The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
Living with depression can oftentimes feel lonely. As a counselor and someone who has experienced symptomatic signs including lack of purpose and hopelessness, and a feeling that there is no light but darkness that evades you. Many times addictions to alcohol and drugs and other escapisms are used to self-medicate from depression and anxiety, but these ways never bring about true peace. Many people in the Bible wrestled with depression. Elijah suffered from bouts of fear and depression the moment he heard Jezebel was seeking after his own life (1 Kings 19). Job was in great despair over all the losses he endured in his life (Job 19:1-29) David fell into deep despair when he was sought after by King Saul (Psalm 61).
What are some symptoms of depression?
Guilt, hopelessness, anger/irritability, fatigue, lowered immunity, lack of desire and motivation, isolation from others, sadness/crying, thoughts of hurting oneself/suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite, and feelings of worthlessness.
What are some causes of depression?
Situational/circumstances, physical/medical, spiritual, environmental, genetics, or a combination of these. Depression can be caused by sin in our lives. Sin left unchecked in our lives or sin that we continually entertain can cause depression. Depression can also follow a great spiritual victory we have had in our lives.
Treating depression:
God does heal instantly and miraculously, but sometimes He gives doctors the wisdom to help treat a patient. For a Christian, the first line of defense in defeating depression is prayer because there is hope through the power of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit dwells in every born-again believer, and gives us wisdom, counsel, comfort, and direction. It is important to first seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in how to treat and heal depression.
In some cases, people may need to be evaluated by a medical doctor to determine if the depression is a medical/chemical imbalance, and if medication is needed temporarily. You can also find a nutritionist who can direct you to natural herbal treatments for depression. A lot of the times depression and anxiety co-exist, so both may need to be treated. Always pray and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit before medical interventions. If the depression is solely spiritual, medication will not help, and that is why wisdom of the Holy Spirit is needed.
Talk to someone, your pastor, Godly friends or a Christian counselor. Write and journal your thoughts and feelings, writing is found be therapeutic for healing depression. Begin some type of exercise ; walking is one of the best remedies for depression and anxiety. Do things you enjoy every day. Watch your thinking and your thoughts, negativity will produce the soil for depression. Be careful of your companions and your environments. Get around other Christians who are positive and faith-filled. Be thankful and count your blessings everyday.
Don’t feel bad if you are a Christian and you need help with depression.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near the broken-heated and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
For more information on what depression is and how it can affect you please read “Depression (Part I).”
Stephanie, This is a very informative article with great suggestions to help get through depression. Writing in a journal is an excellent way to relieve a lot of feelings and collecting thoughts on paper. Confusion is a big part of depression and collecting thoughts on paper helps unscramble a lot of them; plus writing helps to put our problems in perspective. Sometimes it is hard to differentiate if it is a spiritual depression or a clinical depression. Praying helps a lot. I didn’t like having to take medication, but it is a necessity in my case. I praise God everyday for pointing me in the right direction and for putting the perfect doctors in my path. I love this article because it brings more awareness about depression. Back in the 1970’s when I was diagnosed, there was such a stigma about it because it was not talked about much and so misunderstood. Thank you for writing about depression.
Susan,
Thank you for your encouragement. I pray that it takes the shame and stigma off depression, in particularly with Christians. Having depression as a Christian can be tough. I belonged to a church that believed you just had to have enough faith, and you needed to read the Bible more. Well, when you can’t even get out of bed that does make it difficult. I believe as Christians we should pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer from depression, instead of making them feel more guilty. Sometimes, gathering some strong intercessory prayer warriors to pray over someone who is experiencing depression can be most helpful, not judging. In some cases, depression can be solely spiritual and help of strong intercessory prayer warriors who know about discernment and deliverance can be most helpful. Other times, if there is a true chemical imbalance, medication can help rebalance serotonin and/or dopamine levels in our brains. Basically, those are the ” feel-good” receptors in our brains and sometimes they are low and need to be adjusted with medication that can balance these neurotransmitters. In any case, Jesus desires for us to be healed of depression and He has the perfect plan for our healing.
In determining if depression is spiritual depression or clinical depression, a sure sign it is not medical is medications do not work, and a sure sign it is not spiritual depression is prayer, fasting, Bible reading does help like it should. Always pray and seek the Holy Spirit in asking what is the cause of the depression. For me, one time it was solely spiritual and prayer and fasting worked, another time after completing lab testing it was concluded I was low in some important brain levels and I needed supplementation to level out my hormones. Depression can be different at different times in your life, such as a women going through post-partum depression, menopause, or experiencing the death or loss of something significant in your life. Also, the enemy can oppress us and it can be a demonic spirit of oppression and depression. So depression can come differently to us in the stages and seasons of our lives.
Very good article. This will certainly help people to put their depression into perspective and help them to find a way out. Thank you for sharing. God bless. 🙂
Joel,
I thank you so very much. I pray that others truly are able to find hope and comfort that there is a way out of depression.
This is a wonderful article Stephanie, and really speaks to me in my current state of mind and my own battles with depression. The list of symptoms.. I feel as though I have almost every one of them.
You offer great advice on how to deal with it. I’ve spent very much time dwelling in negativity. Not doing constructive things to help me take my mind off of it. I should probably take some exercise. I do try to do things I enjoy, but I find lately I take very little joy in anything. Even the things I used to enjoy most. That is part of the problem, for me. My depression is so bad that it can be debilitating, and it’s very difficult to actually force myself to do these things. It’s often easier to just sit in wallow in the negativity and self-pity.
This article has given me a bit more hope and raised my spirits. Thank you for writing it.
James,
I am so glad that you were able to read the article and it gave some hope. I write from personal experiences that I have been through, and believe me I know how debilitating depression can be. My heart and prayers go out to you. Have you prayed about getting a medical evaluation? I am not a huge proponent of medication, but it could help rebalance chemicals in your brain if that is an issue.Just a thought, and you may not be up for that or don’t like the way they make you feel. If so, there are natural herbal remedies for helping with depression. I am not making any medical disclaimers, but once again something to think and pray about.
Don’t give up! God has a good plan for your life, even if you can’t see it now. He is using all of my hurt and pain , and he will use yours as well. If God brought me out of the “pit,” He can do it for you to. There is hope, and I promise Jesus will not keep you this way.
I would like to pray for you if the depression is spiritual:
Lord Jesus, I magnify your holy name and give you praise and honor. Father would you give James wisdom in treating his depression,would you show him which direction to go. I ask you to fill him with hope and restore to him joy. Jesus show James if the enemy is behind this depression. Cover him in the blood of Jesus Christ. We speak life not death over James, and that he shall live and proclaim the good news of Christ and shall fulfill every good plan of Christ for his life. Jesus would you place warrior, guardian angels around James and his home day and night. I pray your ministering angels would come and minister to him. Pour out your love Jesus on James. May every wicked spirt that is trying to defeat James be bound in his life in the power and authority of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus Christ name amen.
God loves you so much. He desires to heal you. Be open to what He will speak to you about your healing.