but satan’s spiritual warfare with me using the ADHD against me. If I could start showing more mercy and serving within the realms of the Church and God’s desires for me, that it will overcome and win the spiritual battle inside of me. Many times I use the excuse of ADHD to not have to take responsibility for my actions ( my selfishness, quick to anger, easily frustrated, ….) and other times I’m so frustrated with how my ADHD impacts me, my life and my family, I pray that I didn’t have it. God is calling me and what it boils down to is that my focus needs to be on him on not on my ADHD. He loves me as I am and knows me by name, “Oh, The Distracted One”. 🙂 I look forward to reading stories from others like me.
September 29, 2013 at 2:26 AM
moricem
It’s incredible how I came upon this blog because I am currently in the process of starting a blog about the spiritual nature of the ADD/ADHD personality. Notice I say personality, not disorder because I don’t believe God makes us disordered. God makes us exactly the way he needs us to be. Modern society life makes us disordered. It does so as soon as we start communicating, sadly enough.
My blog is called myaddspirit, and I view our personality as a path or a calling. It is a very hard path, but then again, most truly spiritual people have had tough lives, not easy ones, for it is through suffering that we are tempered.
I don’t believe in taking medicines for ADD because it changes me, it makes my focus too narrow. A narrow focus will help you file your taxes, but it will not allow you to see the full spectrum of lessons God has prepared for us. So I wouldn’t be so worried about not being able to concentrate on a few prayers. If we all let go and allow our distract-ability to flourish from time to time, we will be able to see God’s fingerprints in every little thing.
One final point, didn’t Jesus himself scold his disciples because they would not allow the children to come to Jesus? Didn’t Jesus make clear what kind of attitude or personality is closer to the Kingdom of God? And aren’t we ADDer’s accused of being immature or child-like? Something to think about.
September 29, 2013 at 7:46 PM
emilymueller143
Thanks for your reply! 🙂 While I agree that having ADD/ADHD is the burden we were given to bear, I have to disagree that it is a personality rather than a disorder. You’re right, God didn’t create disorder. But we live in a broken, fallen world. My body is broken and fallen. My brain, and the lack of chemicals it produces, is broken and fallen. In heaven, I won’t have ADHD!
I also disagree that the Christian with ADHD/ADD shouldn’t take medication. While I don’t criticize anyone that choose not to, for me I believe that the medicine is literally God’s grace for me. He provided it, and I am grateful. It allows me to sleep! (I was so ADHD I couldn’t shut my brain down or sit still long enough to fall asleep.) I can remember to do basic things to keep myself healthy and be a good steward of my body. I have a better grip on my feelings, and as a result I am happier, kinder to others, and I think of myself less.
I currently work in campus ministry, and I firmly believe that I would not have been able to get through college or work the job I have now without the medication to help me. I would have flunked my classes, and I definitely wouldn’t be able to keep track of the 50+ women I’m responsible for now.
Medication can be a tedious process, but with patience and willingness to work to adjust dosages, you can find one that works for you. I’ve been on Straterra, and found it’s side effects to be low and it’s effectiveness broad enough that I don’t feel like an uber-concentrated zombie.
And finally, just to comment on your last point. Yes, Jesus did say that, and I agree! We need to have childlike hearts that trust without cynicism to be able to have a relationship with God. But immaturity is not a quality any Jesus-follower should aspire to. “12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” – Hebrews 5:12-14
October 28, 2013 at 8:44 PM
Joy
I have to chime in, too! How amazing to realize that I wanted to see something on the Internet about Jesus and ADD and found you (and everyone else!). Looks like the church does need to do more for folks like us (we need to do it!). Blessings to you all- may we become more and more of who God made us to be!
November 22, 2013 at 7:47 AM
Sally Troon
Hi
I dread making appointments because I may not keep them.
I lose things.
Known as a ” dizzy lizzy”
My eldest son is similar.
It won’t go away/I’m 51.
