What Does the Bible Say About Depression & Overcoming It?

Christians shouldn’t struggle or need help with depression.

Satan is attacking you. Rebuke him!

Pray harder.

Read more of the Bible.

Just give it to God.

These were the things I heard when I desperately needed help with depression. No real answers, just confirmation that I was truly as alone as I felt.

And while the friends and family members who offered this “encouragement” were certainly well-intentioned, they never got to the heart of the matter…what does the Bible say about depression?

The fact is that when you dig into what the Word of God actually says about the symptoms of depression and how to navigate such hard times, you won’t find any Bible verses downplaying or dismissing this mood disorder.

What Does the Bible Say About Depression?

The good news is that God is no stranger to depression. Our Heavenly Father has been supporting His children through the symptoms of depression, and helping them to recover, since Old Testament times.

We can and should embrace several Biblical truths during depressive episodes:

First of all, well-known believers, and even Christ Jesus Himself, have suffered with the emotions you’re facing.

King David talks about being on a “diet of tears” and “in the dumps” (Psalm 42, MSG). He’s the author of Psalm 23, where we find he is well-acquainted with “the valley of the shadow of death.”

The prophet Elijah, “wanting in the worst way to be done with it all – to just die”, asked his Heavenly Father to take his life (1 Kings 19). And of course, who could forget the story of Job?

But these hard times, and the intense feelings of sadness that accompanied them, weren’t just limited to the Old Testament!

The Apostle Paul shared he was “under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself” (2 Corinthians 1:8, NIV). Christ Jesus was despised and rejected by others, talked about behind His back, betrayed by His closest friends, and ultimately tortured and killed.

God has never, and will never, leave your side.

He has only forsaken one man, and that was our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 27:46). He is always with you, even when you can’t feel His presence.

God’s Word promises in Psalm 22:24, “He has never let you down, never looked the other way when you were being kicked around. He has never wandered off to do his own thing; he has been right there, listening.”

God himself promises in Isaiah 43:2, “When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end.”

Sometimes it’s easy to feel the Holy Spirit at work within you. Other times, and especially during difficult times, it may be harder to tap into that awareness.

But regardless of how you feel at any given moment, the fact is that the God of all comfort promises us that He is always present with us.

God does not condemn you in this dark place but offers love and sympathy.

Romans 8 promises both that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus, and that nothing can separate us from God’s love. While we beat ourselves up for not being able to “get it together,” God doesn’t offer condemnation or judgment, but sympathy, love, and help with depression (Psalm 103:3-16).

We can lean into the love of God during hard times and pray for the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding and circumstances (Philippians 4:7).

You must choose to allow God’s truths to determine your reality.

You have to make a conscious decision to believe God’s word over your experiences or emotions.

In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah shared in detail the dark times he was facing. But in verses 21-24, he turned his eyes to God’s truths: “But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope. The loyal love of God couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).”

God’s word was true in the good times, and it’s still true in the bad. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by intense feelings of sadness or straight-up clinical depression, aim to meditate on the Word of God until its truths take root in your heart.

God has provided us with community, so we can help one another.

Galatians 6:2 instructs Christians to “stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law.”

Romans 12:15 agrees, “Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down.”

Clinical depression, and really, any mental disorder, can deepen when we suffer through it alone. Reach out to a believing friend or family member, a small group leader at your church, a pastor, or a professional counselor.

Because people are generally uncomfortable with pain, some friends may try to gloss over your pain or take it away, in an attempt to help you. It’s okay to ask them to simply sit with you through this season, rather than attempt to fix things.

Don’t always focus inward but turn your attention to meeting the needs of others.

In Isaiah 58, God’s followers were facing dark and difficult times.

He responded to their pain in verses 7-8: “What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once.”

The New International Version words it, “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.” By focusing on and serving others, we can help to spur on our own healing and invite the peace of God to take hold of feelings of depression.

We may not always understand why we’re facing depression.

We don’t know everything. We can’t see around corners or behind closed doors like God can.

God Word doesn’t promise that hard times will never visit us, but Romans 8:27-28 assures us, “He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good”.

The Word of God does offer a comforting promise to work these heavy loads we bear into something good. Because I faced divorce, I have been able to help and encourage thousands of others facing divorce. Because I have suffered with and survived major depressive disorder, I can write this series on depression, to be a resource for others.

Every tear has become a seed that has grown into something beautiful. Every single tear, redeemed.

And finally, you will not suffer from depression forever.

God’s Word is full of stories of God bringing dead things back to life and restoring broken things to their former glory. You may not recover from deep depression today or tomorrow, but you will recover.

Fires eventually burn out, and storms don’t last forever. In the meantime, God will give you the strength that you need to persevere (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Set your focus on the brighter future to come, and just keep moving.

Many of these truths were inspired by a HeartSupport devotional on the Bible app, Depression: A Devotional for the Wounded Soul. I highly recommend checking it out for a deeper dive!

Christians are not exempt from clinical depression or even situational depression, and seeking help with depression is not a reflection of our faith.

Jesus himself suffered with the same emotions. But God will never leave your side, and offers you love and sympathy.

As Christians, God has called us to believe His truths over our own emotions, utilize the community of believers for support, and resist focusing only on ourselves. We may not understand the why, but we must trust and believe that our depression won’t last forever.

God is here to provide help with depression. He has already seen your recovery, so hold onto His promises.

Hold onto hope. You’re on your way to victory.

*DebPreston.com cannot act as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, or therapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice nor delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on DebPreston.com.

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