Hope for the Hopeless

Introduction

This past Thursday night I found out another Davis grad had died of an apparent suicide. This marks the second one this year of people I knew dying at a young age. I do not know why either one went in this direction, but I want this morning to look at the issue of hope for those who feel hopeless, those dealing with depression, and hope for those who are left behind after suicide.

When All Seems Hopeless

Hopelessness and Depression we see so often in our society and was prevalent in the Bible as well. Some might jump to the conclusion: If you are truly saved then you shouldn’t have depression. False! Or: If you are truly saved and you have depression it is a sin issue in your life. Possible, but it is also false.

John 9:1–3 NKJV

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

We live in a fallen world and our bodies are fallen and our bodies get sick! Your brain is part of the body and it can and does get sick just like any other part.

Romans 8:23 NKJV

Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Example of Hopeless and Depression in the Bible

There are several example of people battling depression and we touch on a couple of them, but I want to look at an account in the book of 1 Kings chapter 19.

For some context. In chapter 18 of this book was the great display of God’s power at Mount Carmel. The 450 prophets of Baal had been challenged to call out to Baal to bring fire down from heaven to consume a sacrifice. Yet, they could not cause it to happen. Elijah was the prophet from the One true God and he prayed to the One true God and fire came down. 1 Kings 18:38 “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.” The prophets of Baal were executed for being false prophets. The drought that had been in the land ended. It is great spiritual victory and high for Elijah, but look what happens next.

1 Kings 19:1–10 NKJV

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Elijah had just came from this spiritual high point in his life. Everything was good. The people saw the power of God, the prophets of Baal were dead, the drought over, but Jezebel the wife of King Ahab threatened him and he ran.

Elijah who had God Almighty on his side runs from her when she threatens his life.

He arises and runs for his life and goes South into the kingdom of Judah

He goes into the wilderness another day after leaving his servant

He is very depressed as he sits under a tree. It is similar to Jonah, but where Jonah was having an attitude problem, Elijah is genuinely hopeless and depressed.

He prays that he might die. He is depressed and tired

He sleeps

God ministers to him twice by angel by giving him food and water

He travels to Horeb (40 days) — most likely the round about way to Mount Sinai

There God shows up, and Elijah feels that he is only one left (he feels very alone)

1 Kings 19:11–18 NKJV

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

What can we learn from Elijah and how God helped him?

Get away for a time. Burnout is real. Elijah had a spiritual high, but sometimes when you are on the top of a mountain with a victory over something it is much more easy to crash. 1 Corinthians 10:12

1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

2. Sometimes with depression you just need to rest and cry. The text doesn’t say Elijah cried, but I believe he was crying. Then he slept. Depending on the kind of depression, a good night’s rest can help.

3. Eat well. Elijah hadn’t been eating. God had to get him to eat and drink water twice, because he wasn’t doing it himself.

4. Go to some place where God has worked in your life or other people’s lives. Elijah went to Mount Sinai where the Ten Commandments were given.

5. Invest in someone else’s life. God told Elijah to find Elisha to train him and pass on wisdom to him.

6. God always has a remnant. You might think you are alone, but you are not.

If the Depression leads to something else: Hope for those left behind

When I was thinking about the subject of suicide and depression for today as I mourned for my friend I thought of the hope we have in Jesus.

Many people think that suicide is an unpardonable sin, yet Scripture doesn’t say that. It is another sin which Christ has paid for.

Romans 8:38–39 NKJV

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul was persuaded that neither DEATH nor life. Death, no matter how the death occurred can take someone from Jesus Christ, if they are His child.

When Jesus was talking to His disciples about His sheep (John 10) he said these words

John 10:29 NKJV

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Wood Kroll father’s dementia / Sea of Galilee

How to Support / Comfort

When someone is going through depression, loss, maybe dealing with a suicide of a loved one. How can you respond? PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! Be like Job’s three friends BEFORE they started opening their mouths.

Job 2:11–13 NKJV

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

They came together to mourn WITH him

They saw him they wept WITH him

They stayed with him to just be there and comfort him.

Sometimes not saying anything is best, but use the Lord’s leading in times of sorrow, grief, and depression.

Be a shoulder to cry on. Be Jesus to them. Use wisdom and discernment.

Conclusion

I do not know if you are going through depression, sometimes it can hide in plain sight. Maybe you are dealing with a loss or pain. Maybe you are looking to help someone else. Take some time to pray and ask for discernment. There is Hope for those who feel that all is hopeless.