People think depression is just
a modern problem but it's not,
there's even examples in the
bible of depression. You can
think of David the Psalmist,
Psalm 32 or Psalm 51. Or Heman
in Psalm 88, the darkest Psalm
in the whole book of Psalms.
Job, there's definitely evidence
in these chapters in his book of
depression. Jeremiah even wrote
a book called lamentations.
But maybe the most obvious
figure that suffered with
depression is Elijah in First
King 17 or 18, somewhere around
there. The interesting thing is
his depression came after
tremendous spiritual
accomplishment. He'd just been
at Mount Carmel with the
prophets of Baal and he'd had
this great triumph and he'd
shown God in all his glory. Then
he runs and he ends up totally
alone, totally depressed, he's
exhausted, he's scared, he's
self-critical, he's despairing,
and he is pessimistic about the
future. He kind of thinks, 'I'm
the only believer left in this
world so just let me die. What's
really interesting is God's
response to that, what's the
first thing God does? He gives
him food, he gives hi, drink,
and he sends him to sleep and
then he does the same again.
Only after he's physically
revived, Elijah, does he begin
to speak with a still small
voice into his life, not a loud
condemning voice, a small still
quiet voice.
I think what it tells us is
number one, the greatest saints
can get depression even after
the greatest spiritual highs and
God cares and he's holistic and
compassionate in his approach to
depression. So the Bible's got a
lot to teach us about how to
respond to it as well.