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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I pray Healing. . to those who sufferer from Depression . . . In the name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus!
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