“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.”
Psalm 42:5 [KJV]
Stormy seas, Warrnambool,
*Trigger warning: this article contains references to suicide.*
Several years ago, a Christian friend asked me what seemed an out-of-context question: did I think it was possible for Christians to have mental health issues? I said yes, and she then talked about other things. Eventually, she said she was feeling depressed, and later told me she had recently attempted suicide. The following years were tumultuous, but, praise God, He brought her safely through them.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 43.7% of Australians experience mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15-44 (AIHW, 2022).
What about Christians? Becoming a Christian does not guarantee you will never have a car accident or suffer pneumonia. If we are not immune from physical health issues, why would we be immune from mental health issues? As one preacher expressed it, the fall of man affected us from the head down, not just the shoulders down. We are in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6) and Satan has never played fair. He will use any method he can: physical, mental or spiritual, to hinder us from fulfilling our God-given purposes.
Sometimes there doesn’t seem a particular reason for a specific Christian to be depressed. In such instances, I think of Jesus’ answer in John 9, when His disciples tried to blame a man for his blindness. Jesus said, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Depression can be a response to such things as trauma, physical exhaustion, neurological changes, health issues, estrangement, loneliness or being overwhelmed by the world’s depravity.
Depression typically starts with an even more common emotion: discouragement. Discouragement is a powerful tool Satan loves to use against the people of God. Just ask King David, who records: “All the night I make my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief…” (Psalm 6:6-7a); “I am troubled: I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.” (Psalm 38:6). Three times in Psalms 42 and 43, he describes his soul as “cast down” and “disquieted”. Sometimes King David felt so discouraged he thought the Lord had abandoned him, “Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1)
As Christians, we can easily be discouraged by a lack of spiritual growth, difficult circumstances and people’s rejection of Christian teaching. Have you ever felt the Lord has abandoned you, or been so emotionally low you wondered what is the point of continuing to fight on earth when all our troubles will be over in heaven? Ever spent night after night desperately crying out to the Lord?
I have. So have many other Christians. These difficult tests of faith either see us draw closer to God or go further from Him. So how do we respond?
We hold to what we know, not what we feel. We know that the Lord indwells us through the Holy Spirit. He has promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and even “If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). I doubt King David felt like praising the Lord, yet he did because God was worthy of praise. Throughout the Psalms, David reminded himself of the many times God had been faithful to him and the children of Israel. As we read through the Psalms, we can reflect on both the goodness of God, and those specific instances where God has been faithful to us.
We also know that reading the Bible (Revelation 1:3; Deuteronomy 17:19), fellowship with other Christians (Hebrews 10:24-25) and serving others (Acts 20:35) are essential to our encouragement and spiritual growth. Prayer is also critical: “Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him, God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8).
Seek help. Please. Too many Christians suffer because they or their families are ashamed or in denial. It is not just dangerous to your physical or mental wellbeing, but also to your spiritual wellbeing. The longer such struggles occur, the more time Satan has to attack, and the more likely Christians are to succumb to temptation and lose their zeal for God. Obtain the spiritual counselling, psychological aid and medical help you require, remembering that “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25).
Be patient and faithful. Recovery takes different means and different lengths of time. You may feel like a boat on a choppy sea of emotions, but remember you are anchored firmly to the right foundation, your Lord Jesus Christ. Hold tight to Him and His promises for our hope in Him is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast” (Hebrews 6:19). As Psalm 42 testifies, the answer to our discouragement or depression is, “Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5b).
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