Written by host, Tyler Rutherford
Depression is one of the biggest mental health challenges in the United States. But it’s also one of the most difficult subjects to talk about—especially for Christians.
Depression comes in many forms. It can be situational. Genetic. Substance-induced. Chemical. Regardless of the cause or specific type of depression, it can have detrimental consequences when ignored or left untreated. Just like our physical bodies, our minds can become ill. But this begs the question: Can a Christian be depressed?
To answer this question, I’m going to talk about my own story, reactions I’ve heard about depression in the Church, and encouragement and hope I’ve found through God’s Word.
A Christian’s Battle with Depression
I was never the ‘sad’ guy in my friend groups. In fact, people always described me as happy, energetic, and even bubbly.
But when I went to college, I experienced a pretty heavy dose of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in the colder months. It’s pretty common, especially for younger adults (the age of onset is estimated to be between 18 and 30). And, at first, it wasn’t terrible to deal with. But when I graduated college and got my first full-time job, it seemed like my depression graduated to the next level with me.
I didn’t find a lot of joy in college. In fact, I was actually looking forward to graduating. So, I was surprised to find that my depression worsened after I graduated. Over the course of the year following graduation, I was diagnosed with moderate to severe depression and was encouraged to go on medication. I often joke that college not only broke my eyes and impaired my vision, but it also broke my brain chemistry.
I grew up in the Church, so I knew the topic of depression was basically taboo. People didn’t talk about it in constructive ways. I also studied mental illness and religion in college, so I also knew that this lack of direction was not just my home Church. The Church hasn’t done a great job addressing mental illness throughout most of history. In the middle ages, someone with a chronic mental illness might have been excommunicated, tortured, or burned. Nowadays, it’s addressed in a more subtle way, but it can feel scary nonetheless.
When it comes to battling depression in the Christian realm, I have heard two main reactions:
- If you have depression, it’s because of unrepentant in your life
- It’s okay to be depressed and you don’t have to change
Neither of these answers felt right to me. This made me nervous because I wasn’t sure what next step I should take after learning about my own depression. To get closer to the answer, I’m going to unpack both reactions.
Reaction #1: You Need To Deal With Your Sin
Although harsh, this statement is true. But it’s not the be-all-end-all response to depression.
This was the response I was scared to deal with initially.
I grew up in a conservative circle of Christianity, and I have heard this response given to people struggling with depression. The idea is that Christians aren’t allowed to be depressed, and that all depression that you experience is a direct result of a specific sin you are committing unrepentantly.
I was scared to get this response because it is extremely insensitive and can be very unloving. Don’t get me wrong, calling brothers and sisters to repentance is a very Biblical thing to do (and it’s probably something that doesn’t happen enough). And of course, there are sin issues in my life that I deal with and fight against every single day. I also admit that there have been seasons of difficult situational depression that can be traced to a specific sin.
However, for the majority of my walk with depression, I could not trace it to one single sin struggle. I remember repenting daily of “whatever sin made me feel this way”.
But after months of prayer and exhaustion, it was confirmed that my depression was stemming from a chemical imbalance. This is why this reaction doesn’t sit well with me. To say that a particular sin in my life was causing my depression is a statement that I still would not necessarily affirm.
That being said, I have to acknowledge that depression is a result of sin—at least, original sin. My chemical imbalance brain is a result of living in a fallen and sinful world.
So, now what? I’m not against medication, but medication for me is a last resort. How can I fight this?
If your friend confides in you and tells you that they have depression, don’t just tell them to stop sinning. Love them and encourage them in more constructive ways.
Reaction #2: It’s Okay To Not Be Okay, So Stay That Way
It was tempting to surround myself with Christians that wallow in their depression and pity. And for a short time, I did. They just let me soak in my depression because they didn’t want to offend me by addressing it. In their eyes, it was a loving thing to do.
It was nice to have people that would let me soak in my depression, talk degradingly about myself, and wallow in self-pity. But after a short time of acting this way, I realized that allowing me to wallow in my depression and pity was a hateful thing to do because it never pushed me towards Christ.
