DEFEATING THE HOLIDAY BLUES
“Defeating Depression”
1st Kings 19
Distance runners like those who run marathons often experience what is called hitting the wall. When they get to about mile 20 of the 26 mile run their energy begins to run out and they begin to think, will I actually make it to the finish line? One runner said it was like he felt like an extremely heavy weight had fallen on his shoulders and was making him carry it the rest of the way.
Many of us, on occasion know that feeling. We know what it feels like to hit a wall and not be able to move forward. Sometimes we call this the blues. When you think of the blues our thoughts are always negative. Losing a job---you get the blues. Someone betrays you—you get the blues. You experience regret and you get the blues. As far as music goes, the blues began on Southern Plantations in the 1800’s when slaves would sing as they worked in the cotton fields. The blues were born out of pain. So at this time of year some of us experience the Holiday Blues. But that is not true depression. Depression is when the winter blues roll into the springtime blues and then roll into the summer blues and even the fall blues. Depression lingers. And it can be very hard to separate ourselves from it.
But listen. Paul wrote to the church in Romans and said, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present, nor the future, nor any powers; neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And I would add, not even depression! Nothing can separate us from God’s love.
Let me give you a few thoughts regarding depression.
1. No one is immune to depression. Young. Old. Rich. Poor. Men. Women. And hear this both believers and non-believers. Even a believer can fall into depression. Let me ask you a question. How many of you deal with depression or have someone in your immediate family who deals with depression? In the 1800’s a lawyer wrote this: “I have wrestled with depression my entire life. I am the most miserable man alive. If what I feel was equally distributed to the entire human race, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. That was Abraham Lincoln.
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon would pack in crowds of over 5000 people…. Was known all over the world for his preaching so the congregation was shocked when one Sunday morning in the middle of his sermon he announced: “I am the subject of depressions of spirit so fearful that I hope that none of you ever gets to the extremes of wretchedness as I go to.
Allow me to add one more person to this list. Your pastor. Me. I have dealt with depression since I was a teenager. Now you may wonder why I haven’t spoken about it more openly. The answer is actually simple. If you’re a believer and especially if you’re a pastor, people will often judge you for it. They will say really encouraging words like:
• You’re just not trusting God enough
• Pastors shouldn’t be depressed
• You just need more faith
• No one should take medication for depression; they need to trust God more.
I would not be able to count the number of people who have come to me for counsel through the years to tell me they are dealing with depression. The first thing I do is advise them to get a complete physical. See a doctor right away. If he prescribes meds take them and give them at least a month to work. Don’t quit after a few days. Let me ask you, if you’re diagnosed with cancer, if you fall and break your arm, if you experience physical pain that is overwhelming, I’m guessing you will see a doctor and if he prescribes meds you will take them. Don’t allow the judgment of other people who are not thinking clearly to hold you back from getting better. No one is immune to depression.
In the Bible we find men who were spiritual giants who dealt with depression.
• David battled deep despair. Just read the Psalms. He wrote about anguish, grief, loneliness, fear, guilt and it was him who was experiencing it. He used words like downcast, broken-hearted, misery.
• Jonah was so angry he tried to run away from life. He said I am angry enough to die.
• Job went through every trial we can imagine. He said, I have no peace, nothing but turmoil. He said, why didn’t I just die the day I was born?
• Then there is Elijah. And in his story there are some things we can learn about fighting depression.
You see here’s the thing. Left untreated, depression will not just go away. It must be confronted. It can be a giant that many of us deal with on a daily basis.
In 1st Kings chapter 18 we find what we call the God contest. Whose God is bigger. Elijah stands up for the one true God, Jehovah. He is confronted by Ahab. Ahab says you’ve been causing trouble. Elijah responds by saying you are the one who has caused trouble. You are now following the false god Baal. So meet me at Mt Carmel and we will settle this once and for all as to who the true God is. Ahab brings 850 of his prophets with him. Elijah goes before his people and says “why do you waver between two opinions. Either follow the Lord or follow Baal. Make a choice. And they just stood there. Not a word. Elijah realizes he is the only prophet left who is following the one true God. So he tells them we will now see whose God is real. Slaughter a bull and stack wood all around it and whoever can call down fire from heaven; Ball or Jehovah God will be the proof.
So the people who followed Baal called on Baal from morning until noon. And nothing happened. Elijah was so sure of himself that he began to taunt them saying, hey maybe your god is asleep or maybe he’s gone on vacation somewhere; he’s traveling or maybe he is somewhere in deep thought. ?
