Doctors like to coin the term "clinical depression" because then it makes people think THEY are the only solution for your depression. But is that the truth? No! Of course not. God and His Word is the ultimate and BEST cure for depression. Why? Because he created us, so he knows more than ANYONE what we need to feel better. Not Doctors, God. Doctors think they know what we need, but they don't. Doctors are not God, though they might want to act like they are. Forget what doctors say about depression. What does the Bible say about depression?
Philippians 4:6-8 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
One major cause of depression is anxiety because your body gets exhausted from worrying about everything and anything and that is why depression happens. These two verses have two very key points regarding this. When you are worried and feeling anxious, pray about it, and God's "peace that passes understanding will guard your heart and mind." That is a promise! And it really works. If you spend hours praying about everything you are worried about, you will have a great amount of peace after. And the second key point in this verse is think ONLY about GOOD things. Don't let the self defeating negative thoughts rule in your mind, which is also a major cause of depression. You know you shouldn't be thinking negative thoughts, so don't. Some might say, "it's not that easy." But it becomes easy the more you do it, and if you remain strong in your desire to think postively. If your negative thoughts are about others, that is sin, because you might not be forgiving them. And "if you do not forgive others, God will not forgive you." Right? That's what the Bible says. If you believe in the Bible then you have to believe that the entire thing is absolutely TRUE. So forgive others. Don't think negative things about them, and your depression very well might go away.
Of course the second thing we can think negatively about is our circumstances, but the key is to change your perspective on what might be happening to you. And this never verse talks about that.
Romans 5:3-5 "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."
What does the Bible say to think about suffering? Does it say we should focus on it and say "poor me, my life is so hard...." No! It says we are to rejoice in our suffereing, or be thankful for them, not because we are masochistic and enjoy being tortured, but because we see the greater perspective. We realize that our suffereing produces a better and more noble character.
Think of someone who has never suffered, like the child of a millionaire perhaps. They are usually spoiled brat right? And not many people like them. That is why suffering is good, so that we won't end up being a spoiled and difficult person. :) It's the same as "spare the rod, spoil the child." Sometimes, possibly, God uses a rod on us to keep us from getting too spoiled. the key is to remain humble and not spoiled so God doesn't have to use a rod on you. :) Heb. 12:6 says, "The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son." I spank my daughters because I want them to end up being sweet little girls that behave and that everyone will like. God also essentially spanks us, with hard times, so that we will be sweet and caring people that will behave well in society and that everyone will like. My writing I suppose serves as a spanking for some, but I think that's because I have the spiritual gift of exhortation. ;) But better to read what I write and heed God's instruction, via Bible verses as well, then to be corrected by a hard life circumstance. "The prophet has spoken." No I'm totally kidding, but seriously, God speaks through teachers and if we learn by that and make right choices our lives will be easier.
"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope."
When we achieve a better character from suffering that gives us hope; hope that when we suffer it isn't for nothing. We realize then that there is a benefit to suffering, because it can make us a better person. We then have hope that when things are hard but we overcome, we will have a better character because of it. Like when people say "I'm glad I went through all I did because it made me the person I am today." I never understood that before, but our hard times make us more compassionate and understanding of others etc. Or in my case, seeing evil in my dad made me a ton more motivated to witness the rest of my life and try to defeat the evil in the world by helping people get saved or challenge people to become better Christians. Because I believe, as all Christians should, that the world would be a much, much better place if everyone believed in God and obeyed everything he said. Amen? Amen. :)
Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
If the depression is from fear, which it can be because fear can be crippling, the Bible simply says "fear not" and "be not dismayed." This means we can make the conscious choice to not fear and to not be dismayed, or depressed. Why? Because God is our God and he is good. Because we know God will strengthen us if we ask him to so that we can OVERCOME in life. God said he will uphold us with his right hand; we just have to BELIEVE and have faith that he always will. Amen?
1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
If you are tempted to lay in bed all day and be depressed and feel sorry for yourself, God said he will provide a way out of that temptation. Maybe a friend will call or text you or an activity will come up you can go to. TALK to your friend. Don't just ignore them. And GO to that activity. Don't just let yourself stay isolated and alone. That is when depression can get the worst. You have to force yourself to do what you might not want to do, like go on walks every day, because that is what is best for you. Our flesh doesn't normally want to do the things that are best for us. But we have to ignore the flesh and do the healthy choice for the other people in our lives so that we can be the best person we can possibly be. Amen? Amen. :)
Proverbs 12:25 "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad."
If you are feeling anxious, make sure you have good friends that can cheer you up with encouragining words. :) Of course you will get what you give, so you need to be that friend to others as well. The best way to have a good friend is to be a good friend. We reap what we sow. If we sow in helping others we will be helped when we need it. :)
Matthew 6:34 “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
If you are anxious about tomorrow, or the future, Jesus simply said "do not." He didn't come up with a method or 10 steps of how to do that; he simply said don't do it. Why? Because he knows we are capable of the simple choice to choose to worry or to choose not to. You can choose to not worry if you really want to. Jesus asked the man by the pool "do you want to be well?" Some people just don't want to be well and they want to worry, but why choose something that is bad for you and those around you? Just don't worry and you will have a much better and more happy life. :)
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
God commands us to be strong and courageous, and not to be easily defeated. Depression is essentially being easily defeated by life. But in Revelations Jesus says over and over again "To the one who overcomes I will....grant the right to sit with me on my throne" etc. The Christian life is about being strong and overcoming. God commands that we do. Rev. 21:8 even says, "The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur." You never hear that message in churches today, that if you are cowardly you will go to hell, but that's why we have SO many cowardly Christians now. No one ever talks about the fact that being a coward is a sin. God wants you to be strong and courageous. Don't be a coward. In Acts, Peter and the new believers prayed for boldness. Why? Because that is the most important thing about the Christian life. How can we fulfill the great commision to go into all the world and preach the gospel if we are not bold? If we are cowardly, we won't fulfill that calling or command. God wants us to be BOLD. To NOT have a fear of man but rather to only fear God and do what he tell us to do, not what people tell us to do. So be bold, always.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
The biggest cure for depression, is not meds, but to always believe that God has good plans for your life and to STAY IN HOPE. If you loose hope, then you loose faith. Either you have faith or you don't. If you have faith, and you are a person of faith, you will believe that God has good plans for you. You won't let yourself get hopeless and depressed because you will BELIEVE that God is good and that he loves you.
I hope what I wrote helped you grow in wisdom. :) Always remember, God loves you very, very much! :)
May God bless you!
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