How to deal with depression from a Biblical perspective by Kgaugelo Pule (Women ministry message)

Reconciled521/FBC

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training

in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every

good work”. 2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV

All Scripture is inspired by God[a] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for

correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete,

equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17 CSB

This means God’s word is appropriate for any and every situation that we face:

• It is breathed out by Him therefore it is legit – not man theories

• Profitable for teaching – useful tool in teaching us about all things on earth

• It rebukes us – our thinking needs to be confirmed to God’s word Romans 12:1/

Proverbs 27:5

• It corrects us – because our ways are foolish and only the word can truly convict us

• It is useful for training in righteousness – not secular or man’s thinking/ opinions/ ways

So based on that foundation we now turn to our topic today

Definition of depression:

Jay Adams:

...[Depression is] a cyclical process in which the initial problem is mishandled in such a way that

it is enlarged in downward ... spirals that eventually plunge one into despair.

.... The downward cycle enslaves one in hopelessness and guilt, thus bringing a slowing down

or cessation of activity, called depression. (The Christian Counselor's Manual, 375)

We were created in the image of God (Gen 1: 27; Col. 3:10). God has emotions, which are

reliable and untainted with sin, it is ever the same and trustworthy. Our emotions are the

reflection of our thoughts, motivations and desires. They follow our thinking. Most of the time our

thinking is false, corrupt, fallen because of what happened in the garden.

Wayne Mack gives us a quick breakdown of different types of depression:

Mild depression or “normal sadness” is the kind that most of us experience when something

precious is lost (Hodges 2012:Chapter 5; Mack 2006:4-18). There is nothing abnormal about

this response at this time as it is appropriate to the occasion. Moreover, this kind of sadness

does not result in the loss of hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Moderate depression results from a sinful response to sadness (Mack 2006:8-11; Adams

1970:148; 1973:376-377). This entails not recognising it and keeping our gaze on our

circumstances rather than on God and His Word. In the Bible, we see many examples of men

and women who in their depression were controlled by sinful patterns of thinking, feeling and

acting, tempting them to submit to their feelings and nearly abandon hope (see Moses in

Numbers 11:10-16; Elijah in 1 Kings 19:1-18; Asaph in Psalm 73; and Jonah in Jonah 4:1-11).

Severe depression “is a permanent spirit of heaviness or gloom that affects, controls, and

dominates every area of a person’s life” (Mack 2006:15-18). Psalm 32 and 38 [km1] are very

helpful in describing the total effect that this kind of depression can have on a person – on their

body, emotions, actions, thoughts, motives, speech and so on. And Elijah’s hopelessness as a

consequence of his circumstance in 1 Kings 19 is a hallmark of severe depression.