How does a Christian deal with depression? Here are 3 suggestions.
Christians, like anyone else, can suffer from depression. There are many possible causes of depression -- it could be chemical or hormonal, it could be circumstances, it could be moods or emotions. We are not trained professionals, so if you are severely depressed we strongly encourage you to get professional counseling.
Here are 3 ideas that could be of help.
- Pray and ask God for help! God is the source of everything good in our lives. He made us and He knows us. God can give you wisdom for various ways you can deal with your depression and its underlying causes and He can also help lift your spirits.
- Talk with someone. This could be a licensed professional, particularly if your depressions is serious; he or she might prescribe medication. But even if your depression is minor, it can be a great help to talk with someone. This could just be a family member or friend, or it could be a pastor or lay counselor. But talking with others can help you have perspective and possibly lift your spirits.
- Don't focus! If there is something you can do about your depression or removing its causes, by all means, pray about doing it. But if you are just focusing on being depressed and it is not leading to anything constructive, you can ask God to help you switch your focus to something good and lasting and true. You can also seek how you can reach out and minister to others; taking the focus off of yourself can be a big help at times.