Overcoming

part of the
Walking with God through
the dark valley of depression
a gift from UCB.CO.UK
Overcoming
Depression
Index of abbreviations
All scripture references are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
AMP Amplified Bible • NIV New International Version • NAS New American Standard
NKJ New King James Version • NCV New Century Version • TM The Message • TLB The Living Bible
NRS New Revised Standard Version • PHPS Phillips N.T. in Modern English
• GWT God’s Word Translation • TEV Today’s English Version • NEB New English Bible
Editorial Team:
Editor – Alistair Metcalfe
Publications Co-ordinator – Karen Brittain
Prayers – Carl Brettle
UCB Operations Centre, Westport Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4JF
T: 0845 60 40 401 (local rate call) E: [email protected]
Welcome
to Overcoming Depression
‘This little booklet promises no quick-fix cures for depression’’
D
epression is a single word which carries a multitude of meanings. Even
experts disagree on what exactly constitutes ‘depression’ and there is
no widely agreed common cause for it. People encounter depression
in different ways – some in a relatively short burst which never recurs;
others come to recognise it as a constant companion throughout life.
But one thing is sure: depression is more than feeling sad or low, more
than the emotion common to everyone when things get tough, life
becomes dull or we lose someone we love. Depression is an undesired
‘brain state’ over which sufferers have little or no control; a place of
helplessness, and often anxiety and fear.
Depression affects men, women and children and does not discriminate
by culture, ethnicity or background. While it may not have its origins in
a chemical or physiological change, there is evidence to suggest that
depression changes the brain’s natural healthy balance, with negative
effects. Sufferers experience life-diminishing symptoms such as
tiredness, insomnia, significant health issues, reduced motivation and
even suicidal thoughts.
This little booklet promises no simple cure for depression. If you are
concerned about depression – in you, or someone you love – we
encourage you to seek help from a medical professional. But we pray
that in these pages you will find new hope and be encouraged to seek
God for your healing and wholeness.
(Source: patient.co.uk)
The Overcoming Series is designed to help people like you find
God’s help in dealing with the challenges that face us all.
Contained in these little booklets are big truths from God’s Word,
guidance on how to pray, and practical suggestions for change. Turn
over to begin reading a selection of articles and testimonies written
by people who understand what you’re going through and long to
help you overcome.
Then, starting on page 16, there are 28 readings from Bob Gass,
author of The Word For Today, to help you practice new thought
patterns and habits day by day for a month. As the Bible says, ‘He
who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4). With
the help of our great God, you can overcome any challenge you face.
Discover the other titles in the Overcoming Series on page 35
Overcoming Depression 3
Overcoming depression Where do I start?
‘We can start making choices to “climb out of the dark pit of
depression’
W
e begin each of our Overcoming booklets with
this question: Where do I start? But when dealing
with the issue of depression, perhaps a better
question is: How did I get here?
No matter how you are experiencing depression today, you
will probably remember a time when you didn’t feel like this,
and maybe you also remember the cause. Perhaps you are
aware of a specific trigger which caused your depression: a
bereavement or the loss of a friendship; redundancy or the
breakdown of a marriage. Perhaps it was a more gradual
descent as your patterns of thinking or self-esteem took
a negative turn. It is also possible that your depression
was triggered by a medical factor, such as an underactive
thyroid.
One thing is clear: depression was not a choice you made. In
his book, Growing from Depression, Dr Neel Burton writes,
‘People do not “choose” to be depressed any more than
people with a physical illness “choose” to be ill. They are
not lazy or “moral failures”, and getting better is not simply a
matter of them “pulling their socks up” or “getting their act
together.”’
We can, however, start making choices to ‘climb out of
the dark pit of depression,’ as authors Chris Ledger and
Wendy Bray put it. As they write in their excellent Insight
Into Depression, this will involve naming and letting go of
unwanted baggage; examining and perhaps changing
4 Overcoming Depression
our physical and behavioural patterns; pursuing good
accountable relationships with others; and managing our
thinking carefully.
This final point is the most important of all, as key to any
lasting change in our lives is being ‘transformed by the
renewing of [our] mind’ (Romans 12:2). As Dr Burton says,
‘The journey out of depression is one of learning: learning
about oneself, of course, but also learning about … defeating
thinking errors, managing stress and anxiety, developing
confidence and self-esteem, building relationships, eating
healthily, and getting a good night’s sleep.’
More than this, as those who know God, we trust that this
journey is designed for learning more about Him and what
He has for us in this season. We may not understand why
He has brought us to this place; but we can be sure that
He’s here with us, and is holding us close through it.
‘My hope comes from an understanding that life is not
easy or straightforward. It is complex and frightening,
but I have a God who will stand with me every step.’
Katharine Welby, depression sufferer
‘Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear
no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they
comfort me.’ Psalm 23:4 (NIV)
(Sources: Women’s Aid 2009 survey at www.womensaid.
org.uk; NSPCC 2011 research at www.nspcc.org.uk; The
Wounded Heart Workbook, Dr Dan Allender. NavPress,
2008; WHO factsheet, 2000.)
Overcoming Depression 5
Step by step
Your guide to overcoming depression with God’s help
In outlining these steps, the writer wishes to acknowledge a debt to Chris Ledger and
Wendy Bray for their helpful guide, Insight Into Depression (CWR).
1. REALISE you can’t make yourself better
‘S
tart at the easiest place for those in
darkness. Start with despair. Despair
of finding any answer in yourself.
I pray that you will cease from all
efforts to look inside yourself for the
rescue you need. I pray that you will
do what only desperate people can
do, namely, cast yourself on Christ.’
(John Piper)
‘Cheer up! Get over it! Pull your
socks up!’ Most of us grew up being
taught that most things in life can be
CONSIDER…
6 Overcoming Depression
overcome with a positive attitude and
a bit of hard work. And maybe there’s
nothing wrong with those things in and
of themselves.
But depression won’t be overcome
by a smile and a straight back. We
only load on more guilt and shame
by beating ourselves up about how
we should be feeling better. It’s time
to drop unrealistic expectations of
ourselves, and those of others.
Think of all the ways you have been subtly condemning
yourself through your depression. Let go of the
responsibility to ‘make yourself better’, and instead ‘cast
yourself on Christ.’
2. REST and eat well
‘T
he angel of the Lord came … and
said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey
is too much for you.’ So he got up and
ate and drank. Strengthened by that
food, he travelled for forty days and
forty nights until he reached Horeb,
the mountain of God. (1 Kings 19:7-8)
You may have been taught or come to
believe that your body and mind are
unconnected – and that your state of
mind has nothing to do with your state
of health. Well, nothing could be further
from the truth. Small changes in our
physical lifestyle can reap dividends
for our outlook.
EXAMINE...
Read 1 Kings 19 to see how God dealt
with Elijah when he was depressed. He
was so down, he was asking God to
take his life: ‘I have had enough, Lord.’
(1 Kings 19:4) First, God sent him to a
place where he could sleep, then he
ensured he was well fed and watered.
We can’t overestimate the value of
good sleep patterns and a healthy
balanced diet, but it’s easy for us to let
these things slip when depression hits.
Any physical exercise – even gentle
walking – will have positive benefits
too.
Look at your daily routine and ensure that you are doing
enough exercise, and eating a properly balanced diet to
function through the day and sleep well at night. Seek help
from a friend or medical professional if this is something
you have found especially difficult.
Overcoming Depression 7
3. RE-ENGAGE with the world
‘I
f we are to re-engage with “life on
the surface”, we need to engage
with people and with purpose…
Activity gives us a useful purpose, a
clear focus and a reason for “being”
(Ledger and Bray)
Chris Ledger and Wendy Bray
describe the tendency of people
suffering from depression to
gradually cut themselves off from
the world in order to avoid dealing
with difficult situations. This leads
to a build-up of negative thoughts
and feelings of inadequacy and
SET GOALS…
worthlessness, which in turn leads to
further withdrawal from the world. It’s
a cliché that depressed people never
leave the house, or spend all day in
bed – but when a person gets locked
into a ‘lethargy spiral’ it can begin to
become reality.
Sometimes, the activity doesn’t need
to be all that remarkable – it’s more
important that we make the effort to
interact with others and purposefully
re-engage with the world.
Ledger and Bray suggest making a list of all the
activities you’ve stopped doing since becoming
depressed, and setting small, achievable goals to
recover them, according to your energy levels. For
instance, making phone calls to keep in touch with a
friend; doing one small housework chore each day;
attending a small group once a week.
