It was Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones-a Christian minister and author that first coined the phrase Spiritual Depression.  He preached a series of sermons called: Spiritual Depression, Its Causes and Cures,” Dr. Lloyd –Jones used Psalms 42 and 43 as an example of the cause and cure for Spiritual Depression:

Listen to the words of the psalmist “Why are thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”   Psalms 42:11 NASB reads-Why are you in despair, my soul? The word “despair” means: the absence of hope:

Other signs of Spiritual Depression include:

Struggling to find joy in worship, Withdrawing from your church or religious community, Avoiding other members of the church, Losing interest in your regular church activities or performing them only from a sense of duty, Feeling as if Bible study or other religious pursuits have lost their meaning, Failing to find comfort in prayer, Negative or cynical thinking about God or religion, Questioning or doubting your faith and A sense of spiritual hopelessness or discouragement

Depression signs according to Healthline .com

A sad or hopeless mood on more days than not,, A feeling of guilt or worthlessness,, A loss of energy or motivation, Trouble managing emotions,, Sleeplessness and fatigue.

It affects 1 out of 10 Americans

The percentage of adults with depression per state—the #1 state that has more people suffering from depression- West Virginia followed by Kentucky & Tennessee:

There are a lot of myths about why Christians should never experience depression. This has caused many Christian being afraid to admit that they are or have experienced depression.

Spiritual Depression is a reality:

There are a couple of myths given why Christians should never experience depression:

“It’s all in your head”—Some Christians will say, you need to stop acknowledging your depression, we are people of faith.  You just need more faith; the problem with that statement is that real faith is not the denial of problem.

A survey was performed at Vanderbilt University-on depression along religious groups. Pentecostals and Charismatic people are more likely to become depress than any other religious groups.  I believe that the reason why this is true is because of an unbalance teaching on the health and wealth gospel that’s being preach and taught today. Word of Faith movement teaches if you have enough faith nothing bad will happen to you. One prominent Word of Faith minister stated that the reason why the apostle Paul suffered so much was because of a lack of faith. Another prominent minister stated the reason why Christians get sick is because they were not walking in faith.

We lived in a fallen world where a lot of things can go wrong to Christians and non-Christians. Suffering from clinical depression is one of them. This is caused by an imbalance chemistry in the brain not because of a lack of faith.

Christians can have a Biological issue—Christians are not known as being very health consciences—just watch Christians after Sunday morning service at their favorite restaurant. Poor eating habits and sugary drinks, the old saying, you are what you eat and by the company you keep. Another reason is our bodies are wasting away—it affects us, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Paul wrote—Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day.  2 Corinthians 4:16

Second myth: Why Christians should never be depressed”

No one in the Bible ever experienced Depression. There are plenty examples of people in the Bible who suffered depression.  In the book of Psalms—David is all over the map-emotionally—it shows us how human Biblical charters were in the Bible: David said in Psalms 6:3- I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me?

Elijah the Prophet of God fell to depression—But he (Elijah) himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”  1 Kings 19:4

How about Job—Job 3:1 says–Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

Charles Spurgeon was known as one of the most powerful preacher that ever lived. Yet he battle regularly with depression.  Spurgeon once said—“There are dungeons beneath the castles of despair” It was well known that Martin Luther the founder of the protestant movement battle with depression.

In Psalms 42 and 43 records King David battle with depression. To give you a little background. Some Biblical scholars believe David is writing about his experience when Absalom’s, David own son lead a rebellion against him and seized control of the Kingdom of Israel.:

David brought with him one of the sons of Korah, a Levite, who penned Psalms 42 and 43. These two Psalms are about personal struggles that David had in making sense of the experience he was going through. Betrayal by someone who is very close to a person can be as hard as going through a divorce it’s very emotional and depressing.

Psalm 42 starts out:

Verse 1– As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”

Absalom stole the hearts of the people almost everyone in Jerusalem has abandoned David and pledges themselves to Absalom: In a condescending manner those who betrayed David are saying, “Where is your God” this led David into a deep depression: 

I believe we can find four factors in these two recorded Psalms that led to David depression:

First Factor that lead to David’s Depression-Unfulfilled Hope:

Verse 1-As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Notice that last line: When shall I come and appear before God?

Remember David has been driven away from Jerusalem were the temple of God is located that represents the presences of God. The heart of a worshipper longs to be in God’s presences: David said, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” David is experiencing unfulfilled hope, when we lose hope we become prone to spiritual depression.

 Proverbs 13:12- Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

The Message Bible reads- Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick.

The Second factor why David was experiencing depression, he came under Personal Attacks:

Verse 3- My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” Verse 10- As with a breaking of my bones, My enemies reproach me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

David was personally attacked from those he didn’t expect would attack him which added to his depression.  Whoever these people were that were attacking David wasn’t showing any mercy. David said, they continually say to me, all day long “Where is your God” Just image the stress David was under from these attacks.  Proverbs 12:25-Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. David wasn’t receiving any support from those whom he trusted; those who once were his friends those with whom David had worshiped God together. 

David recorded another similar situation of being betrayed by a close friend. In Psalms 55:13-14 David writes, “It is not an enemy who taunts me, I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me, I could have hidden from them. 13 Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend.”

The third factor why David was experiencing spiritual depression:–He kept rehearing the past.

Verse 4- When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Notice David said; “When I remember these things” –David is rehearsing the past

“I pour out my soul within me” the New Living Translation says, – “My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be” For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God. 

These are memories of better days– the “good old days” Its ok to remember the past but don’t live in the past.

The last contributing factor of David’s depression was he became self-absorbed.

A basic problem that leads some people into depression is self-centeredness, when reading Psalms 42 and 43 there are 51 personal pronouns (I, me, my) Only 20 times did David mentions God. What happened, instead of David having his eyes on God he placed them on his situation and began to feel sorry for himself. 

Becoming self-absorbed in your hurt from what others have done or said about you will not help you from climbing out of your pain. God can and will heal you from your wounds if you will just yield to His grace.

What is the cure for spiritual depression?

#1- Replace your thoughts with God’s truth: “Hope in God”

Listen to what David said in verse 5

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

David had a little talk with himself and asks the question why.  “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote—“Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself”

#2- Replace your past with your future: “for I shall yet praise Him”

The word Hope appears three times in Psalms 42 and 43

David said, “I will put my hope in God.” Your outlook will determine your outcome.

#3- Replace self with God:  “For the help of His countenance”

How do you do that? Focus upward instead of inward.

Corrie ten Boom said — “Look around and be distressed. Look within and be depressed. Look to Jesus and be at rest”

If you are battling spiritual depression I just want to encourage you, Look to Jesus and be at rest. He is our hope and our comfort.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.    2 Corinthians 1:3-4