 e saw in the first study what depression is. We
looked at some of the basic causes of depression and how it shows itself in our lives. Now
the most important part is overcoming it. Psychologists are known to suffer from the
problem of knowing what causes problems, but not offering any clear solutions.
Before I look at the Scriptural solutions to Depression, I want to look at some of the
false ideas that people have about treating depression, and how this leads to treatment
methods that do not bring results.
False Assumptions
Many go astray where depression is concerned, or for that matter
where any spiritual/psychological problem is concerned, by assuming certain things that
just are not true. For the believer the standard must be clear. If it is not in the Word,
or does not line up with the Word, then you cannot accept it. So when the medical
profession makes an assumption and issues statements that are contrary to the Word of God,
we should not readily accept what they say.
We looked at some of the false ideas in our last study. I am going mention them again
here briefly, and show how they cannot help in bringing about a solution to the problem.
Mental Illness
The idea of mental illness is acceptable only if a person has suffered an injury or
infection that has caused their brain to function incorrectly. In other words, a
person’s thinking capabilities are being affected by a physical problem. But this is
not what is meant by the term ‘mental illness.’ It is simply a term used to
explain away the fact that the medical profession does not know what the true cause of the
problem is.
But the Bible gives us a clear indication of where all problems lie. I have covered
this in my introductory studies to counseling, entitled The Cause of Problems and
God’s Solutions to Problems, which you are encouraged to read before attempting to
deal with this problem. But in a nutshell, God created man to function efficiently
provided he follows certain principles which God has clearly laid out in His Word. When we
violate those principles, we fail to be what we were designed to be, and things start to
go wrong.
Put simply, the basic cause of all problems in man is sin. Now if you would rather have
mental illness, I must warn you that there is no cure for mental illness. So you will have
to accept this problem and live with it the rest of your life. But if your problem is
caused by sin, then you have great hope. God has provided a solution to the problem of
sin. So you know there is a clear way out of your problem.
Physical Treatment
All of the physical treatments that are offered by the medical profession are directed
at the body. But the problem does not originate with the body. It comes from much deeper
than that. So when you treat the body, you do not deal with the true cause of the problem.
You are only dealing with the symptoms.
This is like driving along in your car and a warning light comes on to show you that
something is wrong in the engine. This is supposed to show you that you need to check your
engine. But some people seem to think that if you disconnect the light so that it does not
come on any more, this will solve the problem.
Medication
If I were to push a needle into your flesh it would cause a lot of pain. You could deal
with it by taking painkillers and drugs that stop your suffering. But the correct solution
would be to remove the needle from your flesh. Treating symptoms just does not solve any
problems. And any medication that is given to a person for the treatment of depression is
nothing more than an attempt to deal with the symptoms.
Electroshock Therapy
One of the more severe treatments that is used in Psychiatry is the passing of a high
voltage through the brain. This causes seizure of many of the brain cells and makes a
person’s memory function less efficiently. That way they start to forget all the
things that are causing them trouble and enter into a make believe world without pain and
problems. Again the true problem has not been dealt with.
The Scriptural Solution
Before I look at some actual methods that we can use to deal with
depression, I just want to compare the Scriptural approach to the problem. The way that a
Christian should be dealing with any problem is not trying to hide or mask it by dealing
with the symptoms, but finding the true cause and overcoming it in a Scriptural way.
Using the illustration above, it means finding the needle in your flesh and taking it
out. And then it involves developing an awareness of how these things enter and keeping on
guard to make sure that it doesn’t enter again. It is not enough to overcome one
attack of depression. You need to find out why you are always getting depressed and learn
to prevent it from happening again in the future.
Of course, since sin lies at the base of all problems, you need to
realize that this is
going to be a lifelong fight. We are sinful creatures, and until Jesus comes and we
receive our glorified bodies, we are going to have to daily deal with sin in our lives.
But you do not have to let it rule over you. And when you fall, you can quickly learn to
pick yourself up again and get back into the fight.
Methods for Overcoming Depression
Let’s look then finally, at some methods that we can use to overcome depression.
We are going to approach it from a Biblical point of view and use the Bible and the Holy
Spirit to deal with the problem. This is all the believer ever needs to deal with anything
in life. – the Spirit and the Word.
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Identifying the Problem Patterns
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Finding the Scriptural Alternatives
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Finding a person to help.
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Identifying the Problem Patterns
You have to find the true cause of your depression before you can even begin to
overcome it. Let’s go back to the basic causes we discussed in the first study and
see where we should be looking.
