Depression is a part of the human experience, but it isn’t your fault, nor a sin.

When life gets overwhelming and the weight of the world seems to be crushing you from the inside out, turning to the Psalms can offer rest, and, more importantly, reassurance. I have previously written about this in The Beauty of Psalms. 

“We will have struggles, emotional glitches, and hot mess express moments where we cry out to God, and that is ok. He is our Mighty Counselor after all.”

Depression and Anxiety are real conditions, it is not a sin. You have done nothing wrong. As a person who has dealt with severe depression and still deals with Anxiety, I used to think I was the cause, I had done something wrong, and that I was sinning, and this was a punishment from God. 

Unfortunately, these are commonly held views by many churches and/or churchgoers still. This is where I got the idea that I was the problem and suffered immensely for years because of it. 

Well, I’m here again to reassure you that even some of the greatest people in the Bible suffered Depression and Anxiety, and the Lord still wanted them for His work and more assuredly LOVED them despite their conditions and did not blame them for it.

Depression and anxiety are medical conditions, just like Diabetes, Asthma, and Arthritis. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise; if they do, just walk away, find real support from God and others who respect your battle. Also, I want you to take any blame or doubt you may be holding over yourself, and cast it off.

Let the Psalms calm, reassure, and hold you close to God.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91: 1–2)

“Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.” (Psalm 16:1)

Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high.All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with them in distress. (Psalm 91:14–15)

“The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the contrite of spirit.” (Psalms 34:18)

I was already going to tell you, just as the author of the article below suggests. Grab hold of one or two verses, hold on to them tight, and don’t let go. 

I wanted to provide a list of Bible verses for you to read when you are struggling, and to be able to bookmark it. Emily doesn’t just provide verses, she also tells how Psalms 13 brought her through an enormously hard storm.

New Hope Nation, 50 Bible Verses to Help You Find Comfort by Emily Rico.

You may also wish to check this 👇 out, where I talk about Paul, who had at the very least an anxiety attack at one point.

“Real Christians” shouldn’t experience fear. — Wait. What about Paul, then?

First published in Frontier Writers on Medium.

© Jane Isley

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