Understanding Depression 

（Text： 1 King 19：1-18）

INTRODUCTION

Depression is a common disease that affects many people. According to statistic, one tenth of the world population does suffer from depression at various stages in their lives. Christians are not exempted from this disease and a biblical example of God’s servant suffering from depression was Elijah. He was a model of faith, yet he went through this terrible disease. Considered what Elijah had accomplished: （1）He prophesied, and Israel was suffering from famine. （2）While staying in the house of a widow, he performed a miracle by bringing her son to life. （3）He called upon God to consume the offering supernaturally.

 

Despite of performing these miracles, Elijah went through a terrible emotional upheaval in his life asking God to end his life. In fact, Elijah was undergoing a depression in today’s medical term.

In this study, we will focus on a typical type of depression which is connected to spiritual burnout in ministry. As a result of stress in the ministry, many pastors, ministers and church leaders do undergo burnout. Prolong burnout will eventually develop depression. You may not have the illness yourselves; however, the case study of Elijah’s depression will make you to become a friend to those who suffered from this illness. The objective of this study is to use the case study of Elijah to help  victims to overcome depression and to bring about emotional wholeness. We will achieve the above objective by looking into three insights concerning depression: symptoms, causes and treatments of depression.

 SYPMTONS OF DEPRESSION

For a sufferer of depression to board on the plane of recovery, it is essential for the sufferer to gain insight that he or she is ill. Without insight, it is very difficult for healing to take place. The study of symptoms of depression will help us to understand the illness in a better way.

 (1)    Fear

 According to I King 19:3, Elijah was afraid. Why was fear entering into the life of Elijah? Because he entertained intimidating words spoken by Jezebel: “May the gods deal with me, be it even so severely, if by this tomorrow, do not make your life like that of one of them” (I King 19:2).

Therefore, permitting the word of man or devil to germinate in our mind is very detrimental. Eventually faith gives way, and the devil will have a foothold in our lives. No wonder Paul admonishes Christians who are fighting spiritual warfare to put on the shield of faith to resist the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

 Fear is a terrible feeling. It practically paralyses our emotional wellness and make us feel us feel helpless, hopeless, and tormented.

 (2)    Withdrawal

According to I King 19:4a, Elijah left his servant and withdrew into the wilderness: “…he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert...” (I King 19:3b-4a).

A person suffering from depression will suffer loneliness and social isolation. He normally lives in his own world of seclusion. When we have such symptoms of withdrawal and loneliness, we should even more resisting of going into seclusion, but to force ourselves to look for friends to relate to them.

(3)    Suicidal Thought

Suicidal thought and depression usually appear hand in hand. Elijah was surely tormented by the suicidal thoughts: “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die” (I King 19:4b).

In fact, most people who are having depression do have suicidal thoughts with them and Christians are not exempted from it. When such symptoms emerge, we need to be extra careful to avoid tragedy from happening.

 (4)    Sense of Unworthiness 

Elijah felt that he was not worthy, and he was not as competent as his ancestors: “Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors” (I King 19:4c).

A sense of unworthiness will cause us to drift away from Him, and not depending on God. The sufferer will be tormented by the sense of guilt and unworthiness. He suffers condemnation, and such condemnation is surely not from God for the scripture says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ” (Roman 8:1).

 (5)    Self-Pity

Another emotional feeling that affects a depressed person is self-pity, and Elijah experienced it, “I am the only one left…” (I King 19:14).

A depressed person with strong sense of self-pity will look upon himself as a victim of injustice, and he could not trust God to execute justice in his life.

CAUSES OF DEPRESSION

To recover from depression, other than gaining insight into the symptoms, one should also know the causes of his or her conditions. Depression can be caused by endogenous or psychogenic factors. Endogenous depression is resulted by the organic malfunctioning of the brain system, whereas psychogenic depression is caused by stress. As for Elijah, he was suffering from psychogenic depression, resulted by stress in the ministry.

 (1)    He was overcome by word of man

After hearing a threat from the messenger of Jezebel, Elijah was afraid: “And now Ahad told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 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’. Elijah was afraid and ran for his life” (I King 19: 1-3a).

