Have you ever been depressed? I mean really depressed? We've all been discouraged, but depression is a feeling of discouragement that seems to hang in there, leaving us without any emotional strength to go throughout the day.
Here's what I want you to know: godly people get depressed.
Look at the case of Elijah: Elijah had just dealt with the prophets of Baal and won the battle so to speak. Now a woman by the name of Jezebel frightens him to the extent that he runs away for his life.
Read the story with me:
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraida and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
4 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him
So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother good-by,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.
Notice the ways that Elijah overcame depression:
1. He got some sleep and ate right.
The physical definitely affects our emotional state. Notice in verses 5 and 6 that Elijah went to sleep under a juniper tree; and an angel touched him and said, get up and eat.
And he ate and drank and then slept again.
My dad has told me many times to "sleep on" a certain situation. In other words, get a good nights sleep and than think about it the next day. Many times our minds are clearer and sharper and we find it easier to focus on the reality of the situation.
2. He let the Holy Spirit minister to him.
In verse 9, God come to him and says, "what are you doing here, Elijah?" And thus begins a conversation that leads Elijah to realize that he was not alone, there were others struggling with the same difficulty, that God did care about him and that God would see him through.
3. He relied on a close personal friend.
It's always great to have a support group when we are fighting depression. Elijah's kindred spirit was Elisha. They were of one accord. Working together and ministering together, Elijah vented his feelings with his friend and God helped him.
May our prayer be, "Come Holy Spirit, we need thee!"
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3 comments:
I can't say that I have ever been depressed...I have been down, or morose, for a short time when things haven't gone right or when I've failed at something important. But not for an extended time like depression hits some folks, including Christians. I praise God for that! Enough of you have heard my testimony to know that even when I walked away, I knew God was still there with me. I knew I had a mother and grandmother who would spend hours praying for me, sometimes involving the entire church where I grew up when the Holy Spirit laid upon them that I was walking in harms way. At the time, I didn't think much about that as I was busy living my own life, my own way. Now, I am humbled and ashamed that I put them through all those long hours of prayer on my behalf. Forgiveness is a great thing and both forgave me, being great ladies in Christ and reminding me that we are all God's children so it was not me alone who got prayed for when they were praying.
I don't know if all of this leads to a life away from depression but a life in Christ is a lot better than a life without Him. God can heal all things, and He can start with your moods...the joy of the Lord is my strength. It's not just a song or a Scripture, it's a promise from God! God promises to give you all you need, and beyond, if you but place your trust and faith in Him. Not that you still won't go through troubling times or that you won't (or shouldn't) seek help in the hands of man. God blesses man with the advances of medicine and science...He blesses us with these things so that we can use them to improve our lives. Some people say that God and science don't go together; I say that science is a GIFT FROM God. We should use it when necessary and trust that God knows best for us. If He chooses to heal you, He will; if He chooses to rely on doctors and science, then rely on that with Him. God knows the best for us!
I don't know what all that rambling has to do with depression but just want to offer my support to any of you who need it. If you need a friend, I'm here; if you need a shoulder, I have two; if you need a hand, mine are available. And God's are much greater than mine!! There is no comparison in that, the difference is so great! He can be your friend, your shoulder, your hand! Reach out to Him and ask! Sometimes, we receive not because we ask not...ask away, nothing is too great for God!
Love God, love people.
Jon
This really ministered to me today. Unfortunatley most Christians do not understand depression and look at it as a spiritual problem. I appreciate scripture that shows one of the most godly of men dealing with depression and how he needed to listen to his body and draw strengthe from the Lord as well as his friend. I hope the body of Christ can be more accepting of those that deal with depressoin so they can speak about it openly. Unfortunately it's one of those topics that is hard to bring up and discuss, even in the body of Christ. Thanks for this wonderful message today, George.
I am dealing with my husbands depression a lot lately. A few weeks ago he made a few huge commitments to God, and since then the devil's really been at him. I didn't realize this until I talked with some friends from church about it. It's very hard to deal with. He constantly feels he's worthless no matter what. I usually end up coming to church alone because he doesn't feel well enough to join me. I have to go to be closer to God myself, but it's hard to do. Please pray for us as we are going through these very hard times. I need God to open his eyes to see himself as the person that I see him. Thank you for your prayers.
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