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Spiritual Beliefs
Depression can have many causes. Something is physically wrong (chemical or hormone imbalance). Or, some people experience depression because they haven't adequately dealt with spiritual or emotional issues in their life. One of the more common types of depression is called "situational depression." In layman's terms, this type of depression happens when life piles so many burdens on your shoulders that something just has to give. In 1 Kings, Elijah the prophet is going through a time that will result in depression for him. Look at some of the "situations" he had been in over a three-year period. + Had just finished a threeyear period of opposition to Ahab. He had endured hardships as he moved from place to place, often afraid for his life (chapters 17-18). + He had just finished confronting the priests of Baal in a spiritual showdown. The end result was that all the false priests had been put to death. + An exhaustive and intense time of prayer for the three-year drought to be over (18:41-45). + Ran 20 miles from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel so quickly that he outran Ahab's chariot (18:46). + An unexpected life event- a death threat from Jezebel (19:1- 2). For three long years, life had piled burden after burden on Elijah's back. This death-threat from Jezebel was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Something had to give, and Elijah crashed and burned! If we could've asked Elijah if he was depressed, I'm convinced he would have said no! Yet when you look at 1 Kings 19, he had many of the classical symptoms of depression: + Despair (vs 3). "Why do I need a servant with me? My situation is hopeless, and I'm going to die!" Depression brings with it wave after wave of despair and hopelessness. "There is no reason to struggle. There is no hope for me, everything is black, there is no light at the end of the tunnel, and it's always going to be this way." + Suicidal thoughts (vs 4). Remember, God had just answered Elijah's prayers for fire and rain. He had every reason to believe that God would answer this one too! One hundred percent of seriously depressed people have recurring thoughts of death and even suicide. "If I were dead, I would be out from under this terrible burden. I would be better off, and my family would too!" + Physical exhaustion (vs 5). Elijah was so tired that at the first opportunity he fell asleep. One of the common characteristics of depression is a bonenumbing fatigue. Not the normal, healthy fatigue we all have, but a fatigue so intense you can barely put one foot in front of the other. You go to bed exhausted, you wake up exhausted. + Bitterness and anger (vs 10, 14). Elijah was mad at the people, mad at Ahab, and if the truth was known, maybe just a little bit mad at God! Depression is like that. On the one hand there is this numbness, so that you don't care about things you used to care greatly about. On the other hand, there is this bitterness and anger at people and circumstances and sometimes even at God!
Is there a bottom line in all this? Yes! Even very godly people can become depressed! When it happens, take it seriously. Talk to your doctor, your pastor or a trained counselor.
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