Devotions to Conquer Anxiety and DepressionSample

Yours for the Taking

If you’ve ever been depressed, you’re not alone. Depression can be caused by circumstances, biology, environment, or a combination of all of those things. Research indicates that as many as 25 percent of Americans suffer from depression at some point in their lives. We are blessed with scriptural accounts of godly people like David and Jeremiah who struggled with depression. These stories let us know that it’s a normal human reaction to feel overcome by the difficulties of life. While feeling this way is normal, it doesn’t have to be the norm. As Christians, we have hope. Hope that our circumstances will not always be the way they are right now. Hope that no matter how dismal the world situation seems to be, God wins in the end. Hope that eternity is just on the other side. Hope is like a little green shoot poking up through hard, cracked ground. When you’re depressed, do what David and Jeremiah did—pour out your heart to God. Seek help from a trusted friend or godly counselor. Look for hope. It’s all around you, and it’s yours for the taking.

Prayer: Father, even when I am depressed, You are still God. Help me to find a ray of hope in the midst of dark circumstances. Amen.