Four Ways to Conquer Depression
The famed British preacher D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said, “A mature, disciplined Christian has learned how to feel just as good when he feels bad as he does when he feels good.” That’s quite lofty, if not intriguing.
The truth is, the Bible does give some great examples of those who, without the help of anyone around, pulled their sagging spirits out of the depths and up toward God.
Didn’t the Apostle Paul learn this? He said, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10) He learned something, and so can we.
Here are four ways to conquer depression — each taken from the Bible.
1. Eat Right
Sometimes depression can be caused by a physical problem. Whacked out sugar levels, PMS hormones and lack of food in the stomach can affect a person’s disposition. We need to take care of those physical problems.
Proper eating/nutrition will clear our minds to be able to think straight. When we pray before we eat and ask God to use the food to strengthen our body, remember that he also uses it to strengthen our mind.
In the physical sense, read 1 Kings 19:1-8 and study how God used food to lift Elijah out of his emotional funk.
Also, notice Ps. 104:13-15 (especially the second half of verse 15) “And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.”
Catch the meanings of these words: “Bread” means food in general. “Strengtheneth” means just that. It also means to comfort and sustain. “Heart” is the inner man, the seat of passions and emotions.
But food is also necessary in the spiritual sense.
Speaking to the nation of Israel, Moses said, “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”(Deuteronomy 8:3)
That manna was a picture of living and being sustained by the word of God. Sure it was physical food, but it shows a spiritual picture.
Remember if the Israelites didn’t pick up the manna that morning, it was gone the next day. They had to collect it every day. That’s a picture for us. We can’t live on yesterday’s manna – or what we read yesterday.
In a spiritual sense, we aren’t going to be strong without spiritual food, the Word of God. We need to eat every day, and if we don’t, we become scrawny, wimpy things.
2. Control your imagination
Sometimes depression is caused by how we think. No one likes me, everyone hates me. They are talking about me. I’m worthless, stupid, boring, etc. We misuse our imagination.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
Imaginations are our natural reasoning or computation. (If this, then this. What will I do? I’ll do this. And then we work ourselves into anger or tears.)
Our imagination can be a stronghold on us. This may be the biggest cause of depression, especially in women—not corralling stray thoughts with their far-reaching tentacles.
Instead, meditate on the right thing. Here’s an assignment: Read Ps. 73 and notice how the Psalmist’s meditation changed.
Learn to talk reasonably to yourself rather than listen to yourself. David did it.
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalms 43:5)
Develop “counter cards.” Get some 3 ½ by 5-inch cards, and on the front of each, write a reoccurring bad thought that plagues you. For example, “No one cares about me.” Then, on the back, write as many verses as you can that go against that wrong thought. For example “Casting all your care upon Him for He careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Carry these cards with you, and when you detect that bad thought slipping into your mind, take out the corresponding card and read the verses on the back. Over time, you’ll automatically think of the verses and chase away the bad thoughts.
3. Praise the Lord
Another cause of depression is that we’re too obsessed with our own lives. Our mortal lives are so miniscule compared to God who sees everything, is everywhere, knows everything and is in control.
Praise the Lord along with the Psalmist, whether you feel like it or not. Here are some starter praises:
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” (Psalms 22:3)
“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.” (Psalms 150:1-3)
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalms 107:8)
Start a praise notebook and each day record one thing to praise the Lord for.
Start your prayers with praise. Find a worship song that really makes you focus on God. (“Turn your eyes upon Jesus” is an example.)
David did this. “I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.” (Psalms 104:33-34)
In fact, just read through the Psalms and praise the Lord along with the Psalmist.
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15)
We bring the sacrifice because He’s worthy. Break through your pain and emotional turmoil to give God the sacrifice. Shed your anxiety and your self-absorption and put your offering of praise at His feet.
4. Pray
Another cause of depression is that our heart is not where God is. It’s in its own little world. Pray and put your heart where God is.
Besides that, the Bible says “ye have not because he ask not.” (James 4:2b) If you’re missing mental or emotional balance, pray for it.
When you pray, you are talking to the God of the universe who hears your prayers and answers them. You can pray in faith believing that he will rescue you.
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14-15)
To make sure you’re praying according to His will, pray the Scriptures. Find some verses that express your heart and pray them to God believing He will answer.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” (Psalms 51:10-13)
In her depression, Hannah prayed. Read 1 Sam. 1: 8-19. She cried and didn’t eat. Her heart was grieved, (vs. 8). She was bitter in her soul (vs. 10). She had a sorrowful spirit (vs. 15). She prayed and wept before God (vs. 10). In her prayer she vowed to give the child the Lord would allow her to conceive to the Lord (vs. 11). That may be the reason God allowed her to get to the emotional state she was at. He wanted that child and had plans for him, and Hannah was going to have to get out of the way. He brought her to that. That teaches that in our bitter circumstances, there is a reason.
While she was yet praying, God provided relief for her. Eli, the priest, talked to her and blessed her (vs. 17). This event, the praying and blessing of the priest, helped her put her heart trust in the Lord and “So the woman went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad.” (vs. 18)
And the next day she worshipped God, went home and got pregnant. (vs. 19) Hannah is an example of 1 Pet 5:7, “casting all your care upon His for He careth for you.”
But remember, we have to be walking with God. He’s not a genie to come to our rescue when all else fails. Ps. 66:18 says “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
“Seek the LORD, and his strength (emotional strength too) : seek his face evermore.” (Ps. 105:4)
Stop whatever you’re doing, bow your head and say, “Lord, I have no emotional strength right now to carry on 5 more minutes. Please be my strength. Please comfort me and show me your lovingkindness because I’m trusting in you right now.”
CONCLUSION:
“A mature, disciplined Christian has learned how to feel just as good when he feels bad as he does when he feels good.”
The disciplines are 1. Proper nutrition (physically and spiritually). 2. controlling the imagination. 3. Praising the Lord (in everything give thanks for this is the will of God). 4. Praying for strength.
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ã Jody Shee, 2007. This study is copyrighted. You are permitted to reproduce it provided you do not do so for monetary gain.
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