BUT
God has done amazing miracles ,often saving me from extreme embarrassment. The ways HE has jogged my memory when I would have forgotten an appointment is numerous.
I have read a very humorous and helpful book called ‘If I’m diapering a water melon, where did I put the baby.” Can’t remember the publisher or author . I got it off Christianbook.com. It had me in tears laughing and relief.It also has a very good few tips, NOT promising to change me but to aid me in the thorn in the flesh.
I have a scrap book named thankful and I write or put things in which I can be thankful about.
In the back of my prayer diary which I find essential I put a list of my GOD GIVEN priorities. A prayer diary is helpful because when I’m interrupted in my quiet time I will see the diary open still and get back to it.
I take sermon notes and make job lists and todo lists. I often lose them but the writing down helps it to stay there .
The computer is a big distraction . So I try to only allow myself certain amount of time on it.
I do have an amazingly patient husband , who helps me through.
I have found this blog very helpful. Thank you.
Sal
December 15, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Amelia Ponder
I’m an ADHD Christian Woman too. Wrote a blog about it on http://www.ameliacponder.com called Random and Regular. I love your God centered view on the challenge. I’m going to be reading this over and over for while to let it soak in. God Bless you as you write and share.
Amelia
January 20, 2014 at 12:39 PM
The ADHD Christian (Part 2) | That I Might Have Life
[…] 4 years ago, I wrote this post about being a Christian with ADHD. It made much more of a splash than I could have imagined, and I still receive comments and emails […]
February 11, 2014 at 1:06 AM
Ken Morey
I’m glad I found your post. I was diagnosed with ADHD predominately inattentive as a child, but ended up going without treatment for it. The last 28 years has seen failure after failure. I struggle mostly with the mood swings and the frustration at my lack of the ability to accomplish anything meaningful. I quit college after my freshman year, despite my excellent grades, because of the pressure and fear I felt. The roller coaster that is ADHD has almost done me in countless times; the intense highs and delusions of grandeur turn into lows and feelings of hopelessness with no warning as if by the flick of a light switch, and all the while, my thoughts continue to unceasingly spin around my mind. At times I’m grateful for the way that I am because it demonstrates the value of mercy and grace, yet I want to be able to live joyfully and be able to take care of my family as well.
April 2, 2014 at 9:18 PM
suzee
I really appreciate finding this forum. Been a believing but frustrated Christian for 20 years – this year. I never dreamed that my early passion for God. could become so lifeless. I still yearn for the early wonder and excitement of learning something new about God frequently. Now I blame myself for my inability to connect and grow as so many other believers seem to find so easy. I am always asking what’s wrong with me. Why is it easy for others and not for me. I’ve never really been discipled and that is what I long for – someone to come along side and listen and coach.. Usual suggestions for time management, organization, journaling never work for me no matter how well intentioned I am.
April 2, 2014 at 9:23 PM
emilymueller143
I’m so sorry to hear that, Suzee. I totally understand how hard it can be. I highly recommend two books. “The Holy Spirit” by Bill Bright, and “The Pressure’s Off” by Larry Crabbe. Those two books have significantly impacted my Christian life, and how I live with my ADHD. I honestly never thought I could be free of the effects of ADHD on my spiritual life. And while I still struggle with attention, organization and focus – I have honestly never felt more at peace and in better communion with God than I do now. Really learning what it means to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, day by day and moment by moment, has been a life-changer for me.
April 3, 2014 at 3:03 AM
Sally Troon
HI. I have been helped by a Preacher called David McClelland on sermon audio.com . There is a sermon entitled Quiet time in a noisy world. He speaks of the quite time being a joy not a chore. His preaching generally makes you love Christ more.
The other thing is to make a routine\ schedule. It does seem slavish at first but if you stick to it ,it can also be a real life changer and time saver.
Some times God breaks us before he can mend us. We need to be willing to be broken and seek Him , but also take the advice that he gives.