4. RECRUIT a climbing companion
‘T
DO…
wo people are better off than
one, for they can help each other
succeed.
Ecclesiastes 4:8-10 (NLT)
Already you may be thinking: I can’t
do all that on my own. And you’re right
– you weren’t meant to! The journey
out of depression must be one that is
walked together – together with God
and together with others.
Who should this be? There’s no right
or wrong person. The most important
thing is that they care for you, and want
God’s best for your life. Many churches
have trained counsellors available to
help people struggling with depression,
but training is less important than
compassion and time. However, it is
important that we are aware not to
make unrealistic demands of those
who care for us in these times and not
to rely exclusively on one person (see
box).
If you have yet to ask someone to ‘climb with you’ seek
God about who that person might be – then be brave and
ask them. If you already have someone helping you, why
not go through the points in this booklet with them?
8 Overcoming Depression
‘
For the ‘climbing companion’
When we want to help someone else who is depressed we need to follow the rule
of every good first aider, and protect ourselves first. If I want to assist someone who
is involved in a road traffic accident I will not wander out into the middle of the road
without making sure that an oncoming car won’t hit me! Depression can sometimes be
infectious – or seductive. We must do all we can to prevent the other person, or their
depression, from pulling us down with them, whether intentionally or not.
We need to adopt an approach of ‘empathy + structure’, establishing clear boundaries
for our involvement and support. It’s easy to promise to ‘always come when you want
me’, without considering what that means for our own lives and family. It’s much better
to commit ourselves to manageable support then to promise the earth and then give
up, leaving the depressed person unsupported because we can no longer cope. A cooperative team approach, with trusted friends sharing support for a depressed person,
often works well.
(From Insight Into Depression by Chris Ledger and Wendy Bray. Copyright CWR 2009.
Used with permission.)
5. Give REGARD to your thoughts
‘W
e take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ’ 2
Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
The battle to overcome depression
takes place first in the mind: ‘Our
thoughts shape our world, so
depressive thoughts – arising from
biased and negative interpretation
– will shape our world negatively.’
(Ledger and Bray).
A huge part of overcoming
depression is learning to see
situations, other people and
especially ourselves in a fair light
– not jumping to conclusions, not
blowing things out of proportion,
not seeing everything negatively.
This has to do with managing our
thoughts by taking care of what we
allow into our minds, and then being
vigilant about testing every thought
in the light of what we know God has
said about us.
Try keeping a ‘thought diary.’ Carry around a small notebook in
your pocket and capture on paper any negative thoughts you
find yourself thinking during the day. At the end of the day, read
through the list asking, ‘Is this true? Is this what I hear God saying
about me?’ Write, in a different colour pen, the truth. Seek help
from your ‘climbing companion’ if you find this difficult at first.
TRY...
You may also find Overcoming Discouragement and
Overcoming Spiritual Strongholds, two other titles in the
Overcoming Series from UCB, are helpful in this season of
your life.
Overcoming Discouragement 9
THE
TOUCH OF
JESUS
By John Ryeland, Director
of the Christian Healing Mission
As if suffering with depression isn’t bad
enough, many Christians also admit to
feeling some degree of guilt that they
are struggling in this way. One reason
for this is a common assumption that
depression is somehow connected to an
absence of God; that deeper prayer, more
church and more Bible reading should fill
the void and chase away the darkness.
Depression can be due to many things
but it is definitely not about the absence
of God.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said
to His disciples: ‘My soul is overwhelmed
with sorrow to the point of death’
(Matthew 26:38). This wasn’t a simple
case of Jesus feeling off-colour and a
bit down; through these words He was
seeking to communicate something of the
profound despair and utter darkness that
came upon Him. In suffering this anguish
Himself, Jesus was acknowledging
that depression is real and legitimate,
something to be taken seriously, and
certainly nothing to feel guilty about.
10 Overcoming Discouragement
HELP BEGINS BY ASKING FOR HELP
The good news is that there is always the
hope of healing with Jesus. Throughout
the pages of the gospels, it wasn’t extra
time spent reading the Bible or praying
that increased the chances of somebody
being healed; what made the difference
was when people came to Jesus with
their needs and he touched them. At
some point, they had to admit their
weaknesses and recognise that they
could not help themselves, and turn to
Him. It was the touch of the Healer himself
that was needed.
In Matthew 4:23, we read that ‘Jesus
went throughout Galilee … healing every
disease and illness among the people.’
Presumably this included depression!
For those who are suffering today, it is
still the touch of Jesus the Healer that is
desperately needed – and that means
having the courage to approach Him for
help.
A NEW WAY TO PRAY
All prayer should be born out of
relationship – and prayer for healing is
no exception. However, all too often our
prayers consist of bringing our needs to
God without first taking time to build up
our relationship with Him. When things
seem particularly bleak, this becomes our
focus and we pray about our concerns:
‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he
cares for you’ (1 Peter 5:7). However there
may be a more encouraging way to pray.
about having an awareness of Him and
as people engage with this, they often
have a sense of Him with them in some
way. Taking time to focus on His presence
brings Jesus close; a glimmer of hope in
the darkness.
HOW DOES HEALING COME?
It is at this point that we begin to pray
about our concerns and ask for healing,
be it for depression or any other sickness.
It is far more natural to speak to Jesus
about the pain now that He is close and
At The Christian Healing Mission,
we are reminded of just how deeply we
we have discovered that as we seek
are loved. The whole shape of our prayers
healing for ourselves and for others, a
has changed, with the focus now firmly on
relationship with God
the love and closeness
is so important. We
of God, rather than the
have been learning
darkness and hurt.
‘WE ARE DEEPLY
to pause before we
Out of his love, God
LOVED BY FATHER
pray for anything
given us various
at all and to do two
GOD. IT IS A MATTER has
ways to bring us out the
things: to worship
OF TAKING THIS
darkness of depression;
Father God for his
the gift of medicine,
TRUTH SERIOUSLY…
love, and to find the
a miraculous healing
presence of Jesus.
touch, the wisdom of a
Depression can make it so hard to feel
counsellor, the prayers of others and the
loved, but throughout the Bible we are
patience of a loving friend. All of these are
assured that we are deeply loved by
God’s loving provision for us. Yet there is
Father God. It is a matter of taking this
even more: by choosing to spend time in
truth seriously and choosing to worship
prayer, we are inviting Jesus Himself to
and thank our heavenly Father for his
walk by our side on this healing journey.
love, whether or not we feel it.
Rev John Ryeland is Director of the
Another truth is Jesus’ promise that He
Christian Healing Mission and the
will always be with us (Matthew 28:20).
author of two books on Christian
We know this but it is possible to take
healing, Encountering the God who
this truth a step further and actually
Heals and Making Every Day Count.
experience something of His presence.
Both of these titles, and many other
A question we often ask is this: ‘Where is
resources, can be found at their website,
Jesus for you right now?’ It is not about
www.healingmission.org.
‘feeling’ the presence of Jesus, but more
Overcoming Depression 11
PRAISE
INSTEAD OF
DESPAIR
Singer-songwriter Becky Higg
describes how she overcame
depression by the power of
God’s Word
I’ve had a tendency towards melancholy
for as long as I can remember, starting
right back in my childhood. I became
a Christian in my early twenties and
even though it was quite a dramatic
conversion, it didn’t stop the sadness,
confusion and even rage within me.
I met my husband Paul while I was on
antidepressants, and I came off them
a year later, a couple of months before
we got married. I have been advised
numerous times since then to go back
on antidepressants, and at one point
I carried a prescription around in my
pocket for weeks. But each time I came
close, the bottom line I always came back
to was this: These drugs are not going to
heal me. They might take the edge off
for a while, but only God can heal me.
And He did. It wasn’t what I expected. If
I had been the boss of my own healing
it probably would have been a zap-pow,
I-now-pronounce-you-depression-free
kind of a thing. We all long for a shortcut
out of suffering. But God did something
much better.
12 Overcoming Discouragement
When Paul and I had been married
a couple of months, I was walking in
our local park, and I was in a bad way.
Deeply troubled, really lost in darkness.
That day, God spoke clearly to my spirit:
‘Do not be afraid. The fullness of your
healing will come through pregnancy
and motherhood.’ I was delighted about
this. Full healing sounded great. And so
did motherhood. Bring it on!
It wasn’t until four years later that I
became pregnant for the first time.
And those four years were still spent in
varying degrees of depression. There
were plenty of times when I had angrily
doubted and questioned what I’d heard.
