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 Various Scriptures

INTRODUCTION: Our message series is called, “Lord, I Have a Problem,” and we have been looking at a number of problems that we face in our lives. So far, we’ve looked at anger, envy and worry. Today we come to our fourth problem which is depression. Depression is a common problem, one that we all struggle with from time to time. The good news is God wants to help you with your problems, and he can help you with the problem of depression. In fact, Jesus touched on this very topic in his very first sermon, when he read from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue. (Read Isaiah 61:1-3 and pray.)

I. The problem of depression (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Today we are talking about the problem of depression. Depression is a major problem in society. Dr. Donald Graber gives the following overview:

“Depression is a serious condition that can be incapacitating, devastating, and even deadly for those who suffer from it. … In the U.S., nearly eight percent of adults and teens report current feelings of depression, and about 16 percent of people will experience depression in their lifetime. Because depression is so widespread, it has been referred to by some as ‘the common cold of mental illness.’ Depression’s costs to society are enormous. It’s estimated that depression is the primary diagnosis for nearly 8 million visits to health care providers, including physician offices and emergency rooms. For those cases of depression that result in a hospital admission, the average stay is longer than 6 days. The economic cost of depression is figured to be around $83 billion per year, including lost workplace productivity and treatment costs. While the societal costs of depression are significant … the toll it can take on the individual … can be enormous.” (Depression: A Brief Overview, by Donald Graber, M.D.; August 2014)

I think we all can agree that depression is a big problem, not just for us individually but for society as well. Depression distorts your perspective and keeps you from seeing God’s truth clearly, and so it is vital that we learn how to deal with this devastating problem.

Depression affects people of all ages, all ethnicities and all levels of society. Many godly people in the Bible suffered times of depression—including Moses, Job, David, Elijah, Jeremiah and Paul. Many godly men and women throughout church history have also struggled with depression. Two famous examples are Martin Luther and Charles Spurgeon. So, if you have ever struggled with depression, please know that you are not alone. We are broken people living in a broken world, and depression is one aspect of that brokenness.

That’s why you need to remember that Jesus came to help you with your problems, including the problem of depression. Jesus said that he came to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort all who mourn, to bestow on you a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair (Isa. 61:1-3).

II. Understanding depression

   A. Depression vs. godly sorrow (Psalm 119:136; Ecclesiastes 7:2-4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-10)

Before we look at how God helps you deal with depression, we must first take some time to better understand the problem. Just like the other problems we’ve looked at in this series, depression has a positive counterpart. We’ve seen that the Bible speaks about righteous anger, godly jealousy and godly concern. The Bible also talks about godly sorrow. In other words, it is not necessarily sinful to be sad. We live in a fallen world that is broken by sin, and there are times when it is right and appropriate to be sad.

The book of Ecclesiastes says: “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure” (Eccl. 7:2-4). There is godly wisdom in a sadness that mourns the broken state of the world in which we live.

We see this in the Psalms. In Psalm 119 the psalmist says: “Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed” (Ps. 119:136). We see it in the New Testament. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes: “Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it … because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Cor. 7:8-10).

Godly sorrow is sorrow over sin and the results of sin. It is right and appropriate to mourn the sin in the world, the sin in other people and especially the sin in me. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

   B. What is depression?

So, what then is depression? It has been described variously as sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, darkness, heaviness or weight. There is obviously a range of emotions we can experience with depression—from feeling down, to having a blue day, to what we would call severe or even clinical depression.

The main difference between normal and clinical depression is the duration and severity of the depression and whether it interferes with normal functioning. Some of the symptoms of clinical depression include the following:

• a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
• diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities
• significant weight loss when not dieting, or weight gain, or significant decrease or increase in appetite
• changes in sleep habits, whether insomnia or sleeping too much
• restlessness, fidgeting
• sluggishness, lack of energy or fatigue
• feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
• difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

If you exhibit five or more these symptoms for a period of two weeks or longer, you may be dealing with a severe or clinical depression and you need help.

   C. What causes depression?

So, what causes depression? Although depression is usually a response to disappointment, pain or loss, there may be physical, emotional or spiritual causes to depression as well.

