What does the Bible say about depression?
The answer to this important question would take tons of paper. As we are limited in space and time, I will first share with you some of the highlights from God’s Word regarding depression.
Please note that this response is not intended to cover any of the medical causes. Also, please be aware that it is not our intention to cover the entire topic of depression and its solutions.
Having said this, I want to state my firm belief that the solutions to ALL of our problems can be found in Jesus Christ! Here are some Biblical solutions:
Solutions (commitments) to get over depression.
1. Commit yourself to your complete recovery.
Ps 51:10, 12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” KJV
2. Commit yourself to prayer and thanksgiving.
Phil 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” KJV
Jer 29:11, 13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” NIV
3. Even if you don’t feel like it, commit yourself to praising God and trust in Him.
Ps 42:11 “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” NIV
4. Commit yourself to an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father.
Matt 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” NIV
5. Commit yourself in recognizing yourself as a child of God.
1 John 3:1-2 3:1 “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” NIV
6. Commit your own body to God.
1 Cor 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” NIV
7. Commit yourself to the renewing of your mind.
Rom 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.” NIV
2 Cor 10:3-6 “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” NIV
8. Commit yourself to Jesus.
Phil 3:7-9 “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” NIV
Matt 6:33-34 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” NIV
9. Commit yourself to taking care of yourself and to refocus on God!
Judg 15:18 “Because he (Samson) was very thirsty, he cried out to the LORD, “You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” NIV
One of the reasons of depression is exhaustion. Samson was here physically and emotionally exhausted. There is great danger of falling into self-pity after a great personal victory. Concentrating on what God did in your situation, instead of concentrating on your part of the action, will generally help you to avoid falling into the trap of self-pity and depression.
1 Kings 19:3-4 “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” NIV
Here, Elijah experienced fatigue and depression right after a great spiritual victory: the defeat of the prophets of Baal and the victory of the God of Israel. Thus confirming what was said before: Great victories (even spiritual) can lead to depression, especially if we focus on what man has done instead of focusing on what God has done. Please note that God Himself lead Elijah out of that depression. He never once gave him a reproach. Instead He let Elijah rest and eat. Then He encouraged Elijah to return to his mission: to be a witness of God in Israel. Rest and nutrition, as well as a refocus of our mission on earth and keeping our eyes on Jesus is of vital importance to get over these humps of life.
Depression can be overcome, my friend. Your situation is not hopeless. Remember Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” NIV Leave this matter to God and trust Him, believing you are healed “by the stripes of His blood” (1 Peter 2:24). He is faithful and will see you through. He will not abandon you. He promised Matt 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV Come to Him right now and accept Him into your life, trusting Him for your complete recovery. Why don’t you answer His call now at The Saviour’s Call.
P.S. See what you can do in Jesus and read the 20 Cans of Success!
Rob Chaffart
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He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. (James 5:13)
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22)
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)
My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word. (Psalm 119:28)
7-Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8- Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9- Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 12- Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalm 51:7-9, 12)
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
The spirit and mind is a lot like the body in that it requires food to live. We feed our bodies nutritious things to keep it well and healthy, but sometimes we feed it junk that can make us sick. It is exactly like this for the soul also. We sometimes feed it good food that encourages it and uplifts it and makes us feel light and happy. Other times we feed it junk such as bad thoughts, sad situations, hopelessness, etc. that can lead to depression. Of course we know that there are drugs out there to help chemical imbalances which can even out moods and make folks deal with things better. But frankly, there is no better drug than our Lord Jesus Christ. He can take away your depression. He can lift your spirits and make you feel light with His love and mercy. He’s been there. He’s felt and seen the sadness and depression. He’s dealt with every emotion there is, and no mental disorder or chemical imbalance or depression syndrome, or whatever you want to call it is too much for Him to deal with. He gave us Doctors and Scientists with wisdom and intelligence enough to create medicine to help our disorders, but the medicine alone will not help when your soul is void of the Lord. He can fill the void, lift the spirit, lighten the mind and make your soul soar.
Deedee
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I don’t know what the Bible says about it, and I was very critical of people that were depressed, until I became depressed 6 months ago, and had to seek Medical help..I sought God for months..before the medical doctors..I now know what it is like to be depressed I have walked in the shoes of a depressed person.
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Read for yourself from Lamentations 3:
16 He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust. 17 I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. 18 So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD .”
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD . 27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
28 Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. 29 Let him bury his face in the dust- there may yet be hope. 30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.
31 For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. 32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. 33 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men. (NIV)
After much depressing grief, Jeremiah turns his mind to the Lord. This is the same pattern that is seen in the Psalms and why these writings are in the Bible. If we never turn our hope to the Lord, we are more likely to stay stuck. If anger and forgiveness have been negotiated with our Lord’s help, (including counselors) and your emotions are still unhealthy, then you may have a chemical imbalance that a wonder drug can cure. I can certainly relate. I need divinity, debt cancelling and drugs in order to bring glory to Christ at the workplace.
Todd Shilt