ADD has broken me and my pride and continues to do, I am grateful for this as God does accept an ADDer but not pride. I am a 51 year old Mother of 6 and feel like a 14 year old who’s just started to learn who she is sometimes.
…but I’ve realised thats actually o.k. x
April 13, 2014 at 8:11 PM
Tola
I really enjoyed reading the blogs and some of your comments. I too, struggle with ADHD and my walk with God. At 25, I feel as though I am looked at as if I were still 5. In the same breath, I know that I am extremely intelligent and equipped to fulfill the plan of God for my life. I just go about it in ways the are unconventional. This stems from my hyperactivity, and seemingly inattentive, yet attentive behavior. I pray often for God to help me with myself so that I don’t trap myself in stagnancy because of my behaviors. I live life with faith knowing that God is in control of my thoughts and actions if I only just keep my mind on him and his word.
April 20, 2014 at 7:33 AM
gregorysenftleben
I was diagnosed this week and am struggling to even accept it. Yet it puts sooo many things into perspective – wrongs committed, a lack of friends, a poor marriage due to poor communication habits and feeling distant from my young daughter although I love her…..So how is it even possible to have a relationship with God when I cannot maintain relationships with people? I trust that Jehovah knows and understands my frustration.
May 12, 2014 at 5:06 AM
Staci
Very happy to read all this! I typed in “Why did God give me adhd.” and I found this blog entry! It’s so nice to hear other Christians sharing their struggles and how God is helping them. I hope that this site continues and more people are helped by it!
June 4, 2014 at 2:25 PM
Najla Singleton-McKinnon
Wow ^_^ I pray God would allow more Christians/Churches to offer
non-judgmental help and counsel for fellow believers who struggle with ADHD. Until this blog I have only read harsh judgmental articles regarding adhd from various Christian authors, although, I’m sure most did so out of a pure heart with good intentions. In my opinion its completely understandible that its not understandible for many Christians looking from the outside in. But, like all humans, we long to be understood, especially by those We Love & Respect in which I So thank Jesus for using you to write this blog.
Withal, I have always taken responsibility for my actions(sin) but I’ve also come to believe that ADHD can be the epitomy of Romans 7 for those of us who struggle with it. I do also take comfort in the fact that the Bible does acknowledge mental illness apart from demonic interference. This can be seen in Daniel 4:33-34;36. Granted King Nebuchadnezzar was afflicted with insanity, which none of us suffer from, it still gives the reader a vivid picture that not all mental afflictions equal demonic affliction. This was of great Interest & Relief to me since demonic possesion/oppression was a common theme in the responses I would get when seeking help from the church. Although disconcerting, I enjoyed that theme a lot more than the more common “Try Harder at____ (fill in the blank)” theme, as that rarely led to successful feats for me. Overall I’m very thankful for everyone who extended themselves to help me whether it worked or not, it takes a lot of Love to deal with someone like myself>_^ -Getting back to Romans 7, Lets look at verses 14-25, God is good 🙂
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.
June 7, 2014 at 10:26 AM
Judith28
My search for Christian with Adult ADHD led me to your site and has been very helpful. I’ve never been diagonalized but my own research and more than ever the LOVE of my Jesus led me to seek out answers. I know Jesus has a plan for my ADHD and I need to TRUST that He will use this GIFT to accomplish HIS plan for my life. I need HIS GRACE to deal with the reckless impulsive behaviours and distractions that causes havoc in my Christian walk and become a slave to SIN. Thank you Emily for the helping me understand that my ADHD is not WHY I sin but the rather affecting the WAY I sin. How liberating!! I’m aware of how ADHD makes me an easy target for SATAN to steal my joy, peace and hope. John 10:10 is giving me a new HOPE for my ADHD. I love you JESUS with all of my ADHD struggles and shortcomings.
