“I just can’t seem to get it together,” Karen lamented to her best friend, Lori.  “I have a great husband, love my kids, and go to church every week, yet I still feel miserable!” – What am I doing wrong?” 

George was having a similar feeling.  He had lost his job after working 17 years for the company – they were “down-sizing” they called it, and he was expendable.  George was in shock and felt hopeless, wondering if life was worth living anymore.

Both of these persons were suffering from what is called “depression.”  Different people, different situations, yet the same feelings caused pain in their souls.  Depression is often called the “common cold” of mental illness. "Depressive Disorders are common and affect an estimated 21 million Americans in any given year (according to the National Institute of Mental Health's website - www.nimh.nih.gov).  Depression is also the leading cause of disability among men and women of all ages in the U.S. and worldwide (according to the World Health Organization's World Health Report, 2001)."

Yet, depression is not simply a modern day ailment that affects only the Godless masses; it has invaded the hearts and minds of God’s people too since the beginning of time.  From Cain’s envious attack on his brother (Genesis 4:5-8) to Elijah’s plea for God to take his life (1Kings 19:4), the Old and New Testaments tell of people who struggled with depressive thoughts and feelings.  Some managed their symptoms and found renewed strength through faith in God, while others gave in to defeat and despair (e.g. Saul, Judas) – leading to death.

 During the span of my career as a professional counselor, many a wounded soul has come through my door seeking relief from the pain of depression.  I’ve seen first-hand that depression is no respecter of persons; it happens to both the just and unjust, and my part in it has hopefully been to aid in the healing process.  I believe that providing soul care to the depressed is also the responsibility of every Christian as a part of the greater Body of Christ – to encourage people and point them toward the hope that we have in Christ.  No organization or people have the potential to be better equipped to help those who are hurting and have lost hope than Christ’s own Church.  But, we need to be informed about mental illness and get our facts straight first. We should never cause further pain to those who have already suffered enough – via promoting misconceptions regarding recovery from depression. 

It is beyond the scope of this article to fully describe the various forms of depression and their respective treatments, yet I would still like to address some of the popular misconceptions about depression that frequently hinder the corporate Church’s role in helping people recover from depression.  Many false assumptions regarding depression are strikingly familiar and abound in the Church, let’s dispel some of those myths.

MYTH #1:  “It’s all the same…

“He’s been gone for 2 years; she should be over it by now…Mary certainly didn’t struggle like this.”  “This is Jeff’s 3^rd time in the hospital, those doctors don’t know anything...he should just pull himself together and throw those pills away!” “If George would just pray more and get rid of sin in his life, God would heal him of his depression.”  Heard people say these before?  I have.  One of the most common misconceptions about depression is that one size fits all or “all depression is the same.”

A correct understanding of depression must begin with addressing the inaccuracy of that statement.  All depression is not the same and everyone’s experience is different.  What upsets one person may not impact another at all.  What if your favorite TV program was cancelled, you lost your job, or your son was dying from leukemia, etc.?… Any or all of these could lead to depressive symptoms.

The fact of the matter is that everyone gets discouraged and feels depressed at times, but not everyone becomes clinically depressed.  There are many forms of depression with varying degrees of duration, intensity, and severity.  Some depressive symptoms arise due to real or perceived losses in our life (frequently know as “reactive depression”), whereas other more serious types of depression may even present or reoccur for no apparent reason (“endogenous or internal depression”).   The more serious types of clinical depression are those that frequently require professional help in order to recover. 

Even though one may acquire the skills to competently differentiate between normal grieving processes and clinical depression, it is often our own thoughts and opinions regarding the “causes” of depression that frequently become an even more critical issue within the Church.

MYTH #2:  All forms of depression are “bad” and are usually caused by sin.

Kent was expecting his wife to pick him up after work on May 21^st at 5:00 pm, but she never showed up.  Instead he received a call informing him of her fatal car accident.  Fast forward now to June 23^rd, Holly’s birthday, where Kent struggled again with anger and grief over his departed wife.  Kent was going through the normal grieving process of loss for his wife. Through the support of his family and church, he recovered without becoming clinically depressed, yet he still misses her and struggles with forgiveness for the offender. 

