When Your Soul is Overwhelmed: Bible Verses About Depression

Being a Christian or a disciple of Jesus does not mean that you are exempt from struggles in this life. On the contrary, being a follower of Jesus opens you up to persecution and suffering precisely because you follow Him. Consider these Bible verses about depression:

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. – 2 Timothy 3:12-13, NIV

“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” – John 15:20, NIV

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We ought to banish the thought that following Jesus will mean smooth sailing in life, perfect health, and no issues in our relationships. Instead, in Jesus we have comfort, true meaning, and a purpose that can help us navigate this world well during these trials. When we face challenges of any sort, we can face them with the strength God provides, and with joy, peace, and hope.

A quick explainer on depression

It should come as no surprise that disciples of Jesus can also experience depression, just as everyone else in the world is vulnerable to depression. Being depressed doesn’t make you less godly or Spirit-filled; it simply makes you a human being living in a broken world that is in the grip of sin and death. For the believer, hope lies in the promise that though we face trouble, we have peace because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16: 33).

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, NIV

Depression is a mood disorder; according to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is a “common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” (APA) Depression is more than just feeling sad, or the grief you feel when you lose a loved one.

Feeling sad or grieving is not the same as feeling depressed, because sadness is typically tied to your circumstances, and grief is a natural and unique process that each person goes through as they process loss. Depression goes deeper than sadness, and while it shares features in common with grief, depression isn’t as focused as grief is.

You can’t just simply get over being depressed, because what’s happening is the result of chemical imbalances in the brain, genetic vulnerabilities, stressful life events, and faulty mood regulation by the brain, to name a few possible causes. Depression requires treatment, which includes therapy and medication in some instances.

Some signs of depression

Due to the complexity of the causes of depression, two people may have similar symptoms of depression, but those symptoms may present in different ways. Different individuals may even have entirely different symptoms.

Not every symptom listed below is present when a person is depressed, and they won’t be present in the same intensity for any two people. Additionally, some symptoms, such as anger or irritability may be more easily discerned among men.

There are also different types of depression, including postpartum depression which is connected with pregnancy and the birth of a baby and affects moms and dads, seasonal affective disorder which usually coincides with the winter months, persistent depressive disorder, and major depressive disorder.

It’s important that you seek a proper diagnosis for depression because the symptoms can be subtle or related to other conditions such as stress, or grief. See a doctor or a mental health professional to receive a proper diagnosis and the treatment necessary. Some of the symptoms of depression include:

• Loss of interest in activities that held your interest previously.
• Withdrawal from social activities, family, and friends.
• Irritability and anger outbursts.
• Being indecisive, struggling to concentrate, being forgetful.
• Significant changes in your appetite, including eating too little and eating too much.
• A corresponding decrease or increase in weight due to appetite changes.
• Feeling fatigued and a loss of energy.
• Changes in your sleep patterns; either you sleep way too much, or you sleep very little and struggle to fall or stay asleep.
• Unexplained body aches and gastrointestinal issues that don’t respond to treatment.
• Feeling hopeless, worthless, and guilty.
• Thinking about death, making plans to commit suicide, or attempting suicide.

Bible verses about depression

While the Bible doesn’t use the term depression because it’s a modern diagnosis, some verses describe what depression feels like, and what writers from centuries past called melancholy. Finding these experiences spoken of in Scripture helps us to find comfort. We are not alone in feeling these things, and God is with us in the midst of our darkest seasons.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, 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.’ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. – 1 Kings 19:3-6, NIV

I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. – Psalms 6:6-7, NIV

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ and my foes will rejoice when I fall. – Psalms 13:1-4, NIV

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” – Psalms 116:3-4, NIV

These four Scriptures describe feelings of deep anguish, of being overwhelmed to the point where death feels tangible. Elijah, after a great victory over Ahab and the false gods that Israel was worshipping, found himself feeling defeated and praying for death because an enemy threatened him.

David felt under threat from enemies, and this led him to feel abandoned and forgotten by God, distressed and sorrowful. These were stressful situations that overwhelmed them, that made them feel hopeless and alone.

The symptoms can be similarly triggered by stressful life events in our lives. The encouragement from these verses is that though these godly people felt death close at hand, and even prayed for death because their circumstances felt overwhelming, they held onto hope in God and allowed God to minister to them in their distress. Even in the darkness, they held onto what little sliver of light they could and continued to hope for deliverance.

Finding help for depression

The outlook for depression is good because many effective treatments are available, which often include talk therapy and medication. Share your story with your therapist, and they will design an effective treatment plan that’s unique to you.

Your therapist will help you understand how depression affects you and your relationships, what may be causing your depression, and teach you how to cope with depression so you can function well and have a good quality of life. A Christian therapist will integrate God’s Word and resources like prayer into your treatment plan, so that you can deepen your connection with God and make that part of the healing process.

Depression is about more than just having a bad day or a series of bad days. If you or a loved one are experiencing the symptoms of depression for longer than two weeks, go and see a doctor or a mental health professional. If you are diagnosed with depression, that’s a step toward finding the healing you need, and that can happen through an effective treatment plan. Don’t hesitate; reach out for help today to begin your journey toward wholeness and flourishing.