      1) Physical causes

Physical causes can include low blood sugar, low iron, chemical imbalances, hormonal imbalances or even lack of sleep. Some people may have a genetic disposition towards depression. Dr. Archibald Hart advises: “The more serious the depression is in the absence of a recent significant loss, the more likely it is that the cause is biological.”

Research shows that twice as many women as men suffer from depression, and a lot of that has to do with the physical causes. Women experience more physical changes in their bodies than men do—from monthly cycles to post-partum changes to menopause.

People often ask, “Is it okay to use medication to treat depression?” And the answer is, “It depends.” If there is truly a physical imbalance, then medication may be helpful to address the imbalance. But you need to be careful with medication. Some people use medication simply to mask the emotional pain so that they don’t have to deal with it. I have a song on a CD at home called, “Is It Peace or Is It Prozac?” Sometimes it’s hard to tell! Also, there are times when medication can actually be the cause of a person’s depression. So, you need to be careful with medication. Medication can be a help, but it can also be a mask or even a culprit.

      2) Emotional causes

There can also be emotional causes to depression. Traumatic events, serious loss, emotional overload, stacked stressors or unresolved anger can all lead to depression. Jonah in the Bible is an example of depression due to anger. Jonah was so depressed he told God: “O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the Lord replied, “Have you any right to be angry?” (Jonah 4:3-4).

      3) Spiritual causes

So, there can be physical causes to depression, there can be emotional causes to depression, and yes, there can also be spiritual causes to depression. Sin, guilt, bitterness, unforgiveness, a lack of thankfulness or even spiritual attack can all lead to depression.

The tricky thing about depression is that even though the cause may be physical, emotional or spiritual, the result can affect you in all three areas. So even if the cause is physical, depression can affect you emotionally and spiritually as well. Or the cause may be emotional, but it can also affect you physically and spiritually. Or the cause may be spiritual, but it can also affect you physically and emotionally.

Whatever the causes, if you are experiencing depression, you need help. So, let’s talk next about dealing with depression and what the Bible tells us about dealing with depression.

III. Dealing with depression

   A. Ministering to others with depression

First let’s talk about ministering to others with depression. How do you help a friend or family member who may be going through a time of depression? Let me share with you three essential things.

      1) Be present (Job 2:11-13; Isaiah 53:3)

First of all, be present. You don’t even need to say much, just your physical presence is so important. Job’s three friends may have got a lot wrong with their counsel to Job, but their first instincts were correct: “When Job’s three friends … heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.… They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:11-13).

Jesus is our example here. Jesus left the comforts of heaven to be present with us in our sorrows. The prophet Isaiah called him “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” (Isa. 53:3). Jesus shows us the importance of being present. Be present for your friends who are going through depression. Be present and listen. Let them share their heartache with you.

      2) Show compassion (Psalm 103:13-14; Romans 12:15)

Secondly, show compassion. God the Father is our example here. Psalm 103 tells us: “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, he remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103:13-14). God knows how weak and fragile we can be, how frail we are, and he has compassion on us.

When a person is dealing with depression, it is not the time for either hurtful criticism or insensitive pep talks. God instructs us in Romans 12: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Rom. 12:15). Show compassion.

      3) Offer hope (Matthew 5:4; Romans 12:12)

And then thirdly, offer hope. Remember, the person dealing with depression has a distorted perspective. They are deep in the pit, and they can’t see the light from where they are. You need to remind them that the light is still there. You need to offer them the hope that they can no longer see on their own. You need to pray with them and lift them up to the Lord. You need to look them in the eye, hold their hand and tell them with deep sincerity and compassion that it will get better.

Because it will! Jesus said: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). Romans 12:12 says: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

How do you help someone else who is dealing with depression? 1) Be present. 2) Show compassion. 3) Offer hope.

   B. When you are depressed

That’s how you help someone else who is depressed. But what about when you are the one who is suffering from depression? What do you do then? Here are six guidelines from the Bible that will help you when you are depressed.

      1) Put your hope in God (Psalm 42:5-6; Isaiah 50:10)

First of all, put your hope in God. We read in Psalm 42: “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. 42:5–6). When you’re depressed, it’s like walking in darkness, and Isaiah says: “Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God” (Isa. 50:10). When you have lost hope in everything else, you can still put your hope in God.

