Is It Normal For Christians To Get Depressed?

So do Christians get depressed? Of course they do! What’s so amazing is that the times that I got the most depressed was when I was far away from the Lord. It was when I wasn’t going to church and doing my own thing. I’ve been raised a Christian since I was a kid, so part of me wanted to deviate from it. It’s just like a child wanting to touch a hot stove to see what’s going to happen. You are going to get burned! So I did, many, many times!

See what it says in Galatians 5, when you decide to do your own thing you will depart from the Lord’s ways:

Galatians 5: 19-26 (New Living Translation)

¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

So Galatian 5, clearly tells you that if you deviate from the Lord’s ways you will naturally sin. It’s in our nature but we need to crucify our sins to His Cross and leave them there and go in peace. Because we are now not following our own ways but being lead by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides our path in times of darkness and will lead us into the light.

Did you know that King David got depressed quite a lot? The book of Psalm was written by David.

Psalm 42: 5-11

⁵ Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and ⁶ my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
⁷ I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
⁸ But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.

⁹ “O God my rock,” I cry,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?”
¹⁰ Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”

¹¹ Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!

Sometimes in life we are just burned out because life can be very hard. We often can get frustrated with life and want to give up. Look what Elijah says to the Lord:

1 Kings 19: 4-8 (New International Version)

⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

Ok, so what is the solution to christian depression? The very first is prayer. Then you follow it up by studying His Word. Psalm 119:105 says:

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.

Whenever you are in darkness go to the Word of God and look for answers. It will guide you out of darkness and be your source of light or hope in this journey of life. I also strongly believe that we need to fellowship with others and get some help as well. As the saying goes, “No man is an island.”

Ask the Lord for help with your depression. He will give you an answer or a solution. Sometimes the solution is medication. If a diabetic didn’t take their insulin injection they would start to run into problems. So sometimes I do think the solution for some people can be anti-depressants until they get back on their feet again.

Obviously, the best solution would be to ask for a total healing of your mind and spirit, but you really have to want to be set free. If you go in mediocre then it’s going to be hard.

I was on anti-depressants when I was away from the Lord and it helped me to realize that I need the Lord.

In Mathew 7:7 it says, ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” So don’t be afraid to ask the Lord for help! I don’t think that you can fight depression on your own so always get some help.