Failure to Obtain Recognition or Acceptance
A good place to start would be to look back on the events that led up to the start of
the depression that you are suffering with at the moment. Were you trying to accomplish
anything or help someone? Did you perhaps fail in your attempts, or make a fool of
yourself? Did people start to turn against you because of something you said or did? Were
you rejected by someone?
This is usually the starting point of depression. We all go through life doing things
that will get people to accept or recognize us. Sometimes it is just a sense of
satisfaction that you look for, a sense of personal accomplishment. If you look carefully
at what has happened, you will probably find an area where you failed to do this.
Failure to Attain a Goal or No Clear Future Goals
This is just another variation of the first, but it might look different. Did you
perhaps try to shoot for the stars and fail to take off? Maybe you had big visions and
plans of things you were going to do. And now they have all collapsed at your feet. Maybe
there isn’t enough money to do what you were planning to do. Or maybe someone
interfered with it and now you cannot go on.
Perhaps you had a vision for the work of the Lord – something you believe the Lord
wanted you to do. But it did not work out. And now you are not sure where you should go
from here. Maybe you wanted to do something to impress your spouse, but you blew it and
your hopes have been dashed. Whatever the case, you are now sitting moping around
wondering where to go from here.
Triggering to Past Events
This one is a bit more subtle, and should be looked for only if you cannot find
anything in the first two. If there is no logical explanation for the way you feel and you
cannot break free, then suspect that it is a trigger. Sit down and let your mind go back
to the events of the past. Have you ever been in a similar situation to this before?
Perhaps something new took place in your life, or someone new entered the picture. The
chances are this new thing reminds you of something that happened a long time ago, that
you might even have forgotten. Look to the Lord for help on this and then let your mind
flow back over the past. Don’t try to strain your mind, but just let the past float
gently to the surface.
It will usually come to you as a clear revelation, and when it does, you will be set
free. You will suddenly realize that this thing is reminding you of a time back there when
you also felt the way you are feeling right now. And as you look at your current events or
circumstances, you will be amazed at how many similarities there are between them.
But now things are different. You have learned a bit since the last time this happened.
You are in a better position to handle it now. So the past does not have to be the
present. You can change it. You don’t have to suffer with the same pain as before.
Finding the Scriptural Alternatives
The Scriptures give us alternatives to all wrong behavior patterns in our lives. Paul gives us a list for example in Ephesians 4, of various things
we need to put off and put on. Since we are looking at depression specifically here, I am
going to deal with some Scriptural solutions and alternatives. Perhaps a good place to
start would be the examples we looked at in our last study of people who were depressed.
Cain
We saw that Cain became depressed because God rejected his sacrifice. When he
complained to God, he was given a solution. God said to him in Genesis 4:6-7
6 And the LORD said to Cain, Why are you angry? and why has your
face fallen?
7 If you do well, shall you not be accepted? and if you do not do well, sin lies at the
door. And to you [shall be] his desire, and you shall rule over him.
The bottom line was that Cain had been rejected because he did not do things the right
way. There was a standard he needed to stick to. God promised that if he did it right, he
would be accepted. But the other alternative is that he would give in to sin, and come
under its control.
If you are responding to rejection or failure in depression, then you need to examine
your motives and see if they line up with the Word of God. Were you trying to accomplish
something that acknowledges and brings glory to the Lord? If you were, then you have done
right and you will be honored for it. Perhaps this honor will not come from man, but it
will certainly come from the Lord. And He will make sure that you are vindicated in the
sight of man.
But if your motive was selfish and left the Lord out of the picture, then you must
watch out. Sin is ready to control you. And if you open the door to your feelings and
continue to wallow in self-pity, you are inviting the enemy of your soul to destroy you.
You will end up doing something that you regret afterwards, like Cain.
Elijah
Elijah had stood firm for the Lord, and he had done a great job. The problem here was
not that he had failed, but that he thought that he had failed. Also he expected things to
turn out differently to the way they did. But God had some clear ways of bringing him out
of his depression. Let’s look at a few of them.
He let him rest
Sleep is one of the best relievers of stress. It is the method that God has built into
us to let us get all the energy of stress out of us. The chances are that Elijah had not
had much sleep when he was preparing to face the prophets of Baal. Now he was exhausted
and suffering ‘burn out.’ He needed to sleep. And the sleep that is of the
greatest benefit is the sleep in which we dream.
