How to Beat the Blues
Text: 1 Kings 19:1-18
There is help for depression.
Depression through the eyes of Scripture and the story of Elijah, showing that even God’s strongest servants can sink into deep discouragement. The message traces how the Lord met Elijah in his body, soul, and spirit, offering rest, nourishment, truth, and gentle correction. Along the way, listeners are reminded that distorted thinking can be challenged, isolation can be broken, and the whisper of God can revive a weary heart. With memorable illustrations and practical wisdom, the message assures anyone walking through the shadows that they are not alone and that real help is available.
Here’s a thought: If or when you battle depression you are in good company.
A young lawyer had descended into the valley of despondency. Things were going so poorly for him that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors away from him for fear of a suicide attempt. In fact, during this time he wrote in his memoirs, "I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I fear I shall not." The young lawyer who unleashed these desperate feelings of utter hopelessness? His name was Abraham Lincoln.
Depression affects all of us directly or indirectly to varying degrees at one time or another. There are times when I feel so low that I want to hop in my car, go for a drive and not come back. There are times when I feel so low that I want to quit everything, sell (almost) everything and move to a warm island with lots of palm trees, sand and water. Each person is different and will have unique symptoms, but here are some of the more common symptoms of depression:
Depressed mood
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in usually-enjoyed activities
Change in weight or appetite
Sleep disturbances
Decreased energy or fatigue (without significant physical exertion)
Thoughts of death
Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions
In 1 Kings 19:1-18 a mighty man of God had played a major part in defeating hundreds of false prophets on a mountaintop then descended into a deep valley of depression:
1 Now [King] Ahab told [Queen] Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 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." 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he travelled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 10 He replied, "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." 11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" 14 He replied, "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." 15 The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel - all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him." NIV
The Lord dealt with Elijah's depression in his:
Body (1 Kings 19:5-9)
The prophet Elijah had just confronted 400 prophets of Baal and 450 prophets of Asherah. God miraculously and convincingly defeated them in a showdown on Mount Carmel. As great as this experience was for Elijah, it took a lot out of him.
Curiously, after boldly going toe to toe with all these false prophets, he fled at the death threat of one lady - Queen Jezebel. When he heard of her plans to kill him, Elijah fled into the wilderness. As he curled up under a tree in the desert, he contemplated death and poured out his hopelessness.
God sent an angel to tend to Elijah, not to chastise him. The Lord knew that Elijah needed rest, food and drink. As followers of Jesus we somehow think that the body is a sinful part of us to be denied. As much as we try to ignore this fact, we still live in a tent that requires care and attention.
Here are some things not to do when you are feeling blue:
Don't weigh yourself.
Don't watch the movie, “Old Yeller.”
Don't go near a chocolate shop.
Don't open your credit card bill.
Don't go shopping for a new bathing suit.
Here are a few of the physical problems related to depression:
Viral infections. Illness can bring on sadness and sadness can make you more susceptible to illness.
Chemical imbalance. Some people inherit repeated depressions, often requiring lifelong antidepressant medications. Others have physical illnesses, such as hypothyroidism, that result in symptoms of depression.
Fatigue. The average person needs eight hours of sleep a night. A wise Bible college dean made it a common practice when one of the students came to him for counsel to require the student to go back to his or her room and enjoy a long, restful night's sleep then to come see him again the next day. The student's problem typically became much more manageable.
Postpartum "blues." It is not uncommon for a woman to become severely depressed after the birth of her baby.
Have you been trying to shake off depression? See your doctor. Good communication between physician and patient can help curtail any physical conditions contributing to the despair.
Be careful not to over commit yourself. Provide your body with good amounts of rest, exercise, healthy eating, lots of water, fresh air, sunshine and, if necessary, vitamins.
The Lord dealt with Elijah's depression in his:
Body
Soul (1 Kings 19:13-18)
Elijah's thinking had become distorted. He thought he was the only one left in Israel who was faithful to God. The Lord reminded him of seven thousand people who still worshipped the one true God.
Change the way you talk to yourself. Would you ever criticize another person as much as you criticize yourself? Biblical counselling can really help to reveal and change these thought patterns.
Develop new interests and activities. Enrol in a class, get involved in a ministry in the church, join a club and/or develop new friendships.
Do a kind deed for someone else each week. This builds relationships and helps you get your mind off your troubles.
