Depression: Madness in the Palace II
I Kings 19:1-18
And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
-I Kings 19:14 (KJV)
Sometimes after an extremely stressful experience, even a demonstration of great success, some people are overcome by feelings of fatigue and ultimately depression. In fact, more human suffering has resulted from depression than any other disease affecting mankind. There is more attraction to depression than any other mental health challenge. Depression is a distemper to which a miserable life is unbearable. It captivates the brain and spirits, as well as incapacitates them of thoughts or action: it confounds and disturbs all thoughts, and unavoidably fills with anguish and vexation.
Within the purview of human existence, the increasing demand for domestic comfort and sustainability, professionalism and business competition, economic and financial crunch, desire for fame and recognition, etc. has greatly influenced occasional manifestations of depression. This characterizes the human life with disturbed feelings of specific alteration in mood, self-reproaches, regressive and self-punitive wishes a well as vegetative changes and variation in activity level. The disturbed feelings therefore become a general striking factor of depression. It has become so customary that, it is regarded as “primary mood disorder” or as an affective disorder.
Everyone undergoes varying degree of depression, ranging from mild to chronic. The attending expressions include: failures, eventual disappointments, and relational guilt such as inability to ensure self and personal forgiveness; poor grief management occasioned by loss of: assets, beloved, job, position, power, etc.; and dream abortion. The individual’s ability to break through the fang of depression hastens deliverance and healing.
Biblical hero and heroine were neither immune nor spared from the claws of depression. In the text above, Elijah was a man of many success track records. His exploit ranged from praying to God to: hold rain away from Israel for a space of 42 months; send down fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice bathed in volumes of water; and the release of rain from heaven without rain signal. He once bare footed outran a horse, drank up a stream of water and raised the dead. Above all, he was passionate and zealous. In a single day, he won an outstanding victory for the Lord. He had no fear of facing the 450 false prophets of Baal, and he single handedly slaughtered them after the contest. Thereafter, he was running for his life. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life… (I Kgs 19:2, 3). The most interesting fact was that, he was frightened to death because of a woman’s threat.
Elijah’s inability to manage stress and success resulted in the onset of:
-Suicidal tendency. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers (I Kgs 19:4).
-Withdrawal from public life. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? (I Kgs 19:9).
-Sense of abandonment. And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword (I Kgs 19:10a);
-Melancholy. The hallmark of depression. And I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away I Kgs 19:14b).
In Elijah’s depressed state, he could not feel God’s presence. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (I Kgs 19:11, 12). God broke through his depression by use of the elements in order to realign his focus. The small still voice God calm him from the roaring circumstances.
His acts of cowardice provoked God to replace him. And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy … and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel–meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room (I Kgs 19:15-16). Elijah’s lack of team spirit and refusal to snap out of depression blinded him from seeing other hardworking prophets of God. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him (I Kgs 19:18). God could not afford a discouraged son to thwart His salvation plan for His creations.
As we celebrate the 57th Independence Day, neither lose hope nor throw in the towel to the uncertainties and burdens of this nation. Salvation means: Jesus saves, heals and delivers from every tyrannizing force.
Therefore, whenever it seems the world is closing up on you:
-Look up to God
-Do not be a lone ranger
-Deal with the matter and not feelings
-Get yourself together
-Do not monopolize your success stories but let everybody owe it
-Be a blessing to your generation.
Shalom
