“Are you depressed?” The doctor was frowning with concern.
“No,” I replied. “I’m tired.”
“You look depressed,” he said.
I know why the doctor suggested depression: it was something he could treat. I looked like a classic case, with my loss of energy, concentration problems, sleep changes. And at the time, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was not on many people’s radar.
We understand depression very differently these days. We consider it a chemical imbalance and treat it with medication and therapy. But 25 years ago, especially in Christian circles, depression was a sign of weakness and failure. I often heard, “Christians don’t need medication. They have Jesus.” As though that is a magic bullet for all of life’s troubles.
But Scripture tells a different story. We are promised that there will be trouble. There will be misunderstanding. There will be misdiagnosis. Because we are broken people interacting with broken people in a broken world. The oldest book in the Bible confirms it: “People are born for trouble
as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. (Job 5:7 NLT)
But that is not the whole story. Over and over the Bible promises that we don’t have to soldier through trouble alone. We have resources.
1, God offers guidance (“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32 7-8 NLT).
2. We have a safe place. (“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.” Psalm 9:9-10 NLT)
3. We have a companion, a helper. (“Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.” Psalm 55:22 MSG)
4. Our ultimate victory is assured. Jesus says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV
After all, how can God prove His faithfulness if there is no trouble?
This song answers that question better than I can.