Though I refer to Christians primarily throughout this article, whatever your faith, a lot of these truths apply. If anyone finds anything in this article offensive, please let me know. I am not trying to be offensive to anyone, I am merely trying to help others through what I have personally gone through.

To the Christians out there reading this. If you are anything like me, you have read every scripture you can about Depression and or Joy, so I wont repeat that information. Yes, I will draw you to the scriptures for some things, but that is reading you will need to do on your own (I will give some suggestions later on in the article if you are truly lost).

Why Me?

I remember asking myself this very question time and time again. "Why me?" What ever happened to "The Joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10)? I was a Christian, a Bible believing man who tried to do what the Bible says. Why was I depressed? What was I doing wrong in my spiritual life that I would be... afflicted like this? I read my Bible, I prayed regularly, I went to church... Why would God let me be depressed like this? In my case, I had a loving wife and a newborn, HEALTHY, baby boy. I should have been the HAPPIEST guy on the planet!

I was too proud for medicine or counseling, I figured that this was a spiritual problem, one that I would be looked down upon for. I didn't even go to my pastor about the issue. We had just moved, and I didn't know him well enough for a conversation like that. Especially because I thought it meant I was somehow 'failing' in my Christian walk. Instead of getting help, I kept on asking "Why me?"

The truth is simple. Depression is a chemical imbalance in your body. You have these chemicals in your body that are really powerful little suckers that control your mood. The amount found in your body can be affected by many factors, including simply how often you go outside. Depression is not caused by a 'failing' in your Christian walk, it is not caused because you missed going to church last Sunday (or Saturday, or Friday night, or Wednesday). Depression is not caused because you are not living up to God's standards, it is not a punishment, and it often can not be handled by you alone. God can help you with this, but divine intervention comes in a lot of ways.

Now I am of the belief that God moves through his people. He also moves through divine miracle, but for the most part, God is going to come to you in the form of tangible people, places, or events. Yes, sometimes God will do the truly miraculous, like curing a dying man, making the lame to walk, the blind to see, but often God will use us, his believers, his followers, and some times God acts through non-believers. (Hold on, you will see what I mean here.) In Exodus, when Moses was attempting to release an entire country full of slaves, he put Pharaoh to the test in several ways. At one point, Pharaoh was just going to quit, and let the Israelites go without a chase. God hardened his heart so that His glory could be shown through the release of his people (Exodus 9:14-16).

So what? What does that have to do with me?

Well, that is great news to me. That tells me that God can work through non-Christians to make His glory shown. He can work through Non-Christian counselors, Non-Christian psychiatrists, non-Christian pharmaceutical companies to make His Glory shown. It is not a shameful thing to take anti-depressants. It does not mean you are relying on God. Think about it this way. Rely on God to make the medicine work. You go to the doctor when you get a broken arm, why not go when you are struggling with depression and can not 'fix' the problem yourself. Of course God can and often does work through Christians, too, and if you can find a Christian counselor or Psychiatrist, by all means, use them. But for the most part, you can't tell until you are there. God will work through whoever and whatever He wants in order to make his Glory known, just like he used Pharaoh to do.

You are NOT alone!

First of all, I want to let you know that you are not alone. Several strong Christians suffer from depression, and the Joy of the Lord is what keeps you going - though it may appear distant right now. Let us take a look about some people in the Bible who have suffered from depression.

• Abraham was depressed because he didn't have a child (Genesis 15). By the way, God pulled through for him.
• Jonah was depressed because God was going to send him to Ninevah. He was so upset that he asked God to kill him because he didn't want to live (Chapter 4).
• Job was depressed because... Well, because he had a lot of reasons to be depressed. But God showed him who was God (Job - pretty much all of it).
• Elijah was upset because he didn't think he was better than those who came before him. He asked for God to kill him (1 Kings 19:1-8).
• King Saul had it pretty bad. He was God's chosen, and he fell into a deep, dark place where God had to send David to cheer him up. Here is a great example how God will use others. (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
• Jeremiah was a pretty depressed guy, but God can use leaky clay pots way easier than a whole, complete jar. I mean, it is EASY for a complete vessel to hold water, but it is that much more of a miracle to see a broken vessel holding water, and overflowing. (Jeremiah)
• David was pretty much Manic Depressive. Throughout the Psalms he is either praising God, or whining that nobody liked him, everybody hated him, and he may as well go eat worms. (Psalm 38, and Psalm 102). Man, this one sums up like how I have felt.

Ok, these are all nifty Biblical people, but how about someone from less than two thousand years ago? Well, there are some more, but I was getting to them.

• Martin Luther
• Charles Spurgeon
• Elvis
• C.S. Lewis
• karpouzian - this greatauthor on HubPages. I'm sure you've heard of him ;)

Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)

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)

http://www.biblegateway.com/ It is a good place to read the Bible.

I hope this helps someone. If it does, let me know.