Every once in a while, and with increasing frequency, you hear of someone who is so overwhelmed by depression that they take their own lives. If you love life, you might find it difficult to understand why someone will choose to end theirs. Thankfully, there is now growing awareness about mental health as medical science offers a great deal of useful information on the subject. There is also biblical resource that the believer will find to be fundamental to winning the war for life.

Although you might not find a direct reference to depression in the bible, several biblical characters described and experienced conditions that closely resemble being in a depressed state. Elijah for instance once got so overwhelmed and tired of living that he asked God to take his life (1 Kings 19). Similarly, Paul the apostle had such a huge catalogue of personal woes that, if he were living in our times, brethren would have been taking him from one deliverance house to another.

Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul says…

“I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through in Asia. We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again. But you must help us too by praying for us. For much thanks and praise will go to God from you who see his wonderful answers to your prayers for our safety!” – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, Living Bible (my emphasis)

Many who are depressed describe having this same sense of being crushed, overwhelmed and walking into the black doom of death that Paul describes. Somehow though, we see that he is able to bear up under it, and we shall come to why later.

Medical science today considers depression largely as a mental health condition that is primarily driven by chemical conditions in the human brain. These chemical conditions, which can have their base in heredity, can also be triggered by a range of external conditions including trauma, and stress. So on some level, depression can be viewed primarily as a physiological condition although this view can significantly underrate human agency, and sometimes give the impression that people suffering depression can do almost nothing to help themselves apart from taking their medication and managing triggers.

What is often not included when discussing this view in popular conversations centred on this body of knowledge and approach to treating the condition is that, our thoughts influence our internal chemical conditions as much as our internal chemical conditions shape our thoughts. For instance, our thinking influences the chemical reactions and conditions that control our libido, release adrenalin and even impact menstrual cycles.

Knowing then that, our thinking – how we interpret reality and perceive the future – can influence the chemical conditions in our body and knowing also that the Holy Spirit using the word of God can change our thinking patterns, we ought to recognize the possibilities this presents for winning the war over depression.

Knowing then that, our thinking – how we interpret reality and perceive the future – can influence the chemical conditions in our body and knowing also that the Holy Spirit using the word of God can change our thinking patterns, we ought to recognize the possibilities this presents for winning the war over depression.

Solomon the sage appears to rank depression as a more debilitating, life-threatening condition than actual physical illness. “The human spirit can endure in sickness” he says, but “who?” he asks “can bear a crushed spirit” (Prov 18:14). More importantly, his counsel suggests that when a person has fallen into depression, it is important to get external help, as no one can by themselves bear a crushed spirit.

More importantly, his counsel suggests that when a person has fallen into depression, it is important to get external help, as no one can by themselves bear a crushed spirit.

This is where the believer should immediately see an advantage. Not only does the Lord invite all those who labour under heavy burdens to come and swap those burdens for rest, s/he also has a family of warriors who are commanded to “bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). It is on this family of warriors that Paul calls when he says, “I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through in Asia. We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again. But you must help us too by praying for us. For much thanks and praise will go to God from you who see his wonderful answers to your prayers for our safety!” (2 Corinthians 1:8-11, my emphasis).

Not only does the Lord invite all those who labour under heavy burdens to come and swap those burdens for rest, s/he also has a family of warriors who are commanded to “bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).

From Paul’s dealing with the difficult situation he found himself in, we note the following key points:

1. Paul doesn’t hide his situation: He says, I don’t want you to be unaware of what I am going through. Many believers act as though Christianity is stoicism, and we are not to let others know that we have difficulties.
2. He describes his own feeling of powerlessness: It is important that those who stand, take heed and not overestimate the reason for their standing, lest they fall. Paul reiterates (in 1 Corinthians 4:7) our complete dependence on God for being able to hold up under pressure when he says that all of the powers we have and exercise is of God and we are merely earthen (fragile) containers of that power.
3. He calls for prayers: While the weapons of our warfare are mighty for the pulling down of strongholds, and we are enabled to even take every thought captive, and bring them into alignment with Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), we sometimes need to call for back up. James says for instance that if any is sick, let him call for the elders of the church to pray for him.

Importantly, preventing depression rather than curing it is the wiser course of action. This war of prevention is fought predominantly in the mind, by renewing our mind (Romans 12), taking all thoughts captive and bringing them into alignment with Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and setting up a filter in our minds that lets through, and dwells only on, things that are helpful. This is done as you “Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about” (Philippians 4:8).

Importantly, preventing depression rather than curing it is the wiser course of action. This war of prevention is fought predominantly in the mind, by renewing our mind (Romans 12), taking all thoughts captive and bringing them into alignment with Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and setting up a filter in our minds that lets through, and dwells only on, things that are helpful.

Know assuredly then that as we do these, we align with God’s predetermined counsel that the believer be victorious always, “for in all these things, we are more than conquerors”.