The True Maker of My Depression

I’m twenty-six years old, and I wish I had known sooner that God wasn’t the
maker of my depression. When ninth grade rolled around, I faced depression
like I never had before. I didn’t think I could experience such strong and
unsettling emotions while being a follower of Jesus. The part that confused
me most was where the extreme sadness came from. Not able to find the
answer myself, I’d ask God why He would allow such anguish to hurt me
daily. Being a child of God, one misconception I had was that Christians
had to be joyful all the time. Mind you, that is far from the truth. I’d
question if I was abnormal because the way I was feeling was not joyful.
Was I insane? Was I not doing something right in my relationship with God,
and that’s how this started? Because of this, I started doubting the
authenticity of my faith. This was before I knew how much influence Satan,
sin, and brokenness have on this world. The enemy seeks to destroy
Christ-followers such as myself. God created the world good, but when
people rebelled against God, sin and brokenness infected everything. One
version of this brokenness is depression. But, despite all the brokenness
and evil in the world, God is the giver and maker of peace and joy. It’s
through Him and the good gifts He provides (including things like mental
health professionals and medication) that we can overcome our struggles.
That doesn’t always mean the depression will go away, but it does mean that
Jesus walks with us and brings us comfort and strength in the midst of it.
He never abandons us. Though Satan continues to steal, kill, and destroy,
God works miracles around the enemy’s conniving schemes. Jesus is far
greater than the enemy, and His victory came through His death and
resurrection—when He defeated sin, death, and brokenness on our behalf. If
we’ve put our trust in Jesus, God gives us a crown and a blessing in place
of ashes and mourning (Isaiah 61:3). God has already won the battle. When
we pay attention, we can see His provision in the midst of the sufferings
we face. He is with us in our trials whether they’re in smaller dosages or
larger quantities. He provides comfort and strength. He is the maker of joy
and peace, not of depression. And someday, we will see His ultimate triumph
when Jesus returns to get rid of all brokenness—including
depression—forever. ● Brenna Covelens ● Have you ever felt like Christians
are supposed to always feel joyful—and that it’s not okay for us to feel
any other way? ● Sometimes, God brings about full healing from depression
and other types of brokenness we encounter. But other times, depression is
a lifelong struggle that won’t fully go away until Jesus returns. Even when
the hurt is here to stay, Jesus is with us, weeping with us. He never
leaves us. As we draw near to Him, He wraps His arms around us and never
lets go. Have you ever felt Jesus’s presence in the midst of pain? What was
it like? ● God does not want us to face depression—or any other kind of
brokenness—alone. Christians can bring each other hope and comfort in hard
times, pointing each other to Jesus. When you are struggling, who can you
reach out to? If you know someone who is hurting, how can you come
alongside them? ● If you have been feeling depressed and need someone to
talk to, you can set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone
consultation with a Christian counselor through the Focus on the Family
Counseling Service. In the United States, call 1-855-771-HELP (4357)
weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) to set up an appointment.
In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate.
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a
joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In
their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted
for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

Read Verses:

John.10.10|Rom.15.13|1John.5.19|Isa.61.3