Then, when I did finally find out I was
pregnant, I assumed this was the
fulfillment of God’s promise. But again, it
wasn’t to be the way I had imagined. At
the 12-week scan we discovered that the
baby had no heartbeat. We then went on
to have two further miscarriages. It was
tough, and at the time I just couldn’t see
how it matched up with God’s promise.
But God’s Word tells us that He is close
‘THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOWED ME
A NEW WAY TO LIVE’’
to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18).
And during those pregnancies and
miscarriages I found His closeness in a
new way; my roots went down deeper,
into the truth of who He is. And so His
promise stood firm: healing was coming,
even through those losses.
And then, finally, came motherhood.
When my daughter Anna arrived, it was
like she opened up a door to life and
love and joy in a way that I hadn’t known
before. My heart was softening. God was
at work, just as He had promised. But I
was still a long way from being free from
depression. I still woke every day in a
dark pit of despondency. Each morning
I had to trudge out of it, and each day
was a huge effort to not slip right back
in. And many days I didn’t manage very
well at all.
It was two years later, now with two
children and still in a place of deep
depression that God spoke to me
through the scriptures in a way that truly
transformed my life: ‘Even the sparrow
has found a home, and the swallow
builds her nest and raises her young at a
place near Your altar…’ (Psalm 84:3).
Through this scripture, the Holy Spirit
showed me a new way to live: build my
home and raise my family close to Him, at
his altar. I asked God about this, and He
showed me two things that take place at
an altar: sacrifice and praise. So I began
to practice turning my dark thoughts into
praise, taking delight in the sacrificial
giving and serving of motherhood.
For me, this was not an effort of the will
(although effort and choice are involved)
but a work of God that I was joining in
with. In no way would I say that sufferers
of depression should be able to ‘snap
out of it’ by an effort of the will. But in
my experience, a choice must be made
to praise instead of to despair, and that
each time we make that choice, a new
way is carved out in our mind and spirit,
and we grow stronger.
Equally, when I speak about learning and
choosing to praise God, I am not saying
it lightly. It is not a superficial response to
a real problem. I believe it is the only real
and right response. When we are lost in
depression we are not free to give glory
to God the way that we are made to.
This truth has delivered me out of that
prison of despair – where the only thing
I was really connected to was my own
sorrow – and into the wide open spaces
of understanding that my life is not about
me but about Him, ‘for the display of His
splendour’ (Isaiah 61:3).
Becky Higg is a Manchester-based
singer-songwriter with a new album,
Love What You Have, due in 2014. Find
out more at www.beckyhigg.co.uk or
search Facebook for ‘Becky Higg Music’
Overcoming Depression 13
Do you need
someone to
pray with?
Call UCBPRAYERLINE
on 0845 456 7729 (UK)*
1890 940 300 (ROI)*
Or visit ucb.co.uk/prayer
All calls treated confidentially by trained volunteers
*(Standard call charges apply, although calls from mobiles
may cost you more. Check with your supplier for details.)
14 Overcoming Depression
More help with Overcoming Depression
Advice and Guidance
If you are worried about dealing with the physical symptoms of depression, your first port
of call should be your GP.
You can also find out more information about depression and where to turn for help at
the NHS Choices website: www.nhs.uk/Livewell/depression
Organisations that can help
Christian Healing Mission
A movement that seeks to bring people where people can find Jesus and his
healing touch through prayer ministry. Based in London, but with Link Centres throughout
the UK.
[email protected]
020 7603 8118
Association of Christian Counsellors
ACC describe counselling as ‘a carefully arranged opportunity for people to talk through
issues that are affecting their life, with someone trained to help.’ To find a Christian
Counsellor near you, call them or visit their website.
www.acc-uk.org
0845 124 9569
The Samaritans
Available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are
experiencing feelings of distress.
www.samaritans.org
08457 909090
For children: ChildLine
In rare cases, children suffer depression too. Childline offers trained help.
0800 1111 (for children and young people)
Further reading
Insight Into Depression by Chris Ledger and Wendy Bray (CWR)
Growing from Depression by Dr Neel Burton (Acheron Press)
Disappointment with God by Philip Yancey (Zondervan)
Overcoming Depression 15
Your 28 Days of Change
God’s spirit is in you and...
‘He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’
It takes time to change long-standing thought patterns,
habits and behaviour. We need to keep coming before God
in our brokenness and asking for His help.
The rest of this Overcoming booklet is designed to help
bring you before God for the next 28 days – to learn from
His wisdom in His Word and to access His healing power
through prayer.
Make a decision to set aside the time each day to read and
respond in prayer. Don’t worry if you miss a day or two, just
pick up wherever you left off.
Keep a notebook and pen nearby to jot down anything that
occurs to you while you read, or quotes that inspire you to
think differently. Trust that God will speak to you personally
about your healing over the coming weeks.
Remember, Jesus is on your side, willing you to succeed.
Right now, He is praying to the Father on your behalf.
God’s Spirit is in you, and ‘He who is in you is greater than
he who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4).
The daily readings are written by Bob and Debby Gass,
authors of The UCB Word For Today, and originally appeared
there first. Over a million people around the world read Bob
and Debby’s warm, encouraging words each day.
You can receive a quarterly copy of The UCB Word For
Today free of charge – see the back page for more details.
16 Overcoming Depression
1
DAY
The recipe for being happy
‘I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation’
Philippians 4:12 TLB
IN ‘WHAT HAPPY PEOPLE KNOW’, Dr. Dan Baker
writes: ‘The man in front of me seemed to have it all;
money, freedom, friends and family. But he didn’t have
the one thing he wanted most – ‘happiness’. His home
life would horrify most people: alienated kids, a wife
who resented his obsession with work, no time to kick
back. His biggest concern: ‘Keeping what I’ve got.’
Sound familiar? Maybe you’re reading this thinking,
‘Yeah, but that doesn’t apply to me. In his situation I
know I could be happy!’ But it does apply to you! The
road to happiness is filled with pot-holes and one of
the biggest of them is that the very things we think
will feed our souls, end up feeding our fears, stressing
us out and making happiness elude us. Paul says,
‘I’ve found the recipe for being happy… whatever
I have, wherever I am, I can make it [because of
my relationship with Christ]’ (Philippians 4:12 TM).
Happiness isn’t about being on an emotional high
all the time and never feeling down. And it doesn’t
change with circumstances. Paul says in essence, ‘I
can make it because I’ve a life-giving relationship with
One who gives me the courage, love and fulfilment
I need each day.’ Happiness also involves: a) taking
responsibility for your own actions b) realising that life
is precious and maximising every moment of it. Over
the next few days we’ll examine some ‘happiness
traps’. Each one is uniquely seductive and has been
capturing people for thousands of years. So read on!
Prayer Point - God is bigger
Almighty and everlasting God, You created all things, and You hold all of creation together. When
the troubles in my life seem like mountains, and the waves of depression seem set to overwhelm
me, help me remember that You are bigger than the tallest mountain and stronger than the most
powerful wave. I thank You that You are bigger than depression, and that You can carry me through it.
DAY
2
Find something to praise God for
‘If anything is praiseworthy... think about such things’
Philippians 4:8 NIV
GENERAL ROBBIE RISNER described the seven
years he spent as a prisoner of war as ‘the essence
of despair.’ He said, ‘If you could have squeezed the
feeling out of the word despair, it would have come
out lead-coloured, dingy and dirty.’ What’s amazing is
how he survived. He pried the cover off a floor drain in
his cell and lowered his head into the opening. There
he noticed a solitary blade of grass, the only smidgeon
of colour in his colourless world. Calling it a blood
transfusion for the soul, Risner began each day in
prayer, lying on the floor of his cell with his head down
the vent, focused on that single blade of grass. Jesus
said, ‘Your eye... provides light for your body. When
your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.
But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled
with darkness’ (Matthew 6:22-23 NLT). What are you
looking at? Each day you get to decide where you’ll
focus. And you won’t have to look hard to find things
to complain about: war, petrol prices, the economy,
global warming, and crime. God gave Adam and Eve
everything they needed in the Garden of Eden, but
they chose to focus on the one thing they couldn’t
have. He divided the Red Sea, sent signs to guide
the Israelites in the wilderness and provided food
so they’d never go hungry. Initially, ‘They... sang His
praise. But... soon forgot what He had done’ (Psalm
106:12-13 NIV). Don’t be like that. The Bible says, ‘If
there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these
things.’ Surely you can find something to praise God
for today!
