Is Depression Real?
Leticia M. Starks-Underwood 
Is Depression Real?
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
He protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
~ Psalm 34:17-20
Is depression real? Can believers really struggle with depression and if so, does that mean God loves them less? Depression is real and sometimes the best of Christians struggle with depression to the point where they do not feel loved by God. God’s love is unconditional. God loves us on our best day and especially on the days that we feel down. Depression does not stop God from loving us. Psalm 34, tells us that God is close to the brokenhearted, He saves those who are crushed in spirit, and He delivers them from their troubles. God really cares when we are struggling.
Depression comes in as a heavy spirit and sometimes it feels like a circle of darkness hanging above people. The Bible notes this dark spirit as the spirit of heaviness. This heaviness of depression is beyond the natural realm. It is tied to the spiritual realm.
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” -Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)
Depression is a silent spirit that tends to leave people isolated and in a state of feeling alone. If depression is not fought, the enemy will try to use it to strip people of their identity and cause them to question their very own existence. However, God did not give depression authority over His people, but He gave His people authority over depression. I believe the length or the degree to which people are depressed depends on how they see themselves or how they see their circumstances.
Having a relationship with God, knowing your identity in Christ, and being made aware of God’s love for you will help you to defeat the spirit of depression. However, for some people, they may have to use additional forms of help which are also blessings from God. In some cases, it may be hard to pray and talk to Jesus, because you are in an isolated place or that God seems to be absent. Nevertheless, we must remember that it does not matter how dark it is, God is there. I know there were some days when I struggled to read my Bible and pray when I was battling depression. I had to have other people pray for me until I was able to pray for myself. Isolation may cause Jesus’ presence to feel distant, but God is omnipresent; He is present everywhere.
It is my sincere prayer that after reading this article and excerpt from You Can Make It: Defeating The Spirit of Depression you will gain the strength to triumph over life's challenges, regardless of whether you are experiencing depression or not. No matter what season of darkness you are called to go through in life, “You Can Make It” because you are a child of God.
