Can A Christian Become Depressed?

Reports of famous people--Anthony Bourdain, TV personality and Kate Spade--handbag designer, who committed suicide recently drew the attention of many here in America and abroad. However, there are ordinary people committing suicide everyday whose names never appear in the news. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 45, 000 Americans died by suicide in 2016, and these numbers are said to be climbing.

People don't just get up one morning and say, "I think I'll kill myself today." They have to be depressed for some time to get to the point where they decide to take their own life. Which brings me to the question, can a Christian become depressed? If you are a Christian you should have peace and contentment at all times, right? You should be able to cope with anything that life throws your way. Wrong!

Guilt, loneliness, grief, discouragement can take a toll on the human mind and cause you to become depressed. History is full of names of famous theologians who were depressed. C. S. Lewis, Augustine, Martin Luther and C. H. Spurgeon are among some of those who were said to have struggled with depression. In fact, Spurgeon became so depressed at times he was said to tender his resignation thirty-two times in thirty-nine years.

One might be tempted to say that men like Spurgeon were so burdened by the demands placed upon them it was easy for them to become depressed. That may be so, however, depression can plague someone who has no obvious reason to be depressed. Elijah, the prophet, was a mighty man of God, who commanded great respect from the people because of the miracles he performed. He had just finished killing four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and under the power of the Lord, ran for miles to another town. But after doing all of that, Elijah collapsed in fear and went and hid himself in a cave because Jezebel threatened to kill him for slaughtering the Baal prophets.

Elijah came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. Here is what he said: “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors" (1 Kings 19: 4). Elijah was ready to die, but he didn't have the courage to take his own life.

Other Bible figures who battled depression are David, the great warrior king who God called, "a man after his own heart." Job, "a blameless and upright man," suffered a massive bout of depression when he lost everything, including his children. He cursed the day he was born, as did Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. Even Jesus was in so much agony in the garden of Gethsemane before his death that his sweat became as "drops of blood" (Luke 22: 44).

Friends, depression is no respecter of persons. It is an illness as any other and should be treated seriously as you would treat any other illness. If you are feeling depressed, here are some things you can do:

1.When people are depressed they tend to isolate themselves from the world. Elijah went and hid in a cave. Bad idea! God called him out and sent him on a mission. Make the effort to get out of bed and do some simple things, like washing your face and combing your hair.

2. Some people may not want to eat, others may eat too much. You need to eat. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” (1 Kings 19: 5).

3. Talk to someone. Job's friends came to sympathize with him when they heard about his misfortune, but they only ended up making him feel worse. Be careful who you speak to. Speak to people who will be understanding and supportive, not people who will tell you, "snap out of it."

4. Seek medical help. In Biblical days and centuries past, they didn't have the medications and resources we have today. God has given man the knowledge and wherewithal to help us. Take advantage of it.

5. Pray. When you are in the throes of depression you may be unable to pray coherently, but you can read your Bible or listen to Psalms and gospel music on tape. Best of all, be hopeful. David said, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Ps. 42:11

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I have written a novel called In the Wilderness that tells of a young Christian girl who was so plagued by guilt she became depressed and suicidal. Read this gripping story to see how God delivered her out of her depression and gave her a new perspective on life.

The Sun Understood

courtesy morguefile

As I read and reflected on the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, something struck me. Jesus was in darkness for three whole hours! According to Our Daily Bread, many theologians believe that during this period of darkness the fellowship between the Father, Son and Holy spirit was broken as God,  unable to look at the ugly cloak of sin that Jesus wore, turned His face away from His only begotten Son. .

 Darkness is a time when sinister things happen.  Darkness symbolizes evil, loneliness, depression. Wicked people perform their deeds under the cover of darkness, and Satan, we are told, is the Prince of darkness.

Darkness is fine when you are asleep. But to be in darkness when you are awake is not normal. However, darkness can be a comforting thing. Have you ever gone through one of those times when you felt the need to be in darkness?  To just draw the blinds, turn off the lights and make the world go away. It can be one of the worst times.