DO YOU NEED PRAYER?
Call UCB Prayerline on 0845 456 7729 (UK) or 1890 940 300 (ROI) or visit ucb.co.uk
Overcoming Depression 17
DAY
3
Try God’s way!
‘Trust in the Lord... lean not on your own understanding.’
Proverbs 3:5 NIV
EVER WATCH SOMEONE learning to get around
on crutches? What a struggle! Sometimes you
find them trying to balance on one leg, or resting
a hundred feet down the street, their hands raw
and sore. Leaning on crutches can be exhausting;
so can leaning on your own understanding. If
you want things to go badly for you, exclude
God. Try working things out using only your own
best judgement. When you hit a brick wall, try
something else. When that gets you nowhere,
resort to logic, then panic. The truth is some of
us act as though we’re addicted to anxiety. We’ve
been living this way so long, we’re not capable of
seeing it or acknowledging it. When one worry is
gone we put another one in its place. We have a
line of them at our door, because the sign reads
‘All welcome!’ It’s like we enjoy entertaining them,
but Jesus said they’re a waste of life and energy.
They keep you so focused on what you want, or
what you’re afraid of losing, that you don’t have
time to enjoy what you have (Matthew 6:25).
That’s no way to live! Instead of worrying, begin
living by this Scripture: a) ‘Do not worry about
anything’ b) ‘pray and ask God for everything you
need’ c) ‘always giving thanks’ d) ‘God’s peace...
will keep your hearts and minds‘ (Philippians 4:6-7
NCV). Go ahead; try God’s way!
Prayer Point - Jesus present in depression
Jesus, You came to live in our broken world, to be with us in our pain and to show us hope.
Thank You for being willing to experience the depths of sorrow with me. The enemy of my
soul may tell me I am alone in that place, but Your Word tells me You are with me. Please
help me to ignore his lies, and to know that You are there.
DAY
4
Under pressure!
‘We are pressed... but not... crushed’
2 Corinthians 4:8 NIV
DO YOU FEEL like you’re in a tunnel with no way
out? Rejoice; you’re positioned for a miracle! Paul
said, ‘We are pressed on every side by troubles,
but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed...
but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted
down, but God never abandons us. We get
knocked down, but we get up again and keep
going.’ A certain amount of pressure is necessary
to release our faith and God knows exactly how
much to apply. He allows us to get to where: a)
We’ve exhausted our own resources. b) We’re
tired of satan stealing what God says is ours. c)
The opinions of others no longer control us. It’s
the place Hannah found herself in when she
prayed in the temple, ‘In distress of soul... and
weeping bitterly’ (1 Samuel 1:10 AMP). She was
under such pressure because of her childless
18 Overcoming Depression
state that when she began to unburden herself
before God, the church hierarchy thought she
was drunk. But when you’re desperate, you’re
not overly concerned about blowing the minds of
religious onlookers; your only concern is touching
the heart of God. With God there are no hopeless
situations, just people who’ve grown hopeless
about them. Real faith comes into its own when
push collides with shove. After all, you don’t need
God to part the Red Sea when there are bridges
all around, right? It’s when there’s nothing you
can do to avoid the inevitable, that you start
trusting God to do the impossible! So the crisis
you’re experiencing today could be a blessing in
disguise; an opportunity to experience a greater
degree of His power at work in your life.
DAY
5
Begin to simplify your life!
’Learn from me... my burden is light.’
Matthew 11:29-30 NIV
A RECENT REPORT SAYS, ‘we can have it all.’ By
working longer, playing harder and multitasking,
it’s possible to squeeze 31 hours into 24. But it’ll
cost you! The average office worker is bombarded
daily with 220 messages via email, memo, phone
and other interruptions. One in three managers
gets sick because of information overload. If
technology is saving us all this time and energy,
how come we’re so frazzled? When the checkout
line doesn’t move fast enough or we can’t find
a parking space, we have a meltdown. Oxford
Street and the Stock Exchange won’t tell you this
but success brings more opportunities for the
enemy to run you into the ground. That’s no way
to live and it certainly isn’t what God intended for
you. Jesus said, ‘Are you tired? Worn out?... Come
to me... recover your life. I’ll show you how... work
with me – watch how I do it... learn to live freely
and lightly.’ (Matthew 11:29-30 TM). Sounds good,
doesn’t it, but it calls for detoxing your thinking
and reprogramming it. One author writes: ‘The
Lord cannot relieve the pressure, while you’re
in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the
wrong thing with the wrong people. If you climb
the corporate ladder and neglect your family, His
hands are tied because your priorities are out of
order. When you’re in God’s will you can work
hard, but travel light! He’ll carry your burdens and
take the weight. Simplifying your life may mean
working fewer hours, scheduling downtime and
investing more into your loved ones. Our gifts,
assignments, personalities and situations are
all different, but these principles hold true for
everyone.’ So, begin to simplify your life!
Prayer Point - Depression isn’t failure
Jesus, thank You that You experienced every emotion we experience. You showed us that to be
human is to taste joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. Forgive me when I beat myself up for feeling
low. Forgive me when I tell myself that I’d be a better person if I could just stop feeling depressed.
Help me to treat myself with grace and kindness, just like You do.
DAY
6
Don’t Lose Your Peace of Mind
‘You will keep [them] in perfect peace’
Isaiah 26:3 NIV
WE LOSE OUR PEACE of mind for four reasons:
1) We try to change the people in our lives. As you
grow wiser you begin to realise that you can’t
change other people, only God can! And He does,
when you back off, and love them as they are.
This doesn’t mean agreeing with everything they
do. It means committing to love them regardless,
claiming God’s promises on their behalf and
allowing Him to deal with them His way, in His time
and for His glory. The reason you’re stressed out
may be because you keep trying to do something
about something you can’t do anything about!
2) We try to make things happen when it’s not
the right time. ‘There is a time for everything’
(Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV). If you’ve raised children
you know that one of their chief characteristics is
impatience; they can’t wait for anything. God wants
us to outgrow our childishness so He makes us
wait, trust, and mature! 3) We get upset because
we’re not progressing fast enough. You can slow
down your spiritual growth through neglect, but
ultimately, ‘We all... are being transformed... [by]
the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV). So learn to
enjoy your life while God works on your problems,
for you’ll always have problems! 4) We push
ourselves harder and harder. We do what we think
God wants without consulting Him as to what He
actually wants, when He wants it, or how He wants
it done. As a result we wear ourselves out. What’s
the solution? ‘You will keep in perfect peace those
whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in
You.’ (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)
Overcoming Depression 19
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DAY
7
A memo from God
‘How precious... To realise that you are thinking about me
constantly!’ Psalm 139:17 TLB
‘I KNEW YOU before time began. I even know
how many hairs are on your head! Like parent,
like child; you’re created in My image. Not only
have I got plans for you, I’ve also given you the
talents needed to fulfil them. And what I give,
nobody else can take away. But don’t neglect
them; remember to exercise them and stir them
up daily. Rest assured that I’ve started a good
work in you and I’m going to finish it. I always
complete what I begin. My Word concerning you
is forever settled in heaven. My commitment to
you is unending. In this life, you’ll have challenges,
but cheer up; I’ve robbed satan of his power to
hurt you, and the world of its power to destroy
you! When you’re in trouble, remember I’m a
very present help. Give Me your burdens and I’ll
sustain you. When you’re stressed out or weighed
down by the pressures of life, lean on Me. I’ll be
your Rock, your Fortress, your Deliverer and your
Strength. Even though you fall from time to time,
you won’t be destroyed, because I’m holding
you. But a word of caution: don’t take advice from
those who are spiritually blind, and don’t hang
out with sceptics. Delight yourself in My Word,
and like a big oak tree growing by a river, you’ll
be fruitful and prosper in all that you do. P.S. I’d
love to hear back from you. See you at My place
on Sunday!’
Prayer Point - Depression and anxiety
Lord Jesus, You calmed the storm and brought peace. Come by Your Spirit and calm the storm in my
heart, bringing Your perfect peace. The abuse I’ve experienced has left me feeling traumatised, but
You are more powerful than that trauma. I ask You to break its power in me today. Lift it off, so that
my body, mind and heart can be completely healed from the effects of abuse.
