We often associate depression with a feeling of sadness.  Depression can actually progress to the point where there is a chemical deficiency in your body that is often treated with a medication.  At this point depression is no longer simply a state of mind but a physical one.  Depression can worsen when as a Christian we feel guilty about being depressed.

When we are looking at the ground we can track a person or animal by the depressions they make in the surface of the ground.  The depression is made by them stepping there and then moving on.   Something was there and now it is not, our mental depression can be caused by much the same way, something was in our life and now it is not. This can vary in scope from the loss of a dream or a hope to the loss of a person in our lives through death or absence.  We know we should want the will of God in our lives but when His will does not line up with our vision, we struggle.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Our mind is renewed when we step back from the physical and step into the presence of God through fellowship by reading His Word.   One man in the Holy Bible seemed to struggle more, David is given the credit for writing most of the Psalms. But remember David was also the man remembered for being after God’s own heart.  Most of the Psalms depict a struggle, things are not going well but with God there is always hope.

Psalm 3:1-3  O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!  Many are rising up against me.   Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.

Saul thought the best way to clear the way for his son was to eliminate the competition.  David had blessed Saul’s life by playing the harp when he wanted freedom from suffering.

1 Samuel 16:23 So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

Saul also benefited from David’s battle skills but now Saul wanted to kill David.  God’s will was not lining us with Saul’s wants.

1 Samuel 18:6-9  It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.  The women sang as they played, and said,  “Saul has slain his thousands,  And David his ten thousands.” Then Saul became very angry, for this saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?”  Saul looked at David with suspicion from that day on.

David was anointed to be the future king by God but when he becomes a constant in his predecessor’s life he became a target.

1 Samuel 18:11 Saul hurled the spear for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David escaped from his presence twice.

David always found hope with God, we can also.  God doesn’t want us to be depressed and when we read his word and apply it to our lives we can step out of the depression.  To accomplish this we must get to know the One we are to trust.

Galatians 5:16-23 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

God wants to comfort us when we mourn before it turns into depression.  If mourning was out of God’s will why He would comfort us.

Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

God knows by our vary nature we will be sad when things don’t go our way or what we thought was our future.  When we step out of God’s will we are stepping into sin.

2 Corinthians 7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

God wants us to grieve, to suffer loss is often a shock to us but as we grieve we may also need to repent that our wants got in the path of accepting God’s will.  As we step up to God’s will we step up to a higher ground and are no longer in the depths of depression.

Written by Joyce E Poggensee

Verses referenced:  Romans 12:2, Psalm 3:1-3, 1 Samuel 16:23, 1 Samuel 18:6-9, 1 Samuel 18:11, Galatians 5:16-23,  Matthew 5:4, 2 Corinthians 7:9