What can I do when I'm depressed?

What can I do when I'm depressed?

Psalm 42:5-6 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

Depression is a time for soul- searching, for asking basic question. We are often discouraged because we concentrate on our circumstances instead of on the Lord who will always care for us. The Psalmist's question awakened him to the reality that God alone is our source of comfort and hope. When we are depressed, we need to remind our self that God has been faithful in the past and will be faithful in the present.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Jesus understands our dark feelings, our doubt, our discouragement, and yes, even our depression; and his desire is to help us. Sometimes, the help we need might include professional counseling and antidepressant medication. After all, God created the minds that created these medications, and it is not a sin to take them if you truly need them.

If you are depressed, there is help for you. It is okay to admit it, and it is okay to get help. Life will still have its ups and downs, but there are options for you if the "downs" last for a long, long time.

If those around us are telling us that something is wrong with us and they don’t know what to do for us, we need to listen with a humble heart.