DAY
8
Wings of worship
‘Make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of
the cover’ Exodus 25:18 NIV
GOD INTENDS for the hammer blows of life to
bend our wings upward into a position of constant
praise. He wants to bring us to the place where our
fixed attitude to each challenge is, ‘In everything
give thanks’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJ). When
Paul wrote, ‘For to me, to live is Christ and to die
is gain’ (Philippians 1:21 NIV), he was under house
arrest waiting to be sentenced to death. He was
saying, ‘Every time you hit me, all it does is move
me closer to God.’ His visit to heaven happened
while he was being stoned at Lystra. Anybody want
to go there? If you’re looking for an easy 3-step
formula for experiencing God’s power, forget it!
Wings of worship can be created one way – by
being beaten into proper position and image. The
hammer blows of life will always bend us Godward, if our responses are right. Though battered,
bloody and locked in jail, when Paul and Silas
brought together their beaten wings of praise,
God suddenly came down and altered everything
– doors opened, chains broke, circumstances
changed overnight. Feel as if you’re ‘in jail’ today?
Have circumstances locked you up and thrown
away the key? You can soar above anything on
the wings of prayer. You can worship your way
through them to a new day! Praise is not denial,
nor is it refusing responsibility. No, it’s harnessing
the power of a higher law: one that either lifts you
above your situation or sustains you through it.
Either way, praise is the key!
Overcoming Depression 21
DAY
9
How to be happy
‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed
down, shaken together and running over’ Luke 6:38 NIV
DID YOU HEAR about the preacher who was told
by one of his members, ‘Pastor, you’re becoming
one of today’s greatest expositors’? Driving home
he told his wife about it, and asked, ‘I wonder just
how many great expositors there are in the world
today?’ Unable to resist, she replied, ‘One less
than you think, dear!’ The truth is, wrapped up in
ourselves, we make a pretty small package, don’t
we? Too many of us live in little worlds bordered
on the north, south, east, and west by ‘us’. If you
want to be miserable without even trying, do
these twelve things; they’re guaranteed to work.
1) Always think and talk about yourself 2) Always
use the personal pronoun ‘I’ 3) Always mirror
yourself in the opinions of others 4) Always listen
to everything people say about you 5) Always
demand consideration and respect 6) Always
insist that people agree with you 7) Always sulk
if they don’t show appreciation 8) Always be
suspicious 9) Always be sensitive to slights 10)
Always be jealous 11) Trust nobody but yourself
12) Never forget the good deeds you do, or the
criticism you receive. On the other hand, if you
want to be happy, begin to give to others, and
God will multiply it back to you, over and over
again. Try it!
Prayer Point - Depression and tiredness
Lord God, Your Word says that You are gracious and compassionate. You hate the
evil which blights our world, and You hate the evil things which were done to me.
Though You saw what happened, You never condoned it and it broke Your heart.
When sorrow sweeps over me, help me to know that You feel it too. When I weep,
help me to know that You weep with me.
DAY
10
Believe god for your healing
‘…I am the Lord, who heals you.’
Exodus 15:26 NIV
IN THE BIBLE, one of the names God chooses to
be called by is ‘Jehovah Rapha,’ which means ‘I
am the Lord who heals.’ Now, if God calls Himself
the healer, then you have the right to believe what
He says and expect that, given an opportunity, He
will perform His role competently. After all, His
credibility depends on living up to His name. The
Psalmist said, ‘…Your promises are backed by all
the honour of your name’ (Psalms 138:2 NLT). Has
God changed? No; He says, ‘…I am the Lord AllPowerful, and I never change’ (Malachi 3:6 CEV).
And Jesus, who is God, is ‘…the same yesterday
and today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8 NIV). What
He was, He still is. What He did, He still does. So,
when you or a loved one is sick, do these two
things: 1) Pray, in faith believing. A ‘good faith’
22 Overcoming Depression
deal requires that both parties trust each other’s
word. Their trust is a rational decision of their will,
not their emotions. Faith is your will deciding that
God will keep the promise He has made to you.
It’s refusing to be ambivalent by saying, ‘If only
I felt more positive.’ No business could survive
such ambiguity. Jesus spelled it out clearly: ‘…All
things for which you pray and ask, believe that
you have received them, and they will be granted
you’ (Mark 11:24 NAS). 2) Look for faith-partners
who will pray with you. ‘…Pray for each other so
that you may be healed…’ (James 5:16 NLT). ‘…If
two of you agree…concerning anything you ask,
my Father in heaven will do it for you’ (Matthew
18:19 NLT).
DAY
11
Starting Over
‘I will... exchange their sorrow for rejoicing’
Jeremiah 31:13 NLT
TOM WAS VERY DEPRESSED following his
wife Elle’s death. For an hour he poured out his
heart to a counsellor. Now, catharsis is good;
it can show you what needs to be dealt with.
But talk alone doesn’t change anything. So his
counsellor asked, ‘If the situation was reversed
and you’d died first, what would you want Elle
to do?’ Immediately he replied, ‘Go on and enjoy
life.’ The minute he verbalised it a light within him
came on and he said, ‘I’ve been feeling sorry for
myself too long. We both hated it when people
did that. I’m going to live, find purpose, and get
back to church.’ He did, and the next time Tom
and his counsellor spoke he had begun to rebuild
his life. The pain was still there, but he’d started
to transcend it by taking action. Freud taught
that the subconscious mind could be freed from
painful memories by psychoanalysis. But his
premise was faulty because memories, good and
bad, remain part of you. Plus, his theory can lead
you to believe that your problems can be talked
to death without ever having to do anything
about them. Some people get through their grief
faster than others; sadly, some never do. But you
don’t have to be one of them! God said, ‘I will
turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them
and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.’ God can
reframe your past and give it meaning. He can
help you to look back with gratitude, then forward
with confidence. How? By transforming painful
memories into powerful motivators and sources
of future wisdom. Ask Him; He will show you how!
Prayer Point - Healthy lifestyle
Father God, I thank You for the good things in my life: for a home, for family and friends, for food
and clothing, and for the freedom to do the things I love. As I walk this road through depression,
help me to keep remembering to enjoy the good things. Help me to build healthy rhythms of
eating, sleeping, working, relaxing, spending time with people and spending time with You.
DAY
12
Have You Found Your
Reason for Living?
‘But if it dies…’ John 12:24 NIV
ONE DAY a depressed woman jumped off a bridge
into a river. Without thinking, a man standing
nearby jumped in to save her. But ‘our hero’
suddenly remembered that he couldn’t swim, so
he started thrashing around and screaming for
help! Hearing his cries, the depressed woman
swam to his rescue, hauled him out, administered
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and saved his life.
What happened? She found a need greater than
her own, and in so doing she found a reason to
live. Jesus said, ‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into
the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies
[to self-interest], it produces much grain.’ Christ
had just finished saying, ‘Therefore I tell you, do
not worry about your life, what you will eat; or
about your body, what you will wear. For life is
more than food, and the body more than clothes’
(Luke 12:22-23 NIV). Career success and material
things cannot be your reason for living! You need
a larger purpose, and God will give you one if you
ask Him. Some of us are born knowing what God
has called us to do in life; others discover it along
the way. Some of us actually find it in our closing
years. Indeed, some of us are awakened to it by
tragedy and loss. What matters is that we find
God’s purpose and pour ourselves into it. Helen
Keller wrote, ‘When one door of happiness closes,
another opens; but often we look so long at the
closed door that we do not see the one which
God has opened for us.’ So, have you found your
reason for living?
Overcoming Depression 23
DAY
13
Trap – Chasing happiness
‘Happy are those who delight in doing what
He commands’ Psalm 112:1 NCV
ONE DAY two cats were talking when one of
them asked the other why he always chased his
tail. ‘Because my mum says happiness lies in your
tail, so I’m trying to catch it.’ His friend replied, ‘But
if you just kept walking, wouldn’t it follow you?’
Do you know what? When you pursue happiness
it eludes you; when you walk with God it follows
you. The Bible says, ‘Happy are those who delight
in doing what He commands’ (Psalm 112:1 NCV).
When we focus on doing God’s will, there’s no
room for unhappiness. But true happiness also
involves: 1) Monitoring your self-talk! Listen: ‘The
tongue has the power of life and death’ (Proverbs
18:21 NIV). Your words have power, they really
do! They create the environment you live in. So,
instead of saying what you see, try seeing what
God’s Word says, for He has good things in store
for you (Jeremiah 29:11) 2) Being appreciative! It’s
virtually impossible to be grateful and fearful at
the same time. Gratitude is not just the answer to
fear, it’s also one of the purest forms of love; the
selfless kind that gives, seeks nothing in return,
yet always finishes up with more than enough!