Obviously the word of man had overpowered the faith of Elijah. I suppose, Elijah was dwelling in fearful imagination: “he was skinned, beaten, hands and legs chopped etc”. Such imaginative fear brought about terrible effect on his life emotionally and mentally; yesterday hero became a timid man.

No wonder Peter admonished Christians to be alert, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:13).

Christians are to be alert when engaging a spiritual warfare. When we facing attack from the accuser the devil, we should use the shield of faith to pull it down.

(2)    He was deceived by presumption

Elijah presumed he was alone fighting the battle: “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” (I King 19:14).

Do you see the point? Elijah was dwelling on wrong presumption, “He was alone fighting the battle”. No! He was not alone,  God had reserved seven thousand prophets who had not bowed down before Baal.

Therefore, lone ranger in ministry is not encouraged. We should always look for teamwork so that we will not be deceived by presumption.

(3)    He overestimated his ministry

He thought by just performing few miracles he could change the whole destiny of the country. When things didn’t turn out to be positive, he was discouraged, “I have had enough, Lord…Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors” (I King 19:4c).

As we serve the Lord, our eyes should focus on Christ and his will. Overestimation of our ministry will render us frustrated and disappointed. Philippians’ 2:3 advises us, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves”.

As ministers of God, it is important to unload our self-ambition to God. Instead, we should embrace the ambition of God and serve him with humility. By so doing, we will be able to avoid overestimation of ourselves.

TREATMENTS OF DEPRESSION

We have studied the symptoms and causes of depression. Let us touch on the final most important insight, the treatments of depression. Please take note: the prescription to Elijah depression is only applicable to depression caused by psychogenic factors due to stress in ministry.

(1)    God set priority in restoring Elijah’s physical well-being

God was the best counsellor to help Elijah. He didn’t start the treatment by performing a lengthy Freudian’s psychoanalysis. He dealt with the root of Elijah’s immediate need: food and rest. God through the angel provided him with baked cake and water, “All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat’. He looked around and there was by his head a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again” (I King 19:5b-6).

In modern living, God has given us doctors to help patients of depression by providing them medications which are useful to restore the physical well-being. Anti-depressants are God-given medicine which has saved many lives from committing suicide. Christians should listen to doctor’s advice to take this life saving medication.

(2)    God endeavoured to pull Elijah Out of his world of seclusion

Elijah was dwelling in self-pity and seclusion. God penetrated the imprisonment of his own world by speaking to Elijah, “and the word of the Lord came to him:’ what are you doing here, Elijah’” (I King 19:9b)?

God didn’t reproach Elijah; rather He spoke emphatically to him. God is an omniscient God; he obviously knew what had happened to Elijah; yet He spoke to him in a non-embarrassing way. He listened emphatically allowing Elijah to pour out his frustration, “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” (I King 19:10).

God allowed Elijah to speak forth his frustration and allowing patient of depression to share the problem will help the patient to come out of his world of seclusion.

(3)    God helped Elijah to overcome fixation (I King 19:11-13)

Elijah was fixated to certain concept about God and how God worked. He was fixated to the idea that God was present only when there was the manifestation of earthquake, fire and brim storm. Elijah was shocking this time round that God was not present in earthquake, fire and brim storm. Instead, God’s presence was manifested in a gentle, still small voice. As ministry of God, it is important that we are not fixated to certain way God will work. God is omnipotent, he is powerful enough to work in every way he chooses.

(4)    God restored him into new potentiality (I king 19:15-18)

God views us beyond our predicament, He views into our potentiality. He permits us to go through trial and suffering, but he will turn them into our blessing.

At this point, God reshaped Elijah ministry from a lone ranger into a team player. God appointed Elisha as his successor. God commissioned him to anoint Jehu as the future leader of Israel to replace Ahad to bring reform to the nation of Israel.

Therefore, when we encountered spiritual depression in our ministry, we need to remind ourselves that God is ready to promote us to a higher ministry.

CONCLUSION

“...a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3)

When you are depressed, you are like a smoldering wick. I wish to comfort you that God will not snuff out a smoldering wick. He will restore the flame and make it glow.