INTRODUCTION
Following death of his wife, a well-known Southern Baptist preacher named Vance Havner published a diary of his experiences as he walked through the ’valley of the shadow of death’. He writes about 3 levels of experience in life and concluded that there are ’mountain top days’ when everything is going well and the world looks bright. But it is unreasonable to expect, as many people do - that we can spend life leaping from one mountaintop to another as if there were no plains or valleys in between. ’Ordinary days’, therefore are those when we work at our usual tasks, neither elated nor depressed. Then thirdly, there are the ’dark days’ when we trudge heavily through discouragement despair, doubt and confusion. Sometimes these days string out into weeks, months & years before we begin to experience a sense of relief. When they persist, these dark days are days of depression.
Series ‘Just about Coping’ Today ‘Coping with depression’
Very few people who haven’t experienced depression in some form - different levels, varying in depth, intensity and duration. Spectrum ranges from sadness (feeling low/blue) discouragement - depression - total despair (self-destructive attitude). If you’ve never had a discouraging day or a period of feeling sad then PTL – use by God to help others.
Depn recognised >2,000 yrs - Hippocrates - 400BC
Widespread & complicated problem - affecting C & non-C
Can’t always tell from looking at people - brave face.
d man goes to Dr.. No advice/medn seems to relieve intense despair. Last resort Dr suggests circus where world famous clown well known for making most desolate people laugh. Man looks up slowly at Dr and says ’Doctor, I am that clown!’
Depression = State of morbidly excessive melancholy, mood of hopelessness & feelings of inadequacy, often with physical symptoms.
DEPRESSION IS NO RESPECTOR OF PERSONS OR AGE
Buzz Aldrin (2nd on moon) returned to earth - great difficulty coping with life - severe depn. - mentioned in Mary Irwin’s book ’The moon is not enough’.
Winston Churchill suffered from depn. - says it hounded him like a black dog. Charles Spurgeon, known for his sparkling wit and humour, had a lifetime battle with depn.
William Cowper - ’O for a closer walk ....’
Mrs Thatcher apparently became quite depressed and disorientated after losing the premiership. A 4 year old girl has been diagnosed recently as suffering from depression. Former government spin doctor Alastair Campbell has revealed in candid detail his battle with depression while at Number 10. Stephen Fry – chronicled his experiences of manic depression.
It can be a relief to know you are not alone.
SOME SIGNS OF DEPRESSION
Inertia – inability to get going or make decisions, loss of energy, fatigue, insomnia, feelings of pessimism, hopelessness, worthlessness - loss of interest in usual activities, inability to enjoy even pleasurable events
SOME CAUSES OF DEPRESSION
Depression is a complex condition and the causes can be many and varied :-
Physical - chemical imbalance, lack of sleep, improper diet. Physiological - e.g Post Natal Depression Bereavement - loss of person, job, even amputation. Guilt - secrets from the past - need forgiveness. Repressed anger
Bible is nitty gritty book. Warts ‘n’ all. e.g. Jeremiah, Job.
Today we’ll look at Elijah’s experiences. He’s a prophet and
God has used him to gain a tremendous spiritual victory against the enemy prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel. Jezebel, Ahab’s wife heard the news. Her message was a chilling one
1 Kings 19:1-3 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
J has contract out on E’s life. Not unusual to find oneself flat or depressed immediately after a spiritual highpoint, such as the mountain top experience at Carmel.
ELIJAH’S CONDITION
1. He was afraid
How does Elijah react to the news?
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. 1 Kings 19:3
Fear can lead to depression - But you say - God enabled Elijah to score a tremendous spiritual victory at Mount Carmel - literally a mountain top experience. Elijah’s a great prophet, a real man of God and yet now he’s running scared.
God’s followers are not immune to bad news or its emotional impact in our lives. Christians shouldn’t be depressed!! That’s wrong thinking.
