Lies We Believe about Depression

“If you obey and serve God you will never be depressed.” 1 Kings 19:1-4

There seems to be this idea that those who are obedient to God and are faithful to Him will always be joyful, that they will always be happy. If you, as a Christian, are depressed then it must mean that there is something wrong with you and you need to fix it so you can be a wonderful servant for God again. After all, just look at Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were beaten and then they were put in jail, they were singing! “Quem canta os males espanta!” So we should all be like that all the time shouldn’t we? Always joyful, always happy, never feeling down because that would be ungodly!

The truth is, depression in Christians, is often ignored or denied that it happens. I believe that many people are scared to admit that they are depressed or are in a state of depression because rather than receiving help, they are reprimanded and told to fix themselves. So why ask for help if you know that you will not receive it?

Many people in the Bible dealt with anger, frustration, sadness, if not complete depression.

King David, who wrote at least 73 of the Psalms was constantly voicing his complaints to God and letting him know of all that troubled him.

Jonah told God that he wanted to die in the end of his book

Job went through so much pain and agony that he cursed the day that he was born Job 3:1-3

Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet

Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12 of a thorn in his flesh that he asked God on three different occasions to remove.

Elijah asked God to kill him.

Today I want to look specifically at Elijah’s example. Let us read the story that God recorded for us and see what other lessons that we can learn on how to deal with depression. The first point, or lesson being that everyone is capable of being depressed, no matter how obedient or faithful you are as a Christian.

A secondary point I would like to add to this is that it is not wise to purposely isolate yourself as Elijah did in verse 3. When we are depressed we need to be around people. We don’t have to be in a crowd, or be part of a crowd, but we still need to have good friends with us.

“Depression is only in the mind.” 1 Kings 19:5-7

I have heard from many people in ministry that depression is only spiritual warfare, or that it is only in the mind. While those thoughts are technically both true, they are both incomplete

How depression affects the mind (https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/effects-on-body#1)

Feelings of sadness or emptiness

David says in Psalms 6:6 “ I am weary with my groaning: All the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.”

David also said in Psalms 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears:...”

Trouble with memory or decisions

Psalms 102:4 “My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; So that I forget to eat my bread.”

Preoccupation with death

Psalms talks about death at least 27 times!

Feelings of clinginess

David also states in Psalms 27:9 “Hide not thy face far from me: Put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, Neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.”

He also records this in Psalms 22:1-2 “My God, my God, why hast thou forsake me? Why are thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; And in the night season, and am not silent”

How depression affects the physical body

Insomnia

Again, David says in Psalms 6:6 “ I am weary with my groaning: All the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.”

We just read about David crying at night as well, in Psalms 22:1-2

Higher blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack

In Psalms 13:2 David says “How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?”

Again, going back to Psalms 22:14 David says “I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; It is melted in the midst of my bowels.”

In Psalms 25:16-17 David says “Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.”

Fatigue

Weakened immune system

“God doesn’t care about our depression, He only cares that we serve Him.” 1 Kings 19:5-8

Verse 5 - The angel went to Elijah without Elijah ever asking God for help or for food.

Verse 7 - God provided food and rest for Elijah at least two separate times.

Verse 7,8 - God knew what was ahead and prepared Elijah to be able to withstand it.

David records in Psalms 56:8 that God “Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”

“God does not want to hear your complaints” 1 Kings 19:9-18

“We are alone in our struggle“ 1 Kings 19:18