The Bible and Mood Disorders
Although it is impossible to know if any of the people mentioned in the Bible actually suffered from a mood disorder, the Bible does at least describe some people who showed symptoms of mood disorders.
One of the most obvious is Job during his time of suffering. In his lament in Job 3, Job describes virtually all of the symptoms of major depressive disorder. He is grieved and distressed; he feels hopeless, pessimistic, helpless and fatigued; he can’t sleep; he is restless and irritable; and his thoughts are focused on death. That is depression!
King David also suffered from depression, as seen in Psalm 22, Psalm 69, and Psalm 142, as did the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 15:10-18, Jeremiah 20:14-18)
Hope
As Job’s focus turned more towards his circumstances and away from his relationship with God, he lost sight of his hope and sank deeper and deeper into despair. Ultimately, however, Job realised that true hope comes only through faith in the Redeemer (Job 19:25-26). Faith and hope are intimately connected.
Faith in Action: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
If you are suffering from depression, then Jesus Christ offers you hope in the darkness. If you do not yet know Christ, read the gospel of John. True hope is possible only through a saving faith in Christ.
If, however, you are a Christian suffering from depression, you should read Romans 15:4. You should remember that the Scriptures were written to encourage us and to give us hope. You can use God’s Word to rebuild your hope. Heroes of the faith, such as David (Psalm 13), Job (Job 3), and Jeremiah (Lamentations 3) all struggled with times of very intense hopelessness – but came through it through their faith in God. While deep despair and hopelessness can occur in Christians, God is faithful. Focusing on that single truth is what brought hope to the prophet Jeremiah at his lowest point:
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
(Lamentations 3:21-23)
As children of the living God, our hope is built on Christ (which you can see from Romans 5:1-5, Colossians 1:27, 1 Timothy 1:1 and Hebrews 6:17-20) who chose us, saved us, sealed us with the Holy Spirit and promised to return and take us home.
If you are suffering with depression, you can use Ephesians 1:18-23 as your personal prayer:
18 I pray that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which he has called me, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
(adapted for personal prayer)
A Word of Caution
We must remember that mood disorders are never an excuse for sinful behaviour, even though to have a mood disorder itself is not a sin. Salvation changes us in the spirit and God begins a transforming work in our minds. But our minds and bodies still carry the scars of sin. Praying more, reading God’s Word and bolstering our faith are always good, and we are called to do such things as we are being sanctified. But faith does not correct the physical scars of the Fall – we still get sick, physically and mentally!
Now by faith we are able to bring the members of our flesh under control so that we will not be involved in sinful behaviour. To be sick, however, is not sinful behaviour – even if that sickness is mental in nature.