God and Depression

Having a relationship with God brings joy, right? While this statement is supported throughout the Bible, the truth is we live in a broken, fallen world. You may have experienced loss, abuse, trauma, or other difficulties and challenges. Depression often hits us as a result of tough circumstances. At other times, though, depression can strike when everything seems to be going well. Fortunately, the Bible also addresses these situations.

A quick perusal through the Psalms gives us many examples of when David and others were in angst, to the point of death and despair. Paul also expresses his great struggles and times of desperation for God to deliver him from either his circumstances or thoughts and emotions. God is not silent on depression, but provides tools to help us to go through and get through. When you're feeling depressed, down, or discouraged, there are helpful things to remember and that you can do.

Things to remember:

      (1)   God is not mad at or disappointed in you. God understands the depths of our hearts and sent Jesus to experience the trials of living in flesh. When we are depressed, He meets us with compassion and encouragement.

      (2)   God has not left you. Over and over again, God tells us in scripture that He is with us and won't leave us. While He may often feel far, the truth is He is always with us, no matter what our circumstances, struggles, thoughts, or feelings.

      (3)   This moment and feeling will not last forever. While some battles with depression are deep and long, they do not last forever. Reminding yourself of this fosters hope and is helpful in getting through the most difficult moments.

Things you can do:

      (1)   Talk to someone. God created us to be relational. Romans 12:15 says to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Our burdens are lessened when we share them with others. We can gain a different perspective, insight, and the encouragement needed to walk through even the toughest valleys in life.

      (2)   Be intentional about gratitude. When depression takes over, our thoughts gravitate toward and get stuck on the negative. We have a hard time seeing the blessings in life. Even starting with the basics of thanking God for who He is and what He's done in the past (see Psalm 138 for example) will begin to transform your thinking and make it easier to identify other blessings.

      (3)   Pour in truth. Exhaustion is often a close companion to depression and it may feel impossible to even muster up enough strength to open and read the Bible. Thankfully, we live in a time where the Bible and biblical teaching are abundantly available. Turn a Bible app on read, search online for your favorite Bible teachers or preachers, or find some godly teaching on podcasts. God's word is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12) and will began to transform you.

These few reminders and suggestions are helpful when going through depression and other difficult times. If the list seems overwhelming, simply pick one to start with. And if you would like to share your story or struggles or talk to someone, feel free to comment below or email me through this link.

I pray you’ll experience God’s love and compassion for you in a fresh way as you seek Him in the midst of your struggles.