Then Elijah says to the people take 12 stones and build an altar. Slaughter a bull and place it on the altar. Dig a trench around it. Pour water on the altar. They put so much water on the altar that it seeped over and filled the trench. Elijah then prayed and waited. He cried out answer me Lord so that these people will know who the One True God really is. Here is what the Bible says happened. Verse 38. “Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned the sacrifice, the wood; the stones; the dirt and also licked up water from the trench.” All of it was destroyed by fire. At that moment everyone there fell on their faces and said this is the true God! This has to be one of the greatest miracles in the scripture. You can imagine that Elijah would be elated beyond description. (pause). But instead look at what happens. In the next chapter.
Elijah sends a messenger named Jezebel to threaten him. One woman. After all Elijah has just witnessed this one woman frightens him to the point that in v.3 we see that Elijah was so afraid that he ran for his life.
V.4. He has thoughts of dying. He says I’ve had enough Lord. Take my life.
V.5. He is so tired he lies down and goes to sleep.
V. 6. Then he awakes and there is food there so he eats it and goes back to sleep.
V. 10. He awakes and says I am the only one left. I’m completely alone.
There are some things that depression can do to someone and we see it right here. So there are some things we have to realize.
1. Depression is a liar. Depression tells us things that simply are not true. Things like…
• You’re not good enough
• You’re not worthy enough
• You’ve failed in life
• You’ll never come out of this. And the list goes on and on. All lies.
Depression is a liar. Depression will lie to you and here’s the problem. You start believing those things. Write these 4 facts about depression down.
• Negative thinking doesn’t cause depression. Negative thinking is depression.
• Negative thoughts are neither accurate nor are they useful.
• Learn to correct the lies with truth. Speak the truth to those lies.
• Depression is hibernation. Fight the feeling to hibernate. Do what you don’t feel doing. Put yourself in charge instead of letting depression be in charge.
2. No one is immune to depression. Young. Old. Wealthy. Poor. Male. Female. Non-believers AND believers. When we look at Elijah we wouldn’t automatically think that he would be a candidate for depression. He has just witnessed the incredible power of God. And then this happens. I’s amazing how quickly all of us can forget what a great God we serve. This was likely the best day of his life and then he falls into depression. Let me ask you….how many of you deal with depression or have someone in your family who deals with depression? Most of us.
Abraham Lincoln dealt with deep depression.
3. Depression can destroy your ability to think clearly. Elijah becomes consumed with self-pity. He says, I’m no better than my ancestors. Apparently his family had problems so now he decides he is just like them.
3. We retreat to get his life back in order. You may need one as well. Genesis reminds us that God made this massive universe in 6 days and then rested. I don’t think he was tired. I think he was setting an example for us. Follow it. Take some Sabbath time.
3. Get alone with God. Pray. In my dorm room in college I was going through a serious bout with depression and I knelt down and said, “Lord I can’t do this anymore. I need your help.” A short prayer but perhaps the most heartfelt prayer I have ever prayed. And God heard and began to offer me hope. I realized I was not alone.
You see depression is a liar. Depression tells us things that simply are not true. Things like…
• You’re not good enough
• You’re not worthy enough
• You’ve failed in life
• You’ll never come out of this. And the list goes on and on. All lies.
4. Elijah made a conscious decision to listen to God. As he stood there on the mountain there was a powerful wind that tore the mountains apart but the Lord was not in the wind. There was an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake. There was a fire but the Lord was not in the fire. Then there was a gentle whisper. A still small voice. And that is when he realized he was in the very presence of God. We want God to shout at us. The Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God.” Get still before God and that is when you will find Him. He is the One we need to get through depression…to walk through the valley with us. There would be no valley if it was not connected to a peak. That’s what makes it a valley. There is something better on the horizon. Allow Him to lead you to it.
My favorite word in the Bible is HOPE. We hope the sun will shine tomorrow, our kids hope for certain gifts for Christmas, we hope we will have enough in retirement. But that’s not the biblical kind if hope. The word hope in the NT has two elements to it. (1) Desire. You want something. (2) Expectation. You fully expect to get it. You have no doubt. That’s real Hope. Jesus is our blessed Hope.
Hope has helped me more with my depression than anything else. Having things to look forward to. Make a list of the things you have to be thankful for. Read it when depression comes around. You have to learn to hope. And when you come to the end of your hope, hope again. Never give up.
