Depression Isn't A Sin

Why is depression so hard for people to understand or accept?

A while back, I had a conversation with someone about depression. This person didn’t believe you could be a Christian and still get depressed. He thought that if you were depressed, you never really had any faith in God. No matter what I said, he wouldn’t change his mind.

Unfortunately, there are so many people who feel this same way. They believe that if you are really saved, you would have no reason to be that unhappy. Because God is good and loving, there is nothing to be depressed about. Some even say that people are depressed because of sin in their lives.

There are also people who believe depression is just a normal illness, like a cold or the flu. They think that depression is something you can just “get over” after a period of time. To them, you’re not wrong for being depressed, but it’s not a big deal either.

None of this should be news to anyone. And in today’s culture, I can’t blame people for thinking this. It is completely normal to claim to be depressed. People toss the word around when they are merely sad about a particular situation they are in. They don’t understand the true meaning of it. This makes it hard for people who truly have depression to admit it and seek help.

Of course, there are people in the middle who aren’t sure what to think. Either way can seem logical, depending on the information being presented to them. But that still leaves the Christians who actually live with depression. Many feel guilty or confused because it’s hard for people to relate to what they’re going through. They hear that they’re wrong to feel the way they do, or that their problem is nothing serious.

So, what is depression?

Mentalhelp.net defines depression as “a mental illness that has a significant effect on a person’s ability to function normally, and is marked by persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, worthlessness, and hopelessness.”

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is not the same thing as sadness. When you’re depressed, the sad feelings increase and don’t go away. They also list four factors that play a role in depression: biochemistry (chemicals in the brain), genetics, your personality (pessimistic, low self-esteem, etc.), and environmental factors. It is estimated that at least 16% of people deal with depression at some point in their lives.

I have depression. For too long, most people didn’t know that. I’ve dealt with it off and on for years, but not as long as I’ve been a Christian.

So I’m expected to believe that one day I was a Christian and the next day I wasn’t just because I was depressed? Or that I was never a Christian in the first place? I don’t think so. I still remember the day I got saved as a young child. I also remember the day I rededicated my life to God. Both instances were genuine, and they changed my life. Yet I’m still depressed.

Fortunately, I can look in the Bible for examples. Even some of the great heroes of the Bible struggled with depression. The first one I always think of is Job. He was blameless in the eyes of God. But he lost everything and developed poor physical health. He wished he had never been born (Job 3:11) and he questioned why people who want to die are given life (Job 3:20–21). In chapter 9, he admits he despises his life.

We can look at David, whom God called “a man after my own heart” in Acts 13:22. Yet there are many instances in the Psalms where David talks about his great sorrow. In Psalm 6:6, he says, “I am worn out from my groaning. All night long, I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.”

1 Samuel 1 tells us about Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah. Hannah couldn’t have children, but the other wife did,, and would provoke Hannah about it to irritate her. This went on so long that Hannah became depressed over it. Verse 7 tells us she couldn’t eat, and verse 10 says, “In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.”

If even godly people from the Bible experienced depression, I shouldn’t feel so bad about it. The problem with depression isn’t sin or a lack of faith. This belief alienates those who genuinely need help.

In Job 42:2–6, Job repents. These verses show that Job still has not lost his faith, even after he lost everything and became deeply depressed.

In Psalm 13:1–6, David cries out to God, asking how long he will continue to suffer. But then his prayer changes, and he praises God for loving him and being good to him.

In 1 Samuel 1:11, Hannah poured her heart out to God because of her anguish and grief.

Even Christians need help sometimes. Job, David, and Hannah all cried out to God. They weren’t afraid to tell Him exactly how they felt, and God isn’t afraid to hear it. Talk to Him and read His Word.

But even as you seek God, don’t be afraid to reach out to others for help, too. There’s nothing wrong with finding a counselor. They can help you get to the root of your depression and help you figure out how to overcome it.

In some cases, you may need to look into medication. Christians often advise against this solution, but there is nothing wrong with this. When you get a cold, you take medicine. When you have something more serious, like cancer, you undergo treatment. Taking antidepressants is no different.

Depression doesn’t mean you’re not a Christian. It means you’re human. God still loves you. He hasn’t left you, and you can still lean on Him.

(This was originally published on Medium.com)