3) Exercising your options! Thinking you’ve no
options can leave you feeling trapped, angry
and depressed. But with God you always have
options, for: ‘with God all things are possible’
(Matthew 19:26 NIV). Based on that, you can
restart and re-chart your life. Happy people, truly
happy ones, know that!
Prayer Point - Guidance
Lord, You are the source of all wisdom. Thank you that You know what’s best for me,
even when I have no idea what to do. I pray for Your guidance today; as I face the reality
of depression in my life, please show me what I need to put in place, and where I need
to go for help. Lead me to the support that is exactly right for me.
DAY
14
Knowing who you are
‘I have called you by name; you are mine’
Isaiah 43:1 NLT
YOU NEED TO KNOW your identity in order to
determine what you’ll do. It won’t work the other
way around, because if what you do is taken
away or you fail doing it, you’ll feel like a nobody.
‘So where does my identity come from?’ you ask.
Not from your driver’s licence, which is fortunate
for most of us! Nor from your passport; that just
shows where you’ve been. And it doesn’t come
from your school reports – which is good, because
many of us still battle with the negative messages
we got back then! No, it comes from God; He gives
it before He sends you on an assignment. Before
Abram became great, God changed his name
to Abraham, which means, ‘the Father of Many
Nations’ (Genesis 17:5 NIV). Gideon was the least
24 Overcoming Depression
in his family. But when God commissioned him
to build an army to defeat Midian, He changed
Gideon’s identity and gave him a new self-image:
‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!’ (Judges
6:12 NIV). What credentials! Think about all the
famous people you know – athletes, artists and
speakers – when they can no longer do what they
do, they get depressed, even suicidal. How about
you – does your identity depend solely on what
you do? If so, it’s time to seek God’s face and find
out who you really are. God says, ‘I have called
you by name; you are Mine!’ That means when
you can no longer do what you do, you’ll still be
who you are in God’s eyes. What could be better?
DAY
15
Thinking of quitting? Don’t!
‘Stand firm’
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL was a musical
prodigy. At twenty-one he was a keyboard
virtuoso. When he turned to composing he
gained immediate fame and soon was appointed
Kapellmeister to the Elector of Hanover (later
King George I of England). When Handel moved
to England his renown grew. By the time he
was forty he was world famous. But despite his
talent and fame he faced considerable adversity.
Rivalry with English composers was fierce.
Audiences were fickle; sometimes they didn’t
turn out for his performances. He was the victim
of the changing political winds. Several times he
found himself on the verge of bankruptcy. His
problems were compounded by failing health.
He suffered a stroke which left his right arm limp
and damaged the use of four fingers in his right
hand. Although he recovered, it left him battling
depression. Finally, at fifty-six, Handel decided it
was time to retire. Discouraged, miserable and
consumed with debt, he felt certain he’d land in a
debtor’s prison. So on April 8, 1741, he gave what
he considered his farewell concert. Disappointed
and filled with self-pity, he gave up. But that year
something incredible happened. A wealthy friend
named Charles Jennings encouraged Handel by
visiting him and giving him a libretto based on
the life of Christ. The work intrigued Handel, so
he began writing. Immediately the floodgates of
inspiration opened. For three weeks he wrote
almost nonstop. Then he spent another two days
creating the orchestrations. In twenty-four days
he had completed the 260-page manuscript
of The Messiah. Thinking of quitting? Don’t! Be
steadfast.
Prayer Point - Loved ones
Father God, You made me to be a blessing, and I want to bless those around me, yet when
depression is overwhelming, I feel as though I drag people down and make life harder for them.
Thank You for the friends and family who stick with me through the tough times. Help me find ways
to show them how much I love and appreciate them, even when depression clouds my view.
DAY
16
Getting past your past
‘But forget all that... For I am about to
do something new’ Isaiah 43:18-19 NLT
DID YOU KNOW that Abraham Lincoln lost
several elections before finally becoming one of
America’s greatest presidents? In fact, he failed so
often it was amazing he kept trying. Did you know
that the material used to make Kleenex tissues
was invented as a gas mask filter during World
War I and it failed? Then when inventors tried to
make it into skin cream it flopped again. Finally
they repackaged it as disposable handkerchiefs,
and guess what; people buy 200 billion of them
annually. Not bad for a product that bombed
twice! You can’t seize your future while you’re
obsessing over your past. So learn from it and
let it go. Heed the advice of author Susan Scott:
‘My dog and cat have taught me a great lesson in
life: learn to shed a lot!’ Nobody starts out being
good at everything. Tackling new ventures usually
means learning by trial and error. When Charles
Darrow got married he promised his wife they’d
become millionaires. But the Great Depression
came and they ended up hitting rock bottom.
Darrow was ready to give up his dream but his
wife encouraged him to keep going. Then one
day he devised the idea of using ‘play money’ to
buy ‘pretend properties,’ and he turned his vision
into a board game with little houses and hotels.
It’s called Monopoly, and Parker Brothers bought
it from Darrow for, you’ve guessed it, a million
dollars! Remember, when you’re on the right track
and you refuse to give up, God can do something
great through you. So keep going and don’t look
back.
Overcoming Depression 25
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DAY
17
Let it go
‘God has made me forget all my troubles’
Genesis 41:51 NLT
LET GO of what others have done to you! Thorns
come with roses, and hurts come with human
relationships. And few hurts go as deeply as those
inflicted by friends and family. Ask Joseph, who
was sold out by his brothers and locked up in a
foreign prison for a crime he never committed.
It’s the stuff bitterness, depression, despair and
defeat are made of. And who’d have blamed
him? But Joseph knew that he, not his abusers,
had the last word; that he, not they, would decide
his future. Others can wound you, but no one
can destroy you without your permission and
cooperation. It’s not what they do to you that
determine your outcomes, it’s what you do next.
Joseph decided to let the offenses go and accept
responsibility for his own reactions. When you
do that you take back your power, open yourself
to new options, and make choices that position
you to come out of it stronger, wiser and more
blessed. Notice: a) Joseph saw it from God’s
perspective. ‘God sent me… to save your lives
by a great deliverance… it was not you who sent
me here’ (Genesis 45:7-8 NIV) b) he released his
resentment. He moved beyond it and ministered
to the needs of those who had hurt him c) he
refused to become a victim of other people’s
actions. As a result God made him ruler over all
Egypt d) he prepared for the future. How? By
excelling in his prophetic and administrative gifts,
even though imprisoned (Genesis 41). So, choose
to see it God’s way. Let it go. Do what you’ve been
called to do, and watch God vindicate you royally!
Prayer Point - Medical help
Lord of Love, You are in charge of my healing, and I give thanks to You for everyone and
everything You are using to heal me. Thank you for the privilege of living in a country where
medical professionals acknowledge the existence of depression and know how to treat it.
Thank you for drugs which can help to rebalance the brain. Give me courage to seek medical
help when I need it.
DAY
18
Conquering depression
‘Let my soul be at rest again, for the LORD has been
good to me’ Psalm 116:7 NLT
WHEN YOU ARE DEPRESSED your motivation is
drained, your desire to pursue God is gone, your
conversations turn sour, you’re blinded to your
blessings, your enthusiasm is forced, you’re in a daze
regarding future plans. What’s the way out? Find the
cause of your depression! Unconfessed sin is like a
stone in your shoe. Get it out! No vacation, job change,
relationship change, or doctor will heal it: ‘Your iniquities
have separated you from your God’ (Isaiah 59:2 NIV).
Greed can depress you too. King Ahab’s obsession
with Naboth’s vineyard affected his entire family: ‘The
greedy bring ruin to their households’ (Proverbs 15:27
NIV). Constantly comparing yourself to others can
also depress you. So can finding fault. ‘Those who
guard their mouths… keep themselves from calamity’
(Proverbs 21:23 NIV). So can an unforgiving attitude.
Fatigue is also a major cause. One US President
refused to make important decisions at the end of
the day, insisting that rest was necessary to exercising
good judgement. As great as their assignment was,
Jesus often called His disciples aside to rest. He
knew that when fatigue walks in, faith walks out. So
how can you conquer depression? a) through prayer!
Oswald J Smith said that the happiest moments of his
life were during prayer and Bible reading. He called
this his ‘morning watch.’ He also said praying aloud
prevented his thoughts from wandering b) through
God’s Word! Jeremiah said, ‘When your words came,
I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight’
(Jeremiah 15:16 NIV). Daily prayer and the reading of
God’s Word is a prescription that can help heal your
emotions and lift your depression. Try it!
