Blog #1 – A
Christian Perspective on Depression
If you are
feeling depressed, you are definitely not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, approximately 1 in 10 adults in the United States suffer from
depression. According to the CDC those
most likely to suffer from major depression are: persons 45-64 years of age,
women, ethnic minorities, those with less than a high school education,
previously married persons, individuals unable to work or unemployed, and those
without health insurance coverage. By
the way, this study by the CDC also found that the least depressed people in the United States are those who live in
North Dakota, and the most depressed
people are those who live in Mississippi and West Virginia. (If you are curious, Minnesotans ranked even
with Iowans as the third least
depressed states just after the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2rd place.)
I would also
add a group to this list of people who struggle with depression –
Christians. You’re kidding! Christians? Yes! People who should be the most joyful, satisfied and emotionally healthy people
on earth are often suffering from the same low feelings as others who do not
have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
As my four year old grandson likes to say, “Isn’t that weird?”
Just because
a person is a follower of Jesus Christ does not mean he or she is immune from depression,
or for that matter, from any other negative emotion. Just consider King David, he was very open
about it, and he was “a man after God’s own heart”. (Acts 13:22) In the middle of his depression King David wrote,
“O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or
discipline me in your rage. Have
compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord until you restore me? Return, O Lord, and rescue me. Save me because of your unfailing love. For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave? I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching
it with my tears. My vision is blurred
by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies. Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord
has heard my weeping. The Lord has heard
my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer.
May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified. May they suddenly turn back in shame.” (Psalm
6:1-10 NLT)
From this
Psalm I believe it is possible to deduce the causes of David’s depression. One cause was his “enemies”. Throughout his royal career David faced many
enemies. His enemies ranged from foreign
armies to the King he served, to even members of his own family. When anyone has constant opposition from
others, it can lead to depression because we feel hopeless and helpless and
like it will never end. This is why David
cries out to the Lord, “How long…?”
Possibly your “enemy” is an abusive spouse or rebellious child, a boss
who does not treat you fairly, a once good friend who has turned against you,
or maybe even someone in church with whom you have a conflict. David shows us that dealing with enemies can
be emotionally depressing and physically exhausting, this includes dealing with
our enemy the devil and his army of evil spirits.
Another cause
of David’s depression was his own physical weakness. He mentions his “bones are in agony”, and he
even talks about death and the grave.
Certainly struggling with sickness, especially over an extended period
of time can lead to depression. We all
realize that not only do our emotions affect our physical condition, but our
physical condition affects our emotional state as well.
Even though a
Christian is not immune from depression, he or she certainly has the answer to
overcoming it, and it is David who provides it.
Did you notice David’s frequent references to “the Lord”? The ultimate answer to winning over
depression is the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue and save us from it
because of His unfailing love. The Lord
Jesus Christ is the answer to overcoming depression. Who better to heal us from this negative
emotion and thought pattern than the One who made us and saved us from our sins
by His death on the cross? As David
sought healing from the Lord, will you?
At Freedom Christian Counseling, it is my privilege to assist you in
coming in contact with the Lord Jesus Christ who alone can set you free from
the bondage of depression.
