Defeating the Enemy of Depression

One of the hardest things a parent can experience is witnessing the dimming of your child’s joy. Whether they’re dealing with a temporary illness, momentary melancholy, or full-blown depression, it breaks our hearts when theirs is down. It can also be frustrating, disheartening, or downright frightening if you’re not sure how to help.

Depression, with its minions, apathy and anxiety, is one of the major problems among youth these days. In fact, according to Mental Health America, 15 percent of youth (3.7 million) ages 12-17 are affected by major depression. And many are not getting the help they need.

Sometimes children think they shouldn’t burden their parents with their problems. Or they think their parents won’t know how to handle it, so they pretend and hide their hurts. Some think their parents won’t believe them or want to be bothered with it. Or they feel they must figure it out themselves.

Too often, as children of God, we treat our heavenly Father this way. For multiple reasons, we don’t ask for the Lord’s help.

Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
I should trust you, LORD.
I will praise you again
because you help me,
and you are my God.

Psalm 42:5 (CEV)

The Psalms provide a close-up view at raw and real human emotions. In Psalms 6, 42, and 143, for example, we see the writers lamenting, then remembering and being grateful for what God has done, and then holding to his promises. In these expressions to God, we see brutal honesty, real struggle, shared sorrow, and bountiful joy. Perhaps the Lord preserved these words of Scripture so we could see that he doesn’t ignore strong feelings, expect us to fix ourselves, or berate us for having them.

And, with open hearts and minds, that can be our first reaction to our children, too. We can be the safe place where they can express their true emotions and know we will take them seriously—not rejecting or belittling them. They can experience compassion from us, like the compassion our heavenly Father shows all his children. Together we can ask the Lord for help and take steps towards the wholeness God desired for us.

God provides us with multiple ways to overcome depression, including the care of medical doctors and other professionals. Through the knowledge and wisdom God gives them, they may guide us to exercise regularly, eat healthily, and spend time outside to get fresh air and God’s gift of Vitamin D through sunshine. God can give us wisdom to assess our lifestyle choices and the power to break bad habits. He can help us learn to unplug from social media, not stress over our imperfections, or choose more carefully who we allow to influence us.

God’s Word shows us the path to spiritual health, which affects every aspect of our lives. And meditating on Scriptures like the psalms with your kids will help them trust the Lord and encourage them to entrust themselves to him.

PRAY

Lord, we desperately need your help to deal with this life. Please protect our children’s emotional and spiritual health and build their strength. May we be your light in this dark world. Amen.

TIME TO TALK

Conversation starter for kids: (Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.)

Question(s): What do you think of when you hear the word “depressed?”

Do you ever feel sad or hopeless? What kinds of things or situations make you feel this way?

Apply: Take time to listen to your children. Allow them to express any difficult feelings or emotions. Encourage them by sharing times in your life when you have felt particularly down. Then pray for Jesus to help all of you when you are feeling depressed—to hold you, lift your spirits, and guide you to tools needed to overcome and thrive.

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: (These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.)

Psalm 34:18

Psalm 42:8