June 19, 2014 at 5:14 PM
Liz Lassa
Emily,
My mind races like yours so quiet time can be hard. I am easily distracted. I created a tool called a Spiritual Circle Journal with nine circles of areas I might meet God to help me focus easily and quickly. The circle key, prompts, use of bullets, and designated circles helps so much. Check out http://www.spiritualcirclejournal.com to see if this might be something that works great for people with fast moving minds like ours. 🙂 There is also a link to a Moody Radio interview on the home page. Warmly, Liz Lassa
July 29, 2014 at 7:55 AM
TennGrandmom
Emily, dear one. Thank you for your blog. Thank you for your testimony. Most of all thank you for those lessons about Grace and the Giver of Grace. ADHD is now part of my family and anything positive that I can learn about it will cause me to rejoice. (I try to stay away from sites that tell me only bad things about the symptoms.)
August 4, 2014 at 1:34 PM
Sean Rhoades
This worked for me: I have ADHD without the H, I have problems with motivation (lazy), disorganized, can seem careless and perhaps cold inattentive, can be impulsive, I have trouble following directions. I found out I had A.D.D. late in life, and I have not been on any meds most of all my life. I have tried them, but found them to be a hindrance to my walk in Christ. As Jesus says, “if something is causing you to stumble cut it off and throw it away from you.” I at first thought that if it was the ADHD/ADD causing me to sin, I should then cut off my head, because that was where the problem was; moreover, that would mean all other ADHD/ADD people must follow suit, as well as others with mental disorders, pretty much most everyone. So after thinking of all the blood and pain I might have to endure, I sought an alternative, meds. The meds created much worse problems that I didn’t experience before! Although I was able to listen better, was more attentive, had a better memory, I became impatient, easily irritated and over nothing, angry most of the time, and just plain a nasty selfish poor excuse for a Christian. So I stopped the meds and tried Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (See a book called “Feeling Good, by David D. burns, M.D.) as suggested by a George Morelli. This has truly helped me at least learn to accept me for me, and deal with others in a much more effective way, especially when I fall short. I also want to point out that while I was on the meds I started getting angry with God, for it became aware to me, that if God is the creator of all, he himself created this disorder, and he himself could heal it. Moreover, if you read in places like in Proverbs, the traits that come along with ADHD/ADD are mocked and derided by God. So God creates us with this problem, and then he has the nerve to laughs at us and mocks us, and considers us worthless as does the world. As you might have guessed, this created a deep depression in me, but I was determined to fight back. So what I discovered, was that my desire to be healed of my ADHD/ADD was really described in the book of James chapter 4 verses 1-10. I wanted to be friends with the world, a people pleaser, a mac-daddy, with all the nice worldly things a man can have. What I needed to do, was what Christ did, I needed to deny self. This is not the same thing as self denial, which is temperance, patience. To “deny self” is to “die to self”, as Christ did on the cross, to take up my own cross as did Christ and learn to suffer with whatever God has given me as my cross, day by day. Here is the prayer that I pray, that works for me:
LORD Jesus Christ, only begotten son of all Creation,
Have mercy on me a sinner.
Grant me, I pray, denial of self,
And the fear and dread of thy Father’s wrath.
Another prayer I have found useful is:
The LORD God is Agape LOVE. Jesus Christ is Agape LOVE, The Holy Spirit is Agape LOVE.
This reminds me that everything God allows is out of LOVE, even if I do not yet understand it.
December 1, 2014 at 6:16 PM
Jan
I’m not even sure how many years ago it is since you wrote this but I absolutely had to say thank you and may God bless you. Your comment about Jesus dying for the anger, etc. was a Godsend. I do not have opportunity to discuss ADHD with many other Christians so this post and the comments have been incredibly encouraging to me. Thank you.
December 2, 2014 at 11:37 AM
emilymueller143
You’re welcome! It was almost 5 years ago, but it still proves very true!
January 3, 2015 at 12:38 AM
Lj
Wow! All of the posts on here are simply amazing and uplifting. Be encouraged and don’t give up no matter what. We are all brother and sisters in Christ. We really need each other! God bless you for telling your personal stories and being open.