Maybe that’s the way Jesus felt as he hung on the cross, weighted down by your sin and mine, and most of all, forsaken by His Father. Hear His cry of anguish: And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) Mark 15 : 34. 

And the sun understood.

The sun drew the curtains of heaven together so both Father and Son could suffer in silence. And in darkness. 

But every period of suffering – yours, mine - comes to an end. After three hours, the darkness lifted and Jesus breathed His last. 

Yes, suffering does end. One day there will be no need for darkness.

“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22: 5).

We will live in the eternal light of God’s presence because one day, over two thousand years ago., Jesus wrapped Himself in the darkness of our sin.

Want to know more about what happened that day? Grab a copy of my ebook For God So Loved today while it’s still on free. Have a blessed Easter.

5 Tips For A Joyful Christmas

Joy to the world                                                 

The Lord has come

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart 

Prepare Him room 

And heaven and nature sing (repeat x 2)

Since the Christmas season began, I've sung the above words in church a few times, and ever so often I would find myself humming or singing the song. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite Christmas carols and is quite popular at this time of year. But even though I sing the song, I'm aware that there is not much joy in our world today. For many people Christmas is the saddest and loneliest time of the year. And if you live anywhere on planet earth, you know there are dozens of other reasons for the lack of joy.

So rather than depressing you by telling you what you already know, I've come up with some tips to help you experience some joy this Christmas. 

1. Spend time with the Lord. Yes, I know you pray and read your Bible daily, but at Christmas time we may find ourselves so engulfed in our preparations we may neglect spending some quiet time with God. Don't let this happen. The psalmist said, "In thy presence is fullness of joy ..." Psalm 16: 11.

2. Slow down. This may seem almost impossible, but guess what? You don't have to kill yourself trying to have everything perfect; neither do you have to attend every function to which you are invited; neither do you have to overspend in an attempt to buy gifts for everyone. 

3. Spend time with friends and family. Make it fun, leisurely and stress free. Invite someone who may be alone over for dinner. If you are fortunate to have older relatives around, have them relate stories about "the good old days." They love to do that, and the young people will benefit from a little history lesson.Watch a movie like this one that everyone can enjoy.

4. Share your faith. Don't be afraid to say, "Merry Christmas," to store clerks, co-workers and strangers you meet in the mall. You never know, it may spark some conversation about our Savior.

5. Sing. Yes, sing some Christmas carols. Find a radio station that plays them or go to You Tube where you'll find modern as well as old-fashioned ones. You cannot remain sad when you sing. 

You may be able to think of other ways to infuse some joy into your Christmas, or maybe you have some family traditions that are special to you. Why not share them in the comments box below? And do have a blessed and joyful Christmas. 

Enjoy this video of Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir singing Joy To The World. 

When Fear Strikes

I know I've written on this subject before, but this past week I received some awful news that the son of one of my in-laws was murdered. I barely knew the young man, but fear, anxiety and sadness reared up like a three-head monster. I used to think I was invincible, had all the answers, knew all the scriptures. But last week my armor seemed to have a hole in it somewhere. As a mother, my mind was filled with negative thoughts, I lost sleep and found myself crying at odd moments. Scared, I wondered if I was becoming depressed.

But thank God for His comforting word and for good Christian friends who prayed with me. As I lay in bed unable to fall asleep, I recited scripture after scripture: Psalm 91, Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 1 : 7, 1 John 4 : 18, Philippians 4 : 6 - 8 and many others. My anxiety persisted but eventually loosened its hold. I can think of that incident now without my heart pounding and without crying.

As I look back on that horrible week, I thought of Elijah, mighty prophet of God, who ran for his life when Jezebel threatened to kill him because he had slain the prophets of Baal.

"But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die ; and said , It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers" (1 Kings 19: 4).  

 There were many great prophets in the Bible, but few could be compared to Elijah. His story reminds us how easily we can become discouraged when the enemy attacks us. This mighty man of God was fearful to the point of being suicidal. However, the Bible goes on to say that the Lord sent an angel twice to minister to Elijah. 