      2) Trust God’s purposes (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Number two, trust God’s purposes. We read in 2 Corinthians: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Cor. 1:3–4). Nothing is ever wasted with God. When you put your hope in God and receive God’s comfort through Jesus, God will use you to minister to others in trouble.

God is still at work even in your darkest times. You will often find your deepest place of ministry comes out of the deepest place of pain in your life. That’s why Paul can write in 1 Thessalonians: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). You need to trust God’s purposes.

      3) Seek Christian fellowship (Hebrews 10:25)

Number three, seek Christian fellowship. This is important because when you’re depressed, you don’t want to see anybody. When you are depressed, you tend to isolate yourself from other people, but that is when you need the encouragement of other Christians more than ever.

I want to give you permission today. I give you permission to come to church when you are feeling lousy. I give you permission to come to church when you are feeling sad, down, defeated and depressed. I give you permission to come to church when you come in feeling so low, because that’s when you need to be here the most.

Ken Medema writes about the church: “If this is not a place where tears are understood, then where shall I go to cry?” (“If This Is Not a Place”). It’s okay to come to church when you are feeling depressed. You need to come to church when you are feeling depressed.

Hebrews 10:25 says: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.” That’s the third thing you can do when you are struggling with depression. Seek Christian fellowship.

      4) Continue to do good (1 Peter 4:19)

Number four, continue to do good. 1 Peter 4:19 says: “Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

When you are depressed, sometimes it seems hard to do anything. But if you are ever going to get out of the pit of depression, you need to keep moving forward. Elisabeth Elliot writes, “Do the next thing.… Maybe you have to get out of bed, get up from your chair, go outdoors and walk, sing a song out loud, bake a pie for somebody, or mow the lawn as an offering of praise” (Be Still My Soul, pp. 42-44).

Keep doing whatever is good and positive in your life. Make sure you address the physical issues—such as proper sleep, diet and exercise. If you live in a dark house, open the blinds first thing in the morning and turn on the lights. It’s biblical! Ecclesiastes 11:7 says: “Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.”

Continue to do good. That means keep up the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, praise and fellowship. It also means service. Serve others wherever you can. Those who suffer should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

      5) Realize the grief is temporary (Psalm 30:5; Rev 21:4)

Number five, realize the grief is temporary. Psalm 30:5 says: “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Some losses we carry for life, but the intense grieving you are feeling now is temporary.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss writes in her book Lies Women Believe: “Your night of weeping may go on for months or even years. But if you are a child of God, it will not go on forever. God has determined the exact duration of your suffering, and it will not last one moment longer than He knows is necessary to achieve His holy, eternal purposes in and through your life” (Lies Women Believe, p. 225).

The sun always rises, and the day is coming when God “will wipe every tear from your eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev. 21:4). That’s the fifth thing you can do. Realize the grief is temporary.

      6) Grow in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

And then finally, as with all of the problems we have looked at, grow in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. When you put your faith in Jesus, Jesus puts his Holy Spirit in you to change you from the inside out. Those changes are what we call the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As we’ve seen in today’s study, the fruit of joy and goodness will especially help you when it comes to depression.

CONCLUSION: If you struggle with depression, please know this morning that there is hope. God loves you. He sent Jesus to die for your sins, he sent Jesus and to help you with your problems. Yes, Jesus is the Almighty, infinite, eternal Son of God, but he is also the man of sorrows who is familiar with suffering. Jesus knows what you’re going through, and he is available to help you. Will you put your faith and hope in him?

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Some helpful resources for dealing with depression:

Free PDF (available online):
Depression, by Donald Graber, M.D. https://www.focusonthefamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PDF-Overview_Depression_Church-Resources.pdf

Books:
A Grief Observed, by C.S. Lewis

Depression: The Sun Always Rises, by Margaret Ashmore

How to Handle Your Emotions, by June Hunt

Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free, by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Respectable Sins, by Jerry Bridges

Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness, by Edward T. Welch

Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure, by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

When the Darkness Will Not Lift: Doing What We Can While We Wait for God and Joy, by John Piper

Will Medicine Stop the Pain?: Finding God’s Healing for Depression, Anxiety & Other Troubling Emotions, by Elyse Fitzpatrick & Laura Hendrickson, M.D.

© Ray Fowler

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