There are many sorts of depression in life. I tell you about one form of depression, which occurred to Eliah and about which is told in 1 Kings 19.
Eliah had done great things on mount Carmel, chapter 18. But the following day he was 'nowhere' after this glorious but exhausting day . ONE woman, Jizebel, threatened him and he ran away, (3) And in his flight after some time he was so depressed , that he was thinking of doing nothing more and lay down to die, ( 4).
But though he was in a deep depression, the Lord did not forget him. He sent an angel and Eliah got courage to get up and go to mount Horeb. And there the Lord showed him new tasks and Eliah was out of hias depression.
There are great thoughts in this whole story. But I should like to point only to these aspects, referring to depression.
Also now, when we have perhaps done great things for the Lord, ( of course by his grace), sometimes a deep feeling of depression comes over us. In our days we know, that we have to struggle in the name of Jesus against the demon, that brings this depression over us, but it is just the difficulty, that in times of depression we don't have the strength to struggle.
Eliah was 'nowhere', but the Lord is 'everywhere'. 2 Chronicles 16 v 9 says: " The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen rhose whose hearts are fully committed to him".
And when a Christian is in a time of depression through whatever reason and he has not the strength to stand up...... he lies 'under some broomtree' ( 1 Kings 19 v 4 ) and has only one wish: to be and to think and to have: NOTHING ...... then certainly God will help and give power to the powerless, ( v 8) and later on comfort.
Now my advice to people in depression is: try to call to God for help. Tell him, how hopeless your situation is and that you have nothing left to stand up. And the Lord of Eliah is still the same. He will do for you what he did for Eliah.
One time I myself was at a loss what to do. I shall not say I was depressed, but my wife was ill and we had stranded in the republic of South Africa and we had to go to Botswana and those states were enemous at that time and there seemed no possibility to cross the border. And I lay down in my room in Bloemfontein, (Flower fountain) and wept and said : "Oh Lord...oh Lord" and nothing more, for I was at the end of all my words and of all my possibilities. And then the Lord sent help and the evening of the following day we crossed the border.
So....when you are so depressed, that you cannot , as you always do at other times, resist satan ( James 4 v 7), the eyes of the Lord....... he will help you and set you on your feet.