"And he arose, and did eat and drink , and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God" ( v 8).

I had to have the Holy Spirit minister to me to get me out of my state of anxiety and depression. Without Him I would be lost. Are you suffering from anxiety and/or depression?  These conditions should not be taken lightly. In some cases you may need to be seen by a healthcare professional, but in all cases you need the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Immerse yourself in His word, in His presence, in His healing power and watch that anxiety vanish. 

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Here are some books that contain prayers that will help you get through those anxious times when the words simply cannot come.

 Finding Peace For Your Heart A Woman's Guide To Emotional Health

The Power of a Praying® Woman Deluxe Edition

Living Beyond Your Feelings: Controlling Emotions So They Don't Control You


 

Do You Trust Him?

After months of house hunting, I finally closed on a condo a week ago. It was a very stressful time, but God was on my side, and even though many times I felt like giving up, I finally succeeded. If nothing else, this experience taught me two things:

1. Never give up.

Have you ever felt so discouraged, so overwhelmed that you wanted to give up? Does your illness seem unconquerable, your bills uncontrollable, your burdens unbearable? You feel like you cannot make it through another day, another sleepless night. David must have felt that way when he penned this Psalm. "Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.  For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off ? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy ?   (Psalm 43: 1 - 3)

A Very Depressing Week

This has been a sad week for me. First, on Monday a co-worker mentioned the Eddie Long scandal and showed me pictures on the internet that he allegedly sent to the young men he is said to have had relations with. As the week progressed, more allegations and even lawsuits surfaced, making it seem that the rumors may be true. And the more I heard, the sadder I became.

If the rumors are true, this will not be the first time the church has been buffeted like this, and I daresay, it will not be the last. So I tried to take it all in stride, until my friend, a Christian,  came to work looking very depressed and expressing feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Maybe I was tired, or maybe hearing my friend, who is always so upbeat, voice feelings of depression scared me and I found myself becoming tearful. But through my tears, I prayed for her and she later said she felt better.

So I tried to forget about Eddie Long and all the depressing thoughts. Then wham! On Friday, a Brinks driver was gunned down in front of the bank close to where my daughter works.

My blood ran cold.

A poor man going about his business suddenly had his life snuffed out.  His family ... how did they feel? Did he have young children? How would they go on without him? What if my daughter had been hurt? What if other people had been hurt? Would they find the criminals? The thoughts tumbled around in my mind like clothes in a clothes dryer. But eventually, I thought of what Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16: 33).

"While we look not at the things which are seen , but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4: 18).  We can take comfort in knowing that all these things that are happening around us - church scanals, depression, crime - will one day be no more. Therefore, we are to set our sights on "things above;  not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2). It may not always be easy, especially if your loved ones are involved, but by focusing on God, we can spare ourselves a lot of sadness and a lot of depression.

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Don't Give Up!

This week I want to comment on a book I read some time ago. It’s The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and it tells of the life of Esther Greenwood, a young student fashion writer, whose troubled life closely resembled Sylvia’s. In the book she says, "I’ve tried to picture my world and the people in it as seen through the distorting lens of a bell jar." The book itself ends on a hopeful note, but as some of you may know, Sylvia Plath committed suicide. Her mother said that Sylvia was overwhelmed by trying to keep up with her writing and with the demands of her domestic life.

The idea of someone at the pinnacle of her success ending her life seems unthinkable, but it happens all too often. In this economy when many people are losing their jobs, their homes and their life savings, it is easy to become depressed. Last week the news media broadcast a story of a man and his wife who lost their jobs. He killed himself and his five children. The wife attempted to take her own life but didn't succeed.

This is why I cannot overemphasize the importance of being anchored to God. It is He who gives us the strength to live from day to day. It is He who helps us to stay on the surface when the currents of life threaten to pull us under. Now, more than ever, we need to "lift up our eyes to the hills, from whence comes our help" Psalm 121:1. Please, don't give up. Don't lose hope. Give your life to Jesus today if you haven't done so already, and watch Him take over.