Spend time with your family and friends. Intimacy with your loved ones is vital to your self-worth and overall mental health.
Remember to laugh. Since laughter relaxes us as almost nothing else can, humour is critical to your emotional well-being. Acknowledge that no one is perfect, give yourself permission to laugh at your own perfectionist demands and then accept the beginning of healing.
Elijah left his servant, isolated himself and plunged right into a pity party. Depressed people often cut themselves off from others. You are playing with fire if you are depressed and do this.
The Lord dealt with Elijah's depression in his: Body
Soul
Spirit (1 Kings 19:11-13)
The Lord revealed Himself to Elijah in a fresh way by demonstrating His power once again, then whispering His words of reassurance and direction to the prophet. God gave him a fresh vision and purpose for his life - to anoint new political and spiritual leaders.
Pursue God's direction for your life. Through prayer, fasting, godly counsel and reflection on your fruitful and frustrating experiences you can know the way God wants you to invest your life. The Lord has surprising ways of demonstrating His strength through our weakness.
If or when you battle depression you are in good company. Joshua Wolf Shenk concludes :
Abraham Lincoln fought clinical depression all his life, and if he were alive today, his condition would be treated as a "character issue" - that is, as a political liability. His condition was indeed a character issue: it gave him the tools to save the nation. Lincoln didn't do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy; the problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work.
Early in Martin Luther's marriage, his wife watched him battle bouts of depression, even question God's willingness or ability to help him through a difficult trial. Without saying a word, she donned a black dress and veil, reserved for times of mourning. When Luther asked why she was dressed this way, she commented, "Because God is dead. It's obvious by the way you're acting."
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, known as the prince of preachers, was called to pastor a church at the age of 23 and was addressing crowds of 5,000 at the age of 30. He struggled with depression so severely that he would take leaves of absence from his pulpit for several months on end because of it.
Get rid of grudges daily. If a trusted friend has spread gossip or lies about you, then deal with it rather than holding a grudge. However, if you look honestly at the situation, you may see that most of your anger is inappropriate, especially if a perfectionist demand or selfish expectation is not being met.
A golfing pastor, badly beaten by an elderly parishioner, returned to the clubhouse depressed. "Cheer up," said his opponent. "Remember, you win eventually. You'll be burying me someday."
"Yes," whined the pastor. "But even then it'll be your hole."
Horatio G. Spafford (1828-1888) was an exceptional man who built a successful law practice in Chicago in the years just after the U.S. Civil War. He had five children - four girls and a boy. He was a deeply spiritual Christian who studied the Bible every day and who was good friends with some of the most influential Christian leaders of his day - men such as Dwight L. Moody and Philip B. Bliss. D.L. Moody was a powerful evangelist and Philip Bliss was an evangelist who wrote some of the most familiar and well-loved hymns of all time. These two men helped Mr. Spafford through some very difficult
years - years that were filled with tragedy.
Horatio's son died of pneumonia while he was only a young boy. He lost the buildings that housed his law practice in the great Chicago Fire. Horatio, his wife and his four daughters then made plans (since his business was lost and no longer tied him down) to travel to England where D.L. Moody was preaching. Horatio was delayed by an appearance before a city commission to ensure his ownership of the property where his buildings had burned along Lake Michigan. He sent his wife and four daughters ahead on the ship to England, fully expecting to follow close behind them. The ship they travelled on encountered thick fog and sunk in 12 quick minutes as the result of a collision with another ship. Many of the passengers were rescued, including Horatio's wife. All four of their daughters, however, went down with the ship.
Horatio boarded the next available ship to join his wife in England. It was on this trip that he received the inspiration for his greatest work and testimony. He asked the ship's steward to inform him of when they reached the spot where the ship with his four daughters had sunk. Upon arriving at the spot, Horatio was informed by the steward and he went up on to the deck to see the place where the tragedy occurred and to talk to God. During this conversation Horatio wrote the words of his great hymn, "It Is Well with My Soul". Horatio cabled the words back to Chicago to his good friend, Philip Bliss. By the time Horatio and his wife returned from England to Chicago, Philip had composed the tune that accompanies these classic lyrics. This song has comforted countless thousands who have experienced difficult times.
The Lord dealt with Elijah's depression in his:
Body
Soul
Spirit
There is help for depression.