Suggested reading: 1 Kings chapter 19 verses 1-18
COPING WITH DEPRESSION
If you have not already done so, I suggest that it will be helpful if you read the suggested passage about ELIJAH. It will reveal the steps he took to be lifted out of his melancholy mood.
-
PHYSICAL HELP
- Spiritual depression is often accompanied by physical needs, which should not be discounted. Elijah must have been physically exhausted by his exploits prior to this at Cherith, Zarephath and Carmel. His battles against the wicked king and queen, Ahab and Jezebel, had taken their toll on his physical resources. His weakened condition had to be addressed before he embarked on the next stage of his journey.
- God had already acknowledged to him, as he sat exhausted and demoralized under a broom tree, ‘Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you’, verse 7. God graciously provided him with food, drink and sleep. Meeting his physical needs stood him in good stead for 40 days and nights, verse 8.
-
CONTROL OF SELF
- Elijah became depressed, because he allowed SELF to dominate, instead of dominating self!
- SELF was always with him, even though he changed his circumstances to the wilderness or to a cave – we can’t escape from SELF but we can take measures to prevent it from controlling us.
- Elijah was dominated by the desire for HIS plans to be fulfilled, HIS questions answered and HIS position improved.
- He thought that HIS victory over the wicked prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel would result in a national revival but it did not, 1 Kings chapter 18 verses 30-40.
- THE PSALMIST had the answer, when he took control of self – he asked himself the important question, which Elijah did not do: ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?’, Psalm 42 verses 5-6. Elijah left God to ask the question: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’, verse 9.
To be continued