Is depression wrong or does it have value?
Do you ever feel sad or down from time to time? Most of us do. It is normal. Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, it gets tricky. Seasonal blues hit everyone – the winter gloom, the gloomy days. But for some, it is more than occasional. It is a daily struggle, a mental illness – depression.
Now, you might think, "Feeling depressed is a sign of weakness, right?" Some folks, especially in Christian circles, ponder this. They wonder if it means they lack trust in God or if they are missing the joy of His love. But here is the thing – depression is not wrong. It is not a flaw. It holds value in the Christian journey.
The assumption
You might think, as some Christians do, that feeling depressed means you are lacking in faith. It is a common assumption, but let us break it down. Depression is not a spiritual failure.
In the Bible, King David, a man after God's own heart, faced deep despair. In Psalm 13, he poured out his heart, asking God how long the pain would last. In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah bared his soul about the anguish he felt. These men, firm in their faith, grappled with emotions similar to depression. Yet, they found solace in turning to God with their struggles.
Even Jesus, during the Sermon on the Mount, flipped the script. He said, "Blessed are those who mourn." Mourning, akin to feeling depressed, was not condemned. Instead, Jesus elevated it, recognizing the value of acknowledging pain.
But why? In what way does depression have value?
Emotions are a reflection
Your positive or negative emotions reflect what is happening around you. So, feeling down does not mean you are failing spiritually; it means acknowledging a challenging experience. Even Jesus, the Son of God, experienced negative emotions. Remember the Garden of Gethsemane?
At that moment, Jesus grappled with the weight of the impending crucifixion. He felt sorrow and anguish, asking God if there was any other way. His experience was not a lack of faith; it was a profound acknowledgment of the challenging reality ahead, which is His arrest and crucifixion.
About this, Romans 8:22-23 highlights that the whole creation groans and suffers, waiting for redemption.
Negative emotions, like depression, are not a sign of a weak Christian. They are an expression of a heart that sees a world marred by sin, which is not as it should be. So, when you feel the weight of sadness, it is a testament to your awareness of a broken world that awaits restoration.
Joy in the Lord
But what about joy in the Lord? Do depressed Christians not know about it?
They do. But most of us have a misconception regarding negative emotions vs joy.
Joy does not replace your negative feelings, like depression; it renews them. It is not about avoiding sadness but preventing it from hardening within you and defining your experience. Depression often involves failed hope, a sense of being let down by life. But joy in the Lord offers something greater to hope for.
Romans 8 says that our hope is in something sure and unchanging – God's promises. He will not fail you. Believing in this truth overwrites the failures of other hopes, carrying you along. So, joy is not a magic eraser for depressive feelings; it is a lifeline, a renewal of hope that keeps you afloat amid life's challenges.
God and the broken vessels
Amid life's brokenness and struggles, remember this: God is the Potter, mending the cracks in your vessel. Hold on tight to His promises, especially the one found in Revelations 21 that says,
"He will wipe away every tear from your eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Read more:
The lost sheep: What is a life without God