Kent’s experience with depression wasn’t “bad”…it was a natural and healthy grief response where he was allowed to mourn the loss of his wife.  We need to allow people the time to mourn their losses; otherwise unresolved grief can turn into clinical depression.  Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,” (Matt. 5:4) and He wept openly with the family as they grieved over the death of Lazarus (John 11:33-35).  Kent didn’t need to hide his feelings either, or stay strong for others…he worked through it and now helps others deal with their losses. 

Sue wasn’t quite as fortunate in her experience.  “If you are still depressed, then it must be happening because you haven’t repented of some sin in your life” was the response that Sue received from the local Christian ministry hotline.  Sue got the message loud and clear, “True Christians don’t get depressed.”  Not much help for a young adult woman who was struggling with depression resulting from an abusive family history.  Most of us wouldn’t dare to make the claim that people’s diabetes or cancer was the result of sin in their life, yet people who do not understand mental illness often find it much easier to blame people for their depression rather than truly understand or try to help them.  Neither Kent nor Sue committed any sin to bring on their depression, but they struggled to manage their symptoms anyway. 

Certainly, all depression is not due to sin, but let the Church not be deceived.  Some of us may in fact suffer genuine depressive episodes due at least in part to sinful lifestyle choices, or as a temporal consequence of active defiance against God’s Will for our lives. God will not always rescue us from our pain, but He remains faithful in his sustaining presence to help us through the trial and refine us (1 Peter 1:6-7).  The Adversary often takes advantage of these opportunities to tempt us to question our faith in God, or make us feel unworthy of God’s love.  Spiritual discernment is always critical when assessing depression, but not every case is due to unrepentant sin or the result of a spiritual attack from Satan.  Thus another myth must be addressed.

MYTH #3:  Depression results from having a lack faith in God and/or a failure to trust in Him.

Clinical Depression comes in many forms and often results from a complex mixture of genetic, biochemical, and situational factors that place a person at risk of developing depression when faced with significant life stressors.  You may have a genetic family history of depression, currently struggle with specific physical or medical illnesses, chemical imbalances, or have experienced personal tragedies that radically disrupt your life.  All of these may be relevant to your spiritual life, yet still not provoke a questioning of your faith in Christ unless you truly are not seeking God’s Will, nor are you earnestly praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your life. 

We often become “spiritually depressed” when we trust in the world and ourselves, rather than place our faith and hope in Christ.  We also become too attached to the things of this world including our loved ones, and lose sight of God’s eternal plan.  Yet, it is not helpful when people in the Church tell others that their depression is a “punishment from God due to your lack of faith,” or their current emotional difficulties will go away if they simply have more faith.  I have yet to find consistent Biblical evidence to support the claim that God uses mental illness to punish us; it is Satan who seeks to destroy our hearts and minds, not God.  We all may go through spiritual droughts in our life that can cause us to feel depressed for a time, yet these kinds of experiences often do not result in a severe clinical depression or arise solely from a “lack of faith.”  Many prophets of the Bible clearly struggled with managing depressive episodes, yet they remained committed in their faith and trust in God. 

A final myth that we must address also focuses on our faith in God, but you may be surprised to learn that this potentially dangerous obstacle to recovery from depression often arises from within the Church body.

MYTH 4:  “Only God alone can heal your depression, trust in anything else and you will fail.

 “Forget about those counselors, stop taking those pills, and just pray more and seek God’s Will!”  Good advice for Joe to pray more and seek God’s Will…. not so good to tell him to stop taking his medication.  Joe followed his preacher’s advice over the doctor and summarily committed suicide two months later. 

A true spiritual battle is often present as people struggle with deciding whom to trust or whose advice they should follow.  Will I lose heart and give in to the voices of self-doubt...should I listen to the doctor and keep taking those pills….or should I forget everything else and simply trust God to heal me?  The Church needs to support and encourage people with the “Truth” and power to heal found in God’s Word, yet not go so far as to engage in a conflicting “God versus modern medicine” approach that could be potentially lethal to some.  Remember, depression is not always the result of sin or a lack of faith in God.  Misinformed people with good intentions can give bad advice.  A combination of medication and therapy can often be very successful in helping people manage symptoms of clinical depression.  The Church body also must do their part to encourage people to remain committed to Christ and maintain their trust in Him as the true “healer” of body and soul, knowing that some may continue to struggle with depressive episodes throughout their lifetime despite their faith in Christ. 

