MOVE OUT FROM UNDER THE DARK SHADOW OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
Depression from a spiritual perspective
The example of Elijah
In the Bible (1 Kings 19) you will find a powerful example of depression, and also of how the Lord can intervene. This chapter describes the reasons why, and how Elijah journeyed into the desert..
He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:4)
In the previous chapter in the Bible, we read how Elijah and Baal’s prophets met at Mount Carmel. He challenged them to pray to Baal in order to ignite the sacrifice from above. Of course their prayers were not answered. Then Elijah prays to God and He sends fire to burn the sacrifice.
Shortly after that, Elijah received a message from Jezebel (his wife) that she was going to kill him. He experienced this threat to his life as overwhelming. He then fled into the desert. Underneath the broom tree, all he wants to do is to die. There is no motivation left to keep on living. You will recognise the symptoms of depression in him: a depressed mood with signs of extreme worry and despair; significantly reduced interest and motivation to pursue his task as prophet, social isolation and withdrawal into the desert, fatigue and lack of energy, as he lies under the tree. He is overcome by feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of death. Elijah falls asleep under the tree. He must have felt as if he had come to the end of the road. Then the Lord appears to him in the form of an angel and wakes him up with the words: ‘Get up and eat’
The theologian and writer Ferdinand Deist really hits home when he writes about suffering. In his book ‘Waarom, God?’ (Why, God?). He holds the opinion that the point of suffering can be the gateway to heaven. The angel gave Elijah bread and water to strengthen him for his journey ahead. From Elijah’s perspective the broom tree had been the end of the road. However God’s perspective differed. God still had a long road ahead, that He wanted to walk with Elijah. God had a task for him to fulfil.
On his way to Horeb, the mountain of God, Elijah went into a cave. God asked: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ Elijah then tells his story of disillusionment and disappointment which, according to his perspective, had brought him to a cul-de-sac. ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’ You can hear the depression in his voice. The Lord encourages him to leave the cave and go to the mountain to stand before God. This is so typical of depression in our lives today – it forces us into passivity. It makes us withdraw to the dark caves of our choice and to avoid the light and demands of reality. God also encourages you to leave your cave and move from darkness to light, His light. Yes, to move from the shadows of depression into the light...
Then the Lord did something powerful: He destroyed the cave with three elements of nature - wind, earth (earthquake) and fire, although He was not present in any one of these elements. No, Elijah (just like us) needed to keep his ear to the ground to hear the whisper of God’s voice in the soft wind. The Lord asked him again: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ Again Elijah recited his story to God. It is significant to note that at this point, God made Elijah turn back to where he had come from, to do three things. The Lord did not answer him after he had told his story – no clear solution was offered. The Lord just gave him three tasks to perform: to anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu king over Israel and likewise to anoint Shaphat to succeed him as prophet. Elijah needed to get up from under the broom tree to tackle his God-given task. He had to shift his stance/attitude from being reactive, to being proactive. He also needed to turn from self-concern, and reach out to the people around him. He needed to fulfill his calling … just as you need to be obedient to God, to ascertain what God’s plan for your life is, and to carry out His plan for your life while you are here on earth.