Dealing With Depression

Dealing with Depression

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18

JOHN WAS A SUCCESSFUL businessman whose wife was suffering from depression. “She spends most mornings in bed, and in the afternoons she just sits around the house,” he told me. “She seems to have no ambition. She doesn’t have the energy to cook, and many nights she doesn’t eat with us. She has lost forty pounds over the last year. To be truthful, life is pretty miserable at our house. I feel sorry for the kids, although they get more attention than I do. But I know they must wonder what is wrong with their mother.”

John had just described some of the classic characteristics of depression. Unfortunately, depression is quite common and does not go away simply with the passing of time. John’s wife needed medical and psychological help, and without it, things would get even worse.

Many Christians don’t understand depression and think it is only a spiritual problem. While it may have a spiritual dimension, it is often rooted in physical and emotional imbalance. In the next few days, we’ll talk about the causes and cures of depression. If this is an issue for you or your loved one, remember Psalm 34:18. The Bible promises that the Lord has compassion for you and deals tenderly with you in your time of depression.

Father, you know how depression affects us as a couple. Thank you for your tenderness toward us even when we feel weak and vulnerable. Help me not to criticize my spouse but to be supportive and get the help we need.

Depression