‘Elijah was a man just like us.’ James 5:17
Elijah, who’d been fearless for three years, became
frightened when Jezebel threatened his life. So he ran to the desert, where he
became depressed and announced, ‘I have had enough, LORD…Take my life’ (1 Kings
19:4 NIV 2011 Edition). Elijah became a prime candidate for depression when he
got physically tired, emotionally drained, and felt threatened. He was a basket
case of emotional problems: fear, resentment, guilt, anger, loneliness, and
worry. And the Bible says, ‘Elijah was a man just like us.’ He wrestled with
the same problems we do. He got so depressed that he wanted to die! Why do we
get ourselves into such emotional messes? Sometimes it’s because of what
happens to us - bad circumstances that occur in our lives. But more often it’s
due to faulty thinking. The truth is our emotions are generated by our
thoughts, and when we think in destructive ways we are going to feel depressed. Our emotions spring from how we interpret life, and if you always see things
from a negative viewpoint you’re going to get down. To rid yourself of harmful
emotions you must learn to change the way you think. That’s why the Bible talks
about being ‘transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2 KJV). To
overcome depression you must learn to correct your wrong thinking and attitudes
about life. In the words of Jesus, when you ‘know the truth…the truth will set
you free’ (John 8:32 NIV 2011 Edition). Looking at things from the right point
of view - God’s viewpoint - is the path to overcoming depression.
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