Last week we introduced the thought of true believers struggling with crippling emotions and we focused on depression. We want to continue to talk about this more than common trial faced by many people we know and love and respect as fellow followers of Christ. Our question today is, “What if I am the one dealing with depression?” What if I am the one dealing with depression? In First Kings 19, we find Elijah, the powerful prophet of God – praying that he might die: "I have had enough – take my life…" His words have all the markings of a man struggling with crippling depression and from his experience, we can note a few things that are possible contributors to what I am feeling. Sometimes, I listen to the wrong voice. Jezebel had sent a messenger to Elijah saying, "May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” In 17:2 and 18:1 we read that "the word of the Lord came to Elijah…" Sometimes, to overcome depression, a person must challenge the voices they are listening to. Self-talk is the recording that we listen to on a seeming endless loop in our minds every day. And if that talk – that thinking – is continuously dark and negative, the end-result will be crippling depression or anxiety. This is where God's Word is applied like a prescription against the lying voices in our lives. Sometimes, I get my physical body out of tune. The angel provides food and rest for Elijah telling him that the journey ahead is too difficult without it. The fact is that depression may come as the direct result of physical illness. Poor eating habits, a lack of rest, and other physiological foundations can make us more vulnerable to depression. Here are some practical things you can do when caught in a season of depression: (1) Trust God. A conviction that God is alive and in control can give hope and encouragement, even when we are inclined to be discouraged and without hope. [IMPORTANT: I am not saying "trust God and depression will go away" because that is not necessarily true. But rather, “trust God and remember” that God's Word and not my present emotional outlook is my ultimate authority. (2) Practice Gratitude. Thank God for loving you and bringing you through this season of depression. (3) Expect Discouragement. We are told in many places in the Bible that we are going to go through difficult times and face various trials and experience tribulation of all sorts. (4) Deal strongly with Guilt. Don’t get tangled up in the notion that depression is a sin. (5) Stay Spiritually Connected. Make sure you are still reading your Bible and praying. (6) Reach Out. Do not isolate yourself. Talk to a friend, pastor or counselor – find someone to stand with you and walk with you through this difficult emotional season.