March 17, 2015 at 11:09 AM
sololive4u
I was praying this morning and thinking about myself and this Add issue. I was wondering will God still accept me even though I’m medicated. How can I display self control if I have a pill in my system. Maybe I was reading to deep but I just want to be right and serve God. This Add is hard because it’s a struggle with emotions. Sometimes I want to stay in my house and say nothing. U don’t want to interact with people because this is like a hard test of restraint. But your blog is great. These are things I think about everyday
July 11, 2015 at 11:20 PM
Kai
Thank you for your post. I am 37, a lawyer and Christian and was recently diagnosed. I was heart broken because for years I could not understand why I couldn’t get it together. I am still struggling with this diagnosis and what it means for me and my future. And I was struggling with the idea of. “if God loves me, why would he make me this way”…. until I read your post. The only thing I can cling to is God’s grace because I desperately need. I am on the verge of frustrating another employer and I can only hope for God’s grace for things to turn around and I can keep my job, among other things. Thanks for sharing and helping me maintain my sanity in that God’s great grace can find me.
October 14, 2015 at 12:37 PM
Charmaine
Had a look at your post Kai and I believe that God uses ADHD just as he uses the norm. Without it, perhaps we would have no Virgin airlines or science based on Einsteins conclusions. Our art and exploration is often created by people with ADHD. They recon that David had ADHD too, and what would the Christian life be without Psalms!? Not great in the work place but who is!? It is my make up and I embrace it and just the fact that you got this far without meds is huge on its own. They recon up to 20% of the population is walking around with it in some form so keep your head up. I believe we were made this way for a reason and bring God joy in who we are. Chin up
October 15, 2015 at 4:38 AM
PJ
Hi Kai, I fully agree with Charmaine and have some additional input. I’m 43 yr old digital marketing entrepreneur & work at one of the world’s most respected software companies. I was diagnosed 6 years ago (so at your age) and before then, I had wondered why success and failure in my life was so inconsistently distributed :). Private as well as professional. WITH the diagnosis I can now a) be both more forgiving and less prideful about my past mistakes and successes and b) move myself more consciously into positions that allow for my shortcomings to be complemented and my talents to run free. This has brought me a lot closer to myself, God, my family and my colleagues. Meds can help if used wisely and discretely. You shouldn’t just be able to keep your job, you should probably be able to excel at it, when you focus on those roles that only someone with your brain can tackle (think: complex and non-repetitive problems that require creative problem solving). Feel free to reach out if you’d like to talk more! (PS: that offer goes to anyone here in the thread)
October 12, 2015 at 11:11 PM
Tawny
Emily, I was glad to find your post and all of these comments. I do have to comment on the medication aspect because I feel like the minute anyone points out how addictive these meds can be, they’re put to shame. I’m 35, a wife and a mother of 3, and I do feel like I have the “maturity” to offer feedback regarding a younger commenters negative experience with meds (okay, calling myself mature is a long shot, but still)…. I am also in the wellness industry and NEVER thought of myself as having an “addictive personality”. But adderall or other similar stimulants… That has been a huge eye opener for me. If you are a pleaser/ perfectionist, and have the dopamine issues, it makes perfect sense that once you take these meds you never want to stop. You finally feel “normal”. You can “please everyone” forgetting that God is the one we are here for. Then, after a while, the effect isn’t the same, and just as you said, you feel like a prisoner. For me, I noticed a scowl started to take up permanent residency and the impatience started to grow… As well as a clenched jaw and muscle tension. I KNOW this isn’t everyone. I know people who do very well with the meds, can miss a day or 2 and barely notice, and never even really focus on or worry about the meds at all. But, I would consider all of the factors and risks before anyone on this site advocates medication to anyone who seems to “need it”… Yes, they felt like a life saver at one time for me. But there are a lot of sacrifices that go along with that long term. Weigh them out. I am saying a prayer for you and hoping that those of us who choose to stay on medication never let the medication control us. And also that those of us who choose to come off can live with the pain and exhaustion that can come with withdrawals even on prescribed dosages.