This is the sleep that has become known as Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M.) sleep. It occurs
mostly towards the end of our sleep cycle before we wake up, so it is good to have lengthy
periods of sleep to get the most out of it. If you are suffering from depression, then
sleep is one of the best things you can do.
He made him eat
Your body needs strength, and when you are depressed, you tend to lose your appetite.
Elijah was woken up twice by an angel and told to eat. We are not sure what he ate, but it
was clearly something that God provided to give him extra strength. If you are depressed
then it is good to strengthen your body with healthy food and vitamins that are necessary
to perk you up.
You see, God wants us to be efficient in spirit and soul and body. So if you are going
to be all He wants you to be, then you must deal with all three, not just the one. And the
body is important in your recovery from depression. A healthy body enables you to function
in a way that gives you new hope, because then you can do the things you are wanting to
do, and that God wants you to do.
He made him exercise
God told Elijah to go up to the mountain of God and wait before the Lord. This was not
just a little hill, it was a mountain. I’m not sure what was involved in climbing a
mountain those days, but you can be sure that it would have taken a bit of effort. I
imagine that Elijah was quite well exercised by the time he got to the top.
Exercise has an amazing way of dealing with our emotional state. Some people major on
this and exercise just for the effect that it creates. I don’t know the medical or
scientific implications, but from what I can gather, the body gives out a certain chemical
during exercise that gives a boost and a sense of well being, a bit like a drug. Exercise
junkies push themselves until they get this high because it is such a wonderful feeling.
God certainly knows that we need to feel good, and our physical condition plays a large
part on our victory over depression. Exercise is one of the methods we can use to get
there.
He spoke to him
A depressed person needs someone to talk to who can see things from a clear
perspective. You need to talk to someone who will not only listen and sympathize
with you,
but will sympathetically disagree with the wrong way you have approached things.
Let’s see how God did it with Elijah. You can read about it in 1 Kings 19
9 And he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the
word of the LORD [came] to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?
Notice that God did not condemn him or put him down. He simply asked him a question.
What are you doing here?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of
hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars,
and slain your prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my
life, to take it away.
Elijah gave his answer to God’s question, which showed quite clearly that he did
not have all the facts. He thought that he had failed. His motives had been pure. He
wanted to glorify God not himself. But he thought that he was all alone in this, and that
no one else supported him. He needed some words of encouragement and also a new direction.
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the
LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and
broke in pieces the rocks 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:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the
fire a still small voice.
Elijah was looking for God in the wrong places. He was expecting this great
manifestation of the power of God. This is what he saw when he faced the prophets of Baal
on Carmel. He had called fire down from heaven, and then he prayed for the rain. After
that he outran the chariot. Now he was probably expecting a great move of God’s power
on the people and some spectacular results.
This is one of the big mistakes we make that lead to depression. We try to assume how
things will go. We want to tell the Lord how our lives should come together. And when it
doesn’t come the way we expected, we think that God did not hear, or does not care.
But we don’t see what is taking place behind the scenes.
God came to Elijah in a still small voice. He did not need to look out there for God,
because God was inside of him. The same thing applies to you. Perhaps you are wanting a
prophet of God to come with a great word of revelation for you. Or you are wanting some
miraculous sign from heaven. But you need only look into your own heart. That is where He
lives by His Spirit.
15 And the LORD said to him, Go, return on your way to the
wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shall you anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the
son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shall you anoint [to be] prophet in your place.
17 And it shall come to pass, [that] he that escapes the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay:
and he that escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
Elijah needed a new goal to aim for. He needed a new direction. A depressed person has
no future goals. They don’t know what to do next. So if you want to break free, you
need to set some new goals. You need something new to get excited about. You need
something to aim for. God gave Elijah some very clear instructions on what he should do.
This is one of the best ways of getting your eyes off yourself and getting involved in
something that will break you free of depression. Depression makes you sit around and do
nothing. You need some activity to get into. And the best kind of activity is helping
someone else. Elijah had a job to do, and each one involved giving of what he had to
someone who wanted it.
He was to go out and give out the anointing that was upon him. He was to take his eyes
off his own needs and start looking at the needs of others. When you do this you open the
doors to the blessing of God in your life. The wonderful thing about helping others, is
that it seldom leads to rejection. People will gladly accept unselfish love.
So one of the best methods for breaking free of depression, is to see the needs of
people around you, and go out and try to meet those needs in love. You change your
orientation to an outgoing one, where you put others first instead of yourself. Depression
is wallowing in self-pity. Giving out to others takes your mind off yourself and it brings
the joy that is found in giving. It is always more blessed to give than to receive.