Overcoming Depression 27
DAY
19
All you need is a seed!
‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say
to this mountain, “move” …and it will’ Matthew 17:20 NIV
WHEN YOU’RE BATTLING a mountain of
sickness, debt, loneliness or depression, it’s
easy to harbour self-defeating expectations
about how things will turn out, based on your
past experiences. Also, because we live in an
‘unbelieving and perverse generation’ (Matthew
17:17 NIV), it means constantly fighting the
defeatist attitudes of our culture, media, the
educational system, the workplace, and even
our friends. Unless you recognise this it can wear
you down by diluting and polluting your faith.
That’s why you need to feed your faith daily on
God’s Word. Notice, Jesus isn’t referring here to
a mountain you encountered years ago, or some
future issue. No. He said, ‘say to this mountain’.
He wants you to exercise your faith today! Listen
again: ‘if you have faith as small as a mustard
seed... nothing will be impossible’ (Matthew
17:20 NIV). A mustard seed’s so miniscule it can
get stuck between your teeth! Yet the Bible says
that although it’s ‘the least of all the seeds’, under
the right conditions it can grow into a tree big
enough for the birds to nest in (Matthew 13:32).
God-given faith is like a sleeping giant within
each of us. When it awakens, miracles happen. If
you’ve one atom of faith left, you have what you
need to prevail. But this kind of faith only works
when it becomes the language you speak and the
attitude you maintain. The enemy doesn’t want
you to know that, because when you do, you
won’t just think about what’s happening, you’ll
think about what’s possible!
Prayer Point - Numbness
Jesus, You have opened the way for me to live life in all its fullness, and yet so often depression
leaves me feeling cold and numb. I know that this numbness is a natural protection system
within me, but I would so love to feel again. By Your Spirit, please work in me today, thawing me
enough so that I can enjoy a little taste of life without being overwhelmed.
DAY
20
Push!
‘I press on toward the goal’
Philippians 3:14 NIV
WHEN YOU COMMIT to bringing forth all that
God has placed within you, you may have to
push against everything everybody ever did to
you, or said about you. You may have to battle
against years of suppression, oppression, and
depression. You may have to push in order to
release the treasure God’s placed inside you. He’ll
help you bring it out, but it’s up to you to push.
In fact, it may not happen if you don’t. But what
do we push against? Against satanic attacks in all
their debilitating forms, such as bad memories,
low self-esteem, feelings of unworthiness.
The devil may have spent years pushing you
aside, pulling you back, putting you down, but
today God is saying to you, ‘I want to open you up,
28 Overcoming Depression
I want to empower you to give birth to that which
I’ve placed within you.’ The time has come for you
to rise up and say, ‘It’s my turn to conceive, for
the treasure within me to come forth, for me to be
loosed to do what God created me to do.’ When a
baby’s born, everything in the family changes. The
same is true for you. When you give birth to what
God’s placed within you, everything around you
will be affected. God’s blessing is an overflowing
blessing and it’ll touch every area of your life.
Every woman knows when she’s pregnant. The
same is true in the spiritual realm. Don’t fail to
give birth to what God has put in you. Now is the
time for the treasure to come forth. So push!
DAY
21
Dealing with depression
‘Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression’
Proverbs 12:25 NKJ
LONG-TERM DEPRESSION drains your energy,
distorts your reality, assaults your faith and affects
everybody around you. One in five of us suffers
from it. It’s responsible for more workplace
absenteeism than diabetes and heart disease.
Poor health can cause it, not to mention your
surroundings; also stress, fear, loneliness, guilt
and anger. And it’s no modern-day disease
either; it affected Bible characters too. 1) David
experienced it because of unconfessed sin. Listen:
‘I am... utterly crushed... my strength fails... My
friends... stay far away’ (Psalm 38:8-11 NIV). 2) Job
got so depressed about his financial, personal and
family losses that he cursed the day he was born.
(Job 3:1-3). 3) When Jezebel threatened Elijah,
he went through the ‘H.A.L.T.’ syndrome. He was
Hungry; he stopped eating. Angry; he got mad
at God and the world. Lonely; he left his servant
and went off by himself. Tired; he collapsed. But
God had a prescription. He: a) changed his diet b)
told him to rest c) let him know he wasn’t alone d)
sent an angel to minister to him. Those are still the
steps out of depression! David said, ‘The Lord...
lifted me up out of the pit of despair’ (Psalm 40:1-2
NLT) and He can bring you out of your depression
too! Don’t isolate yourself and don’t be ashamed
to get help from your pastor, a trusted friend or
a good counsellor. And remember, addictive
behaviour and destructive relationships will only
make things worse. The moment Elijah heard
God’s voice, he began ‘getting it together’. With
God’s help, you can too!
Prayer Point - Anger and disappointment
Lord God, I confess that I feel angry – angry with You, angry with the world and angry with
myself. I never asked for depression, and this isn’t how I wanted my life to turn out. Yet I don’t
want to be consumed with bitterness. Please give me Your grace today to forgive where I
need to forgive, and to entrust the pieces of my broken dreams into Your healing hands.
DAY
22
The ‘I-Only’ Syndrome
‘And I, I only, am left’
1 Kings 19:10 AMP
DEPRESSION convinced Elijah that nobody else
was as badly off as him. He felt ‘terminally unique.’
We all go through it. Behind your neighbour’s
smile, or the nameplate on your boss’s door, there
are struggles they can’t talk about. So they live
in quiet despair. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘We
may have arrived on different ships, but we’re
all in the same boat now.’ Paul wrote, ‘No test or
temptation... is beyond the course of what others
have had to face. All you need to remember is that
God will never let you down; He’ll never let you
be pushed past your limit; He’ll always be there
to help you come through it’ (1 Corinthians 10:13
TM). Before every crown there’s a cross. Bunyan
wrote Pilgrim’s Progress in prison. Florence
Nightingale, too ill to move from bed, reorganised
the hospitals of England. Louis Pasteur, semiparalysed by apoplexy, was tireless in his attack
on disease. Francis Parkman couldn’t work for
more than five minutes at a time. His eyesight was
so bad that he could only scrawl gigantic words
on a manuscript. Yet he wrote twenty magnificent
volumes of history. You’re not unique! And you’re
not alone! Listen: ‘Nothing living or dead, angelic
or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low,
thinkable or unthinkable – absolutely nothing can
get between us and God’s love’ (Rom 8:38-39
TM). What more could you ask for?
Overcoming Depression 29
‘YOU ARE
NOT ALONE’
- GOD
30 Overcoming Depression
DAY
23
How to move the mountain
‘[Say] to this mountain, “Be removed”’
Mark 11:23 NKJ
HOW CAN YOU move the mountain in your life?
By: 1) Using God’s Word: In the wilderness satan
tempted Jesus in three ways: a) put your temporal
needs ahead of your spiritual ones: ‘Turn these
stones into bread’ b) use your power for the
wrong reasons: ‘Throw yourself down from the
pinnacle of the temple’ c) take the easy way, not
the cross: ‘The world is yours, just submit to me.’
Each time Jesus overcame satan by saying, ‘It is
written’ (Matthew 4:1-11 NIV). Your most powerful
weapon is God’s Word – learn to use it! 2) Being
persistent: Jeremiah said that God’s Word is ‘like
a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces’ (Jeremiah
23:29 NIV). Ever wonder how a hammer can hit a
rock ninety-nine times, but on the one-hundredth
blow it shatters? That’s because all the previous
blows kept weakening it. Live in God’s Word; keep
speaking it over your situation and it will work.
3) Forgiving: The story is told of a pastor who
asked his congregation, ‘How many of you are
willing to forgive your enemies?’ Everybody was
except one old guy. ‘Why not?’ the pastor asked.
He replied, ‘Because I have none; I’ve outlived
them all!’ After speaking about mountain-moving
faith and prayer that bring results, Jesus said,
‘when you stand praying, if you hold anything
against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father
in heaven may forgive you your sins’ (Mark
11:25 NKJV). Your mountain can’t be moved or
your prayers answered if you’re harbouring
unforgiveness. So ask yourself, ‘Is it worth
it?’ Whether you think the offender deserves
forgiveness or not, for your own sake, forgive it
and let it go.
Prayer Point - Bleak future
God of the ages, I ask for Your help today. When I look at my future, I feel nothing but fear
and disillusionment, and that makes it hard to plan ahead, yet I have decisions to make.
