Q: My doctor says I need to get on some medicine for my depression but I'm afraid to do it. I have a friend who says I just need to pray and get close to God. How do I do that? I admit I need some kind of help. I don't understand what's been happening to me. - Mrs. B.T.
A: Depression can be very crippling, and I commend you for facing up to it and seeking help. Unfortunately, some people who experience depression feel guilty or ashamed, and as a result they refuse to admit they need help.
But they shouldn't feel this way; some of the Bible's greatest people (such as Job and Elijah) knew what it was to be depressed. In the midst of his suffering, Job cried out in despair, "Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?" