Sometimes we consider depression a sign of weak faith. But is it?
David, "a man after God's own heart," wrote many psalms while depressed and disillusioned (Acts 13:22). He experienced times of great sorrow, sleepless nights, fear, anxiety, and pain. At times, he even felt forgotten by God (e.g., Psalm 13:1-4).
Jeremiah is another example. A wonderful servant of God, he experienced great discouragement and depression. He actually cursed the day he was born (Jeremiah 20:7-18).
Job, whom God highly commended, also reached a point where he wished he'd never been born (Job 1:8; Job 3).
Elijah, another great and powerful servant of God, suffered depression after one of his greatest victories in the Lord (1 Kings 18-19).
Even the Apostle Paul "despaired of life" (2 Corinthians 1:8).
If we get depressed, we can do what these men did: remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness and depend on Him for help (Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 13:5-6; 2 Corinthians 1:9).
What a wonderful thing it is to have a Lord who understands our human weaknesses and deals with us so lovingly.
"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed..." Psalm 103:13-14
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3
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Need some more encouragement?
💙 Remember David's "statement of faith" that got him through the hard times: Sometimes I Trust in Chariots.
💙 Listen to Jeremiah's boast in the midst of his great sorrow: Jeremiah's Boast.
💙 Ponder the answer God gave Job when he was struggling: The Unshakeable Bottom Line.
💙 See how patiently God cared for Elijah when he was depressed: Eat, Rest, Cry.
💙 Check out Paul's 2-step process for overcoming despair: Even Paul Despaired.
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Bible Love Notes
I pray Healing. . to those who sufferer from Depression . . . In the name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus!
ReplyDeleteDepression is an illness and needs treatment. Faith can help, it can be a comfort but it's not a cure
ReplyDeleteMany Christians would disagree with you. And I'm one of them. My faith is what has helped me crawl out of the dark pit of depression. And please don't think that what I had wasn't really depression. Scripture may not have the cure for physical illness, but it does have the cure for emotional problems like depression. And I'm not saying that God doesn't use godly counselors and healthy relationships to heal us, but counseling apart from God's principles is far inferior to biblical help.
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