Though my vision may be clouded with hopelessness, give me unblocked ears so that I can
hear You telling me what You want me to do next. Then please give me strength to obey.
DAY
24
Stay focused on Jesus
‘When he saw the strong wind and the waves, he
was terrified and began to sink’ Matthew 14:30 NLT
EVER NOTICED how cartoon characters have the
uncanny ability to run off cliffs without falling? As
long as they keep pumping, their legs can run just
as well in the air as on the ground. But as soon
as they look at their circumstances, they panic
and start to plummet. Going off the cliff doesn’t
stop them – looking down does! As long as Peter
focused on the Saviour he’d no problems, but
when he focused on the storm, fear took him
under. Faith held him up, fear took him down.
And it’ll take you down, too! When Moses sent
12 scouts to the Promised Land to check out
the enemy, 10 came back saying, ‘They’re like
giants; we’d better close up shop and go home!’
But the other two said, ‘No problem, with God’s
help we can whip them.’ Faced with identical
circumstances, some people lose heart, while
others take heart. Which are you? David was
bringing supplies to his brothers in the army when
he heard about Goliath, a man so big he’d have
qualified for World Wrestling Federation! Nobody
would take him on. But David announced, ‘The
battle is the Lord’s’ (1 Samuel 17:47 NIV), then
proceeded to bring him down with a rag and a
rock. When you shift your focus off Jesus, you’re
like a steelworker on scaffolding looking down
from 500 feet up; you suddenly panic and lose
your grip. God hasn’t called you to fall; He’s given
you the ability to stand, if you just keep focused
on Him.
Overcoming Depression 31
DAY
25
Victims or volunteers?
‘He asked him, “Do you want to
get well?”’ John 5:6 NIV
JESUS ONCE ASKED a man who’d been ill for
38 years, ‘Do you want to get well?’ (John 5:6
NIV). That’s because not everybody does. Some
folks would rather have sympathy than solutions,
because solutions mean taking responsibility,
being willing to change and committing yourself
to work on it. The worst thing you could have
done for the Prodigal Son was bring him a meal
and make him more comfortable in his pigsty.
He knows the way home. Just give him a push
in that direction. That’s showing love – tough
love! Take another look at the people in your
life today. How do they make you feel? Do you
respect them? Share their values? By deciding not
to have a relationship with somebody, you’re not
judging them or putting them down, you’re just
deciding to use your life – the only life you’ve
got – for better purposes. Face it: some people
are truly victims, others are just losers. This
second group is like a car battery with a bad cell;
no matter how much you pour into them, you
can’t mend them, use them, or jump-start them.
If somebody was draining off your bank account,
you’d stop them in a heartbeat, wouldn’t you?
Sympathy wouldn’t even be a consideration. Well,
unhealthy relationships rob you of something
even more valuable than your money – your
time. Listen: ‘Live purposefully... Making the very
most of the time [buying up each opportunity]‘
(Ephesians 5:15-16 AMP). Ask God to show you
who really belongs in your life, then start making
some changes!
Prayer Point - Is it forever?
Father God, Your Word promises that life with You is a journey towards ever greater joy and
fulfilment, yet sometimes I feel like I’m on a spiral downwards into ever greater darkness.
Please break the power of despair in my life, and help me to believe that there is hope and
a future for me. Shine Your light into my darkness and give me faith for better days to come.
DAY
26
Dont Live With Regret
‘Godly sorrow brings repentance… and leaves no
regret...’ 2Corinthians 7:10 NIV
THERE’S THE KIND of regret that leads to despair
because you don’t think God’s grace is sufficient
to cover your sins. Then there’s ‘sadness…used
by God [which] brings a change of heart…and…
no regret’ (GNT). This kind draws you closer and
makes you more dependent on Him. You become
‘more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more
reverent…more passionate, more responsible…
[and] come out…with purity of heart’ (2Corinthians
7:11 TM). Jon Walker writes: ‘As the economy closed
in I began to regret not buying a less expensive
home. If only we’d bought a cheaper house. If only
we’d rented. If only we’d stayed in our first house. I
can ‘If only’ myself into depression and stagnation
where I’m stuck between regret and forward
motion. When my focus is not on the One who
32 Overcoming Depression
provides…I let regret become bigger than God…
and following that logic, I believe past choices,
an event, a tragedy, a compromise, a mistake—is
more powerful than the God who spoke the world
into existence…We live in ‘if only/what if’ moments
more than we realise. They wrap us in a sense of
hopeless paralysis: we fear the bad choices we
made [and] the choices we face. God pours His
grace into the present…our walk is one where
we make a decision and stick with it, trusting that
even if we make mistakes, God’s big enough to
turn them around. When regret becomes ungodly
sorrow versus godly sorrow, you find yourself
submerged in self-pity instead of looking to Him
to work things out for the good of ‘those…he has
called according to his purpose’’ (Romans 8:28).
DAY
27
The Triple-A Formula
‘If there is anything worthy of praise, think about
these things.’ Philippians 4:8 ESV
DWELLING on what goes right in life is a great
way to maintain a sense of gratitude. When an
accident left Will Mitchell with disfiguring burns,
he decided to focus on life, not his injuries. He
embarked on a successful business career, and
although he’d lost his fingers, he completed his
training to fly a plane solo. Later while flying from
Colorado to California, ice on the wings of his
plane caused him to crash leaving him paralysed
from the waist down, Mitchell became depressed
about being confined to a wheelchair for the rest
of his life. Then in rehab, a friend called to cheer
him up and gave him the same advice he’d given
her earlier – it doesn’t matter what happens to
you, what matters is what you decide to do about
it! The Bible says, ‘If there is anything worthy
of praise, think about these things’. You can
choose to dwell on the problem or dwell on the
possibilities. Mitchell did the latter by adopting the
triple-A formula. a) Adapt to what has happened
b) Appreciate what you can learn from it c) Accept
the opportunities it presents. Since then, Will
Mitchell has held public office, found love, and
given motivational talks on radio and TV. He says,
‘Before I was paralysed, there were 10,000 things
I could do; now there are 9,000. Should I focus
on the 1,000 things I can’t do, or concentrate on
the 9,000 ways in which life’s still good?’ Rejoice,
there’s purpose within your problem, and even
greater purpose beyond it!
Prayer Point - Joy in the little things
Jesus, man of miracles, You provided wine for a wedding, You changed the weather and You
multiplied a picnic. Thank You that You used everyday things to bring people joy. I may not
yet be healed of depression, but I choose today to enjoy the everyday miracles: the bursts of
sunshine, the pleasure of good food, the encouraging word just when I need it. Help me notice
the good things today.
DAY
28
The way up when life gets you down
‘Elijah was as completely human as we are’
James 5:17 TLB
THERE ARE TIMES in life when we all feel down.
But God’s Word shows us the way to get back
up. Look at Elijah, who ‘was just like us.’ How
come he got so far down? 1) It happened on the
heels of a great victory. He didn’t start out in the
doldrums, and he didn’t fall into sin. No, he’d just
called down fire from heaven and slain 450 false
prophets (1 Kings 18:22-39). But that’s hard work!
So he went from exhilaration to exhaustion. Weary,
defences down and vulnerability up, he fell into a
natural depression because fatigue strips us of our
courage. 2) Fear caused him to lose perspective.
The man of God who’d just faced down an evil
multitude, ended up running from one woman,
Jezebel (1 Kings 19). Fear made him forget God’s
power; it skewed his perspective and left him
feeling suicidal. Exhaustion coupled with fear is
a dangerous combination. It invites hopeless,
wrong thinking, and creates the illusion that your
options are gone. 3) He became isolated. Elijah left
his servant at Beersheba and journeyed into the
wilderness alone (1 Kings 19:3-4). When you most
need support, anxiety, a sense of inadequacy and
fear of failure, will push you into isolation. At that
point you’re in the worst possible company – your
own. Elijah thought, ‘I am the only one left, and
now they are trying to kill me’ (1 Kings 19:10, 14
NIV). Translated: ‘It’s bad and I can’t see it getting
better!’ When you’re down, it isn’t the time to
isolate. That’s when you need to reach for God
and the people who love you, who can help you
back up.
Overcoming Depression 33
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Overcoming Discouragement
Overcoming Temptation
Overcoming Grief and Loss
Overcoming Pride
Overcoming Spiritual Strongholds
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Overcoming Fear
Overcoming Anger and Resentment
Overcoming Materialism
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