God is still in the healing business today, but the spirit is not the only part of the person that requires ministering…it may be the body, mind, or emotions as well.  Recovery and healing can come in many ways…. through a pastor, doctor, friend, or counselor, by giving up negative lifestyle choices, or even working through a loss or trial that God allows to happen for your own edification.  We do need to place our life and trust in the hands of God; yet also know that He will make a way for us, by whatever means suits his divine purpose.

Therefore, a healthy and vibrant 21^st Century Church must be informed about issues that may affect the Church Body and not be hesitant to prayerfully seek competent professional help when needed.  The Word tells me that, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and it instructs me to “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ,” (Galatians 6:2).  Thus, the Church body has a spiritual responsibility to be prudent and provide timely soul care and comfort to those who are hurting.  Lord willing, let’s seek to help the wounded souls among us, and point them toward the eternal hope found in Christ.

Sidebar:  Comforting the Depressed Soul:  Guidelines for a Caring Church

Like Paul sending Timothy “to establish and encourage others concerning their faith,” we too know that, “We were appointed to do this unto our brothers and sisters so that they may not be shaken by their afflictions (1 Thess. 3:1-3).”  Comforting the depressed soul among us requires patience, wisdom, and a careful application of the Truth’s found in God’s Word.  Below you will find some helpful tips to guide you on your way to helping others.

Listen…you often don’t have to say anything; be present and allow them to share their hurts while avoiding the urge to fill in the silences with clichés (e.g., “I know how you feel.”) often meant to ease your own discomfort with situation.  People want to be heard first, not simply have others feel sorry for them or tell them what to do.

Learn…as much as you can about the nature and course of depression and the unique experience that your brother or sister is struggling through.  Don’t avoid them…you can’t “catch” depression.  Don’t over-simplify the situation and make it solely a “spiritual issue.”  Healing often needs to take place in the body, mind, and soul.  Dispel the myths regarding depression and learn how to provide Godly soul care to those who are hurting. 

Love…acknowledge the person’s hurt and allow them to lean on you for support when their own personal strength may fail them.  Be patient and allow the person to mourn in their own way; avoid setting arbitrary time frames to “get over it” that can often prolong and complicate grief for others.  Seek God’s timing in all things and minister unto them like the angels did to Elijah in his time of need (1 Kings 19:5-8).

Lead…if you first – Listen, Learn, and allow the person to Lean on you…then you may gain their trust and be able to lead them to believe in the sustaining Truths found in God’s Word. Yet, just how to lead others in God’s Truth can often be difficult if you are not well prepared for the task.  Here are some suggestions to further guide you in leading others:

·         Prayerfully seek God’s wisdom and timing when using Scriptures.  The Word of God is powerful and has the potential to be errantly applied if not spoken with a measure of Grace.  People who are depressed may not be fully prepared to receive the direct counsel of Romans 8:28 (“All things work together for good…”) or be ready to accept the consequences of Galatians 6:7-9 (“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap…”).  Instead, they may first require the reassurances found in God’s Word to remind them of His ever-present help in time of trouble (e.g. meditating on the Psalms).  Thus, we should employ Scriptures that reflect God’s concern for our welfare first, prior to speaking words that may convict or exhort the need for change.

·         Avoid enabling unhealthy choices.  The world today preaches immediate gratification and a sense of entitlement, further diminishing our ability to handle disappointments in life. If sinful attitudes or practices contribute to a person’s experience of depression, then we must avoid enabling any thoughts or behaviors that may “feed into” their depression or help them remain “stuck” in a downward spiral.  We as a Church body must lead them toward making Godly changes in their life, and not just seek immediate relief to feel better until the next problem develops.

·         Build Faith in God’s Word.  We must encourage those who are depressed to focus their spirit and mind on the steadfastness of God’s Word in order to avoid becoming a slave to unreliable feelings or emotions. The key battleground with depression is in the self-talk and mind of the believer – do not allow Satan to develop a stronghold of self-doubt, but rather remain firm and believe the Truth revealed in God’s Word, even when you don’t feel it or it doesn’t seem to make any sense to you at the time.  We often say things to ourselves to “feed” the depression; fight back with the Truth of God’s Word.  Use notecards to remind yourself of Scriptures that reveal your value to God (Ps. 139:14) and His promise to “never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).  This will build Faith and enable others to climb out of depression and into the light of God’s eternal plan of peace and redemption for all who seek Him.

©2008 by David Listul, M.Ed., LPC, LPCC.

(For personal use only.  All other uses require written permission from the author.)