18 Yet I have left [myself] seven thousand in Israel, all the
knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.
The final word of encouragement that God gives to Elijah, is that he is not alone. God
has been working, and he finds that there are actually another seven thousand people who
still serve God. He had not failed at all. He had been faithful to do what the Lord had
called him to do.
The Healing Presence of the Lord
Removing depression is not simply a matter of applying a formula
and getting results. Depression is caused by people, and true healing can only be brought
about by another person. We saw how God dealt with Cain and Elijah to bring about a
removal of depression. Elijah broke free immediately and went out boldly to do what God
told him. And after that he went out in a blaze of glory, as he rode up to heaven in a
chariot of fire.
You need the help of someone else to break free of depression. It is something you
cannot easily break out of alone. You need someone who understands and does not condemn.
You need someone who cares enough to get involved in your life with you. You need someone
who can disagree with you in love. You need someone who can give you clear direction on
what to do.
It is important that you find someone who can hear the voice of God and can speak His
word to you. If you are married, then the ideal person is your spouse. You should be able
to share your innermost feelings with the person you married and ask them to help you. If
this is not possible, then you have to find someone else who can fit the bill.
Ultimately, you need to get into the presence of the Lord and hear His voice. But if
you are depressed, then the chances are you are either not hearing his voice or you are
not paying attention to it. I have published several articles dealing with how to hear the
voice of God. Perhaps you might want to read the chapter in my book The Way of Blessing,
entitled "How to be Led by the Spirit." This gives some pointers on how to hear
the voice of the Lord.
But until you can hear his voice and know that He is speaking to you, it is necessary
that you find someone else who can listen for you and speak His words to you. Because it
is only the healing words of the Lord that can set you free from your depression. The
reason for this is that it is only the Lord who always accepts us without any conditions.
It is only He who never condemns, but always has something good and positive to say to us.
It is only He who forgives and gives a clear direction for us. He knows the end from
the beginning. He knows you even better than you know yourself. So He can tell you the
things you need to hear. He can tell you where you should go from here. He can tell you
the best set of actions to carry out right now. He will give you a ministry task that will
take your eyes off yourself and get you back on the road.
Peter
I want to end this study with one of the best passages on healing of hurts and
overcoming depression that there is. It shows the Master at work, doing what only He does
best. We saw how God worked with Elijah and helped him to break free of his depression.
Now I want to show you how Jesus did it with his favorite disciple, the apostle Peter.
You will find a description of it in John 21:15-17
15 So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon,
[son] of Jonas, do you love me more than these [others] ? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you
know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs.
16 He said to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, do you love me? He said to
him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my sheep.
17 He said to him the third time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, do you love me? Peter was grieved
because he said to him the third time, Do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know
all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.
Remember that Peter had been the one with great dreams about serving the Lord and even
dying for Him. But he had failed miserably. He had denied his Lord three times. He felt a
total failure, and he was probably sure that the Lord would reject him now. Perhaps Jesus
would forgive him, but there was no way he could ever still become the great leader and
preacher that he had hoped. How could the Lord trust him again after what he did? He was
no different to Judas.
But Jesus took the very failures of Peter and turned them around. Interestingly Jesus
performed the very same miracle that day that He did when He first called Peter. He caused
them to catch a whole net full of fishes. And then, after they had eaten, Jesus spoke to
Peter. And He showed Peter that He had not only forgiven him, but still trusted him.
Peter had denied the Lord three times. And three times Jesus asked Peter the question,
"Do you love me?" And three times, as Peter answered yes, Jesus gave him a new
job to do. Feed my sheep, feed my lambs, shepherd my sheep. Peter was given a new goal to
aim for. Jesus made him take his eyes off himself and let love control him.
You see love is the key to overcoming depression. It is love burning in your heart,
both for the Lord and for others, that will cause you to take your eyes off yourself and
start to reach out. You will be motivated by your love for the Lord, and knowing that He
truly loves you.
The wonderful thing about the Lord Jesus, is that He never condemns. I know, because I
have walked and talked with Him for many years, and I have never known Him to condemn or
reject me, even when I have failed miserably. So if you want to break free of depression,
try running to Him. You will be amazed at how He accepts you and recognizes you. He trusts
you enough to give you a job to do. He will set your heart on fire to do great things for
Him and you will not have time to mope around.
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