Holistic Christian Depression Treatment Lesson 14 Biblical Therapy & Social Therapy

Biblical Therapy for Dealing with Depression 

Encourage Yourself

Encouraging yourself is another very important Christian depression treatment principle. We can learn from David in 1 Samuel 30 when he had every reason to be depressed but instead, he chose to encourage himself in the Lord.

The following distressing things had happened to David:

a. He was living on the run in Ziklag because King Saul wanted to kill him just because he was jealous of him.

b. David and his men returned to their homes in Ziklag and found the whole place had been razed to the ground (1 Samuel 30:1) and all their wives and children kidnapped by the Amalekites. (1 Samuel 30:2) Then they all wept, until they had no more power to weep. (1 Samuel 30:4)  

c. David’s men then spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6)  

Thus you can see that David had every reason to get depressed and even commit suicide when his own friends and comrades begun talking about of stoning him to death because their wives and children had been kidnapped regardless of the facts that he did not tell the Amalekites to kidnap anyone and that his own wives had also been kidnapped for David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail (1 Samuel 30:5)   

Instead, David chose to encourage himself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6) instead of dwelling on discouraging self-defeating thoughts such as “God has abandoned me”, “I will never get a good break in life”, “There is no hope in my future”, “I am as good as dead” or even “God does not love me”.  

Therefore, when it seems that all hell has broken loose in your life for:

a. your enemies are trying to kill you (like King Saul)

b. your friends are also trying to kill you (like David’s men)

c. you have lost your family whether by divorce, separation, betrayal (like David’s wives were kidnapped)

d. you have lost your home whether by repossession or eviction (like David’s home was burnt)
e. you have lost your clothes and other earthly possessions whether by theft or earthquakes (like David's which were burnt in his home)

f. you have no one to encourage you (David’s wives had been kidnapped while his pals wanted to kill him )

Even if all these and much more have happened to you, understand that when you are dealing with depression or fighting depression, you have to abstain from holding a pity party and instead hold an encouragement party and encourage yourself in the Lord as it is very effective Christian depression treatment.

Encourage yourself in the Lord by reminding yourself of Scriptures that give you hope and strengthen you on the inside. Meditate on these Scriptures as part of your depression self-help. Perfect examples include:

a. Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed or distressed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. (Isaiah 41:10)

b. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them for the LORD your God is the One who goes with you and He will not leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

c. My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

d. God is my refuge and my strength. He is a very present help in trouble. Therefore, I will not fear. (Psalm 46:1-2)

e. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil, for You are with me and you rod and staff, comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

                                          

Encourage yourself in the Lord especially when life looks bleak

Social Therapy for Dealing with Depression 

Vet Your Friends

As much as it is important to have friends, it is even more important to choose the right kind of friends especially when you are dealing with depression. Therefore, choose Christian friends who lift you up with their words (e.g. quoting hope inspiring Scriptures for you, praying for you) and actions and not those who bring you down as this is crucial Christian depression treatment. 


In addition, limit the time you spend with negative people if you want to feel better. Learn from David because when his friends started talking about killing him, he did not spend time with them. Instead, he wisely chose to spend time with God for it is better to be alone with God than surrounded by negative people.  

Finally, Do not take to heart everything people say (Ecclesiastes 7:21) as public opinion even from private friends can be a source of depressive thoughts. 


Live your life with a sincere aim to please Jesus and “gain” His approval and the peace of God which emanates from focusing in God will insulate you from stinging social censure. 

Action Plan
1. Schedule an Encouragement Party when you will meditate on the above mentioned Scriptures and build yourself up in the Lord.


2. Vet your friends and separate them into those who depress you and those who uplift you so that you can stop spending your precious time with depressing people. 


3. Click here for Lesson 15

Christian Depression Stress Management