Depression Battle

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Depression is a temptation that is common to man. 

David, Jeremiah, Job, Jonah, Naomi and Elijah are some named in the Bible who experienced depression.  We also have historical accounts of church leaders such as Charles Spurgeon, Richard Baxter, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Martin Luther struggling with depression. 

You may struggle with depression or know someone who does.

Looking back over my life, I remember as early as a young child experiencing the propensity of depression.  I still battle depression today. 

When I got saved in 2007 as an adult, the depressive episodes I endured ceased until 2011 when I started to experience bouts of depression yet again. I was confused thinking a Christian shouldn’t struggle with depression – but that thought just fueled my depression deeper. I learned over time that depression is a type of poisonous bait to my soul that I must keep in check.  

Edward T. Welch states that “Depression rejects anything good.”

When I am depressed I am rejecting good.  And what is good?  God is good (Psalm 145:9, Mark 10:18)

Depression can look like deep sadness, heaviness, numbness, fatigue, isolation, tears, unrest, anxiety, fear, anger, darkness, self-pity, a downward spiral into hopelessness, self-harm and even suicide.  

I sought for years to get a verifiable laboratory/imaging diagnostic test to prove that I had depression – because if I had depression then I could get rid of it and shift the blame from me to something else – right? 

Wrong.

Doctor after doctor, therapist after therapist – there was no such thing as a verifiable test I could take to prove that I had depression. These “medical professionals” were always ready and willing to write me a prescription based on my feelings, but this medical practice never settled well with me.  

Doctor Charles D. Hodges confirmed the cause of the unsettledness in my soul – “there are no laboratory tests or x-rays that make the diagnosis of depression.”  

The reason these medical professionals couldn’t help me is because depression is a struggle in the soul, not the body.  Only God can help with the spiritual battle of depression (1 Peter 5:10).  

Depression reminds me of Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh’s friend.  By choice, Eeyore constantly had a dark cloud situated above his head.  Eeyore fed on thoughts such as “Don’t worry about me. Go and enjoy yourself. I’ll stay here and be miserable” and “I’d look on the bright side if I could find it.”

It makes sense that Eeyore would be depressed when he thought and said such things.

The same is true with those of us who are tempted by the allurement and enticement of depression (James 1:14).  Instead of thinking about the gospel, who God is and who we are in Christ, depression feeds on our flesh, the world and/or Satan – a guaranteed path of destruction.

While some medications, substance use, verifiable medical conditions and certain situations can influence depressive feelings, depression is a choice based on our thought life. Depression is a matter of feelings…and our feelings change…often…for reasons and sometimes for no apparent reason at all.  

We can’t place our trust in our emotions because they deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9).

There are times when a thought pops into our mind that is not honoring God and consequently leads to depression if we choose to dwell on it. In that moment we have a choice to either feed on that thought (choosing sin) or turn away from that thought (choosing repentance) and replace the thought with a thought that honors God (Philippians 4:8). The choice is ours, but the power to honor God is from the Holy Spirit living inside of us Christians.  Since depression leads us away from God, the better choice is to renew the thought that popped into our head immediately (Romans 12:2).

There are also times when it feels like the depression has taken over.  In that moment of recognizing the lingering dark cloud, we must quickly turn to God once again. The more we practice renewing our mind, the less depressive episodes we will experience.  

Whether we feel that we don’t have control over our thoughts or that it is just too hard to control them or the fact that we are just too tired of the struggle and don’t want to battle anymore – whatever the reason is or the lie we believe at the time, we must remember that God is our helper (Psalm 121:1-2). 

Controlling our thoughts is hard, my friend – but hard isn’t impossible with God (Matthew 19:26)!  We must choose to tell our soul what to think on especially in the midst of the toughest situations when our emotions are screaming otherwise.  Remember, God always gives us a way out of our temptation to be depressed (Psalm 42:11, 1 Cor 10:13).  

We can either fight depression with the Spirit of God by the Word of God, or give into the temptation and fall into the pit (Ephesians 6:10-18). There is no middle ground. In the pit, the dark cloud gets darker and darker, heavier and heavier, and we pull more and more away from the God who so loved us so much that He shed His blood for us (John 3:16).

God is immovable and will never leave us (Deuteronomy 31:8).  He is our Good Shepherd (Psalm 23).  God is greater than our ever changing feelings (1 John 3:20).

When you, someone you know or I am depressed, instead of rehearsing Eeyore’s life verse – leave me alone to be miserable – may we promptly turn to our good God who is our faithful helper promising to give us a way out of depression for today’s saints as He did for those of old: 

“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light…God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling…I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust.” Micah 7:8, Psalm 46:1-3, 40:1-4a