Are we fearful?
of others expectations - friends/church people.
of the future - can’t face what’s ahead.
of failure - afraid of getting it wrong - criticism
2. He wanted to be alone
When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. 1 Kings 19:3b-4a
Withdrawal is a classic symptom of depression.
When someone is in this condition, often a desire to get away from other people - withdraw into shell - escape into your own private world. Things go from bad to worse.
(Adv of being in a Christian family)
3. He wanted to die
He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life;
Total withdrawal = symptom of deep depression - illn Peter Eley
4. He was exhausted
Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
Lack of sleep can contribute to depression
Elijah was exhausted - each little job is an effort - difficulty sleeping - brooding in early hours dreading approach of another day.
Elijah had lost his appetite for God’s work, food, company and life itself - I can’t go on like this - it’s hopeless’ - came to the conclusion that his work was fruitless - life not worth living. He had lost any confidence in himself and in His God - felt he wasn’t significant - nobody would miss him if he died. Here he is at the bottom of pit - point where the tunnel darkest, but help is at hand.
GOD’S CARE FOR ELIJAH
How does God respond to Elijah’s need? God’s love and care for us. Good dose of the love of God.
1. God meets Elijah’s physical needs
All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you."
Notice, God didn’t send an angel to scold him - buck up, snap out of it - ministered to his physical needs first.
Here we have beautiful evidence of God’s care and provision - He knows the journey is difficult, uphill, pressures of the way. Strengthened by food - travels 40 days/nights.
God provides rest, food and company - should never overlook value of the ordinary physical needs in rush to find a spiritual solution to people who are feeling low. Visit Doctor
2. God gently probes Elijah’s thinking
IKing 19:9 - "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Elijah opens up to God and shares his deepest feelings.
"I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." 1 Kings 19:10
In other words, I’m all alone, I don’t deserve this treatment and I’m scared about what might happen to me. I’ve given and given to others – does anybody really care?
Depressed people often overlook the positive. E’s thinking was totally self-centred and negative. He saw only the dark side of life and overlooked the positive – he’d forgotten 100 prophets hiding in cave (18:4)
3. God gently reassures Elijah of His presence
1 Kings 19:11-14 God is powerful (wind, earthquake & fire) but also gentle in His dealings with us. Mount Horeb (probably = Mt Sinai). Here E experiences the living presence of God - not in way he might have expected, but in most appropriate way. E had experienced the power of God, but now needs
to experience the gentle presence of God – voice which says I’m near you - I understand where you are, how you feel. I know you - I want to help you - will you trust me? Apply
4. God reassures Elijah of His plans & purposes
a. Go back
The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, 1 Kings 19:15a
Looking for causes of depression may involve reflecting on the past - Healing a depressed spirit may involve going back - looking for causes - painful process e.g. childhood experiences. It may mean returning to the point where God began to be real in your life - reminding yourself of His love, care and provision over the years.
b. Go forward
go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram .... Jehu ....... Elisha
With God there is hope for the future. Surely there’s no way God can use E again? Wrong! God hasn’t finished with him yet - there’s work to be done - 3 jobs.
HELPFUL TIPS
Never view depression lightly – (cheer up, snap out of it)
Don’t overlook physical in search of the spiritual – rest, food, physical check up -some forms of depression are chemically based and are greatly helped by medication.
Encourage person to talk and be ready to listen.
Gently probe for causes of the depression.
Encourage to focus on positive rather than negative.
Encourage person to be involved in doing something for others – breaks cycle of self-centredness.
Gently share Scriptures but don’t preach. Talk about characters like Jeremiah, Job, Elijah, Psalmists – God’s care and concern. To change feelings we need to change a person’s thinking.
Refer to someone else if you feel out of your depth.
Keep on listening, praying and on caring
The Bible doesn’t gloss over the feelings and frailties of God’s servants. Elijah example is proof that God cares enough to bring people through times of discouragement and depression.
One thing depressed person looks for is hope. Hope is found in discovering our meaning/purpose in life. Hope’s discovered as we discover the possibility of relationship with God.
Ps 42:11 - Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God …
