Is Depression a Sign of ‘Weak Faith’?
If every Christian suffering with depression is a sign of weak faith, then what about the prophet of Elijah?
In 1 Kings 18, Elijah is strong, confident, and at the pinnacle of success. But, in the next chapter, we are told Elijah is afraid for his life, and in anguish, he cries out to God, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (19:4). Notice the depression related to the fears and feelings of failure expressed by Elijah.
Are we to believe that Elijah was not a man of God? Of course not.
What about the great prophet Jeremiah? Known also as the “Weeping Prophet.” Look how downcast he was in Lamentations 3:17-18, “My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.” If that isn’t depression, I don't know what is.
And who can forget king David? It’s next to impossible to miss the anxiety and depression that plagued him throughout his life. So, are we to conclude that David didn’t have enough faith?
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
(Psalm 13:1-4)
One of the greatest gospel preachers of all time is Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892). He is respectfully known as the “Prince of Preachers.” In his lifetime, Spurgeon wrote over 150 books, was founder and president of a seminary, preached four to ten times a week, and launched over sixty Christian charities. And if that wasn't enough, pastored a congregation of over 5,000 people.
And yet, Spurgeon (throughout his life) suffered with deep depression. He was very upfront about his depression, and the depression that plagued many in his church. Spurgeon was far from being spiritually dead. His depression led him to rely more fully and passionately on the power of the Holy Spirit. His suffrage revealed the true heart of God for mankind and his legacy lives on to this day.
So, you see? Just because these men and women of faith battled with anxiety and depression, doesn't mean they weren't faithful to God's call on their lives. And it certainly doesn't imply God wasn’t good to them In the words of the notable philosopher, Peter Kreeft, “A saint can be going through ‘the dark night of the soul’ and feel totally dried up inside, while in fact God is perfecting him like an artist perfecting his masterpiece.”[1]
Another significant point to make is that neither Job, David, Jeremiah, Hannah, or Elijah apologized every time they felt depressed. They realized it was a part of life, and in most cases—their depression authenticated their relationship with God. This is often overlooked by the church.
In acknowledgment of this fact, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, publicly went to Facebook to address this misnomer, “Mental illness exists in and outside of the church community. Christians struggle with depression and even suicidal thoughts. It does not make you less of a Christian. Just like heart disease or cancer does not dilute our Christianity, neither does mental illness.”[2]
[1] Peter Kreeft, Three Philosophies Of Life: Ecclesiastes: Life as Vanity; Job: Life as Suffering; Song of Songs: Life as Love (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), p. 75.
[2] (Facebook.com. (2019). Rev. Samuel Rodriguez. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/pastorsamuelrodriguezjr/posts/464285530309837/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2019].