Search the topic, ‘depression painting images’. It might surprise you at the number of pictures. Some of you will look and say, “that makes no sense; just pictures of sad people, so what?” For others, like myself, think, “Wow!! that artist understands depression.” Before the COVID virus, statistics showed that 18 million adults in the USA (10%) suffer from this illness. Currently, the numbers have jumped to 27.8% because of the pandemic. Depression is not confined to one nation but globally, 300 million people struggle. Depression has been a lifelong battle for me, but most who know me are unaware of my struggle. I call it the silent battle because we learn to hide it and endure alone. My parents and their generation thought the words depression and crazy were synonyms. Being raised around this mindset caused me years of concealed misery before I sought help. People are afraid of being rejected if others know. However, the people you fear who might reject you may also be hiding their suffering.
Depression isn’t a 21st-century problem but is as old as human history. We find examples throughout the Bible and also in other ancient non-biblical texts. As early fifth and fourth-century BC, Plato and Aristotle wrote about the symptoms of depression, then known as Melancholia. Scripture never uses the term depression as we define it today but employs various words and descriptions of the experiences of godly men and women who became overwhelmed with despair and hopelessness, even to the point of wanting to die.
Elijah is a prime example. After his victory over the prophets of Baal, Jezebel threatened to kill him. He became afraid and ran into the wilderness. Physically and emotionally exhausted, he went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life” (1 Kg 19:4 NET). The encouragement for us comes from God’s reaction. Instead of rejecting Elijah as a failure, the Lord sent an angel who baked a bread cake on hot stones and left a jar of water. Elijah ate and drank and lay down again. After a time of sleep, the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you” (v7).
Note several lessons from these verses and the events that follow. Be aware that depression can happen after great victors—from very high emotions to the deepest low. Try to remain emotionally balanced. These verses show that fear, physical and emotional exhaustion can be factors. Like most depressed people, Elijah wanted to be alone and ran into the wilderness away from people, even leaving his servant behind. Later, hiding in a cave, the Lord asked why he was there; Elijah thought he was alone in the world: I am the only one left (v10). When we begin falling into depression, we typically want to be left alone, but then we arrive in our narrow dark pit; we become overwhelmed with hopelessness and isolated from anyone to help. We think everyone has rejected us; we feel defeated and worthless. The devil causes us to feel guilt, and we believe that we have sinned.
The 40-day journey to Horeb, the mountain of God, didn’t help Elijah overcome his despair. Still depressed, when he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep (v9 MSG). But this time, the Lord woke him with a message. After Elijah’s sob story, God directed him to go outside the cave. Here the Lord showed him a lesson all those who suffer from depression need to know. God caused a mighty wind, then an earthquake, and last a fire to pass by, but the Lord was not in them. Lesson: God doesn’t always work in the spectacular. But then a still small voice. In other versions, the interpreters translate this phrase, soft whisper, gentle blowing, a sound of sheer silence, or absolute stillness. We don’t know what he heard, but he knew it was God. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle (v13). The Lord assured Elijah he wasn’t alone. I have reserved seven thousand in Israel (v18). God still had ministry he wanted Elijah to complete and directs him to go and anoint several leaders.
God has taught me two important lessons about my depression. We are never alone. If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there (Ps 139:8). A deep depression had overwhelmed me. I felt alone, feeling even God had abandoned me. The Holy Spirit gently spoke into my heart, “I’m right here with you in this dark pit.” The second lesson came recently. When depressed, we look at our problems and fears through a microscope, making them appear larger and much more extensive than they are. The devil will always supply a microscope.
When depression takes us beyond the loss of hope to the loss of the possibility of hope, Jesus is still holding tight because He promised never to forsake us and that nothing can separate us from His love.
Sustaining Word for the Week: When I walk through the darkest valley of depression, you are close beside me, restoring my strength (Application of Psalms 23).