We are sinners in a broken world. Jesus felt pain, anguish, fear, and anger, but He never wallowed in it. He allowed himself to feel emotions, but He always deferred to the will of the Father.
“It’s okay not to be okay, but it’s not okay to stay there” (Matt Chandler).
The Holy Spirit is transforming Believers from the inside out. We are continually growing and maturing as followers of Jesus. The salvation I have through Christ and His work on the cross keeps me looking forward to a better tomorrow.
Don’t let your friends be depressed and NOT tell them about the love of Christ. Confronting self-pity and giving someone the Gospel might be the most loving thing you could do.
For those experiencing depression, I wanted to give you 4 things to remember as you fight this battle.
#1: The Ultimate Weapon Against Depression: God’s Word
What helps me the most is a balanced approach somewhere in the middle of the two previous reactions.
Friends who understand what I’m feeling but also love me enough to point me to God’s Word are vital to my spiritual welfare during this battle. They sympathize with me in my pain and encourage me using the ultimate weapon against depression and sin: God’s Word.
The Bible is the final authority and I must submit to it. I must worship and give praise when I don’t feel motivated. I must study the Scriptures so I can understand God’s wonderful truths. God’s Word is life, and it breathes new life into people, including a broken sinner like me.
#2: You Can Have Joy in Suffering
The Bible is no stranger to pain.
Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning”.
There will be times where the depression almost seems too much to bear, where weeping seems like the only option, and you can’t even explain why. I remember telling a therapist, “there’s absolutely no reason for me to feel this way.” There just wasn’t a situational explanation for my depression (which helped me realize it was a chemical issue). There will be days where you physically feel like you need to somehow get out of your own head.
But there is hope! As Psalm 30:5 promises, this season of pain will end. While this might sound odd, we can still have joy amidst the deepest depression. Just read the book of Psalms. David struggled with deep despair and yet had Joy. So how do we have joy in suffering?
- Read Scripture. It is through God’s Word that we know God is for His people, not against them.
- Express verbal thanks to God for His Blessings. There are always blessings, even when we can’t see them. For example, your salvation is the grandest of all blessings.
- Worship through life’s storms.
- Pray like you’ve never prayed before.
- Join a local church that will help you walk through this season of suffering and help you grow in your walk with the Lord
- Take God’s Promises Seriously
#3: God’s Promises are to be taken Seriously
In my experience, having someone bomb me with scripture wasn’t necessarily helpful. But close friends that encouraged me to rely on the authority of Scripture helped immensely. Like I said before: It takes a balanced, constructive approach.
They helped me take God’s promises seriously, and there are some beautiful promises that show how much God loves His children. Here are just four of the promises that Scripture has encouraged me with.
- God KNOWS about my pain
Psalm 56:8: “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”
- God PICKS ME UP out of my pain
Psalm 40:1-2: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock.”
- God USES my pain for His glory.
Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”
- God SAVED me from eternal pain.
Romans 5:6-8: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
#4: God Equips us to Fight the Good Fight
Some of us will only deal with depression for a short time. Many might deal with it for years. Others might be fighting for their entire lives.
One thing we do know is that Christ has defeated sin and its eternal consequences for His people. He has raised us from death to life. So although we might deal with depression in this earthly life, in the end we will enjoy victory over ALL mental illness through Christ Jesus.
Imagine going to war knowing for a fact that you will have victory. Because Christ cares and intercedes for us, this is exactly what happens when we go to war against depression. The battle is vicious, but Jesus has already won through His death and resurrection. So keep fighting the good fight knowing that victory is in hand.
So, to answer our question, can a Christian be depressed? I’d say yes. Christians experience depression. As a Christian, I know my fight with depression is real … and it still rages. I deal with it every day. However, I know that I am bought by the blood of the lamb! I am in Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
And I know that Christ will use this trial in my life to conform me to His image. My God is in control. It is with this hope that I endure and keep fighting. Our victory is secured in Christ.
If you are a Christian reading this, don’t feel like you are alone. Run to the Scriptures to guide you, let your Pastors speak into you, and surround yourself with Christian encouragers who care for you.
Psalm 34:17-18 – “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
