MESSAGE
Depression and anxiety are not uncommon to our generation. Studies show that issues like school safety, immigration, and widespread sexual harassment reports contribute to rising stress and anxiety in teens. The prophet Elijah was not a stranger to depression. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah found himself at one of the lowest points of his life. At one point he prayed that he would die, saying, “I have had enough”! Reading further in 1 Kings, we read several powerful encounters Elijah had with God. God met Elijah at the place of his despair, not with a correction or a lecture, but with a gentle whisper.
When dealing with depression we can look to multiple avenues. Proper medication can be a tremendous blessing in our lives just as stitches on a wound are a huge help when you need them. Choosing to use the available help for mental health issues is in no way different from choosing to use a cast for a broken leg. On the other hand, as Christians we recognize the spiritual side of our lives – we don’t rely purely on medication to solve all of our problems. One moment in God’s presence can change everything. By God’s supernatural power, depression can be healed in a moment. Alternatively, sometimes our journey through depression may take time, but we can be certain that God is with us every step of the way.
Like Elijah, God is not only available to us when we feel good, but He is present with us even in the darkness of depression. We have the assurance that even in our lowest moments we are still being drawn by the gracious arms of God into a closer relationship with Him. In Psalm 56:8, the psalmist confesses, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” God is not far-off and disconnected from our lives. But we serve a God who sees you today. He is familiar with your hurts, and your pain, and who will one day wipe every tear from your eyes (Revelation 21:4).
What God wants is not so much our victories, but He wants a relationship while we walk through the valleys. Even in the dark times, God will prepare a meal, provide shelter, and speak gently into our fears and anxieties. God desires that we live free from sickness, anxiety, and depression. Dark times in our lives are an invitation to draw nearer to the Giver of life and joy.
Read:
Prayer: Lord, I come to you in my hour of need. I ask you to touch my mind and uplift my thoughts, change my seeming realities that I’m thinking about my life, change my opinion of what is and what can be. God, I ask that you give me a sense of well being again. I pray that you help me find my smile, both on my face and in my soul. God, I cannot do this by myself, so I turn to you, and I surrender. Amen.
Journal Book Questions:
1. What did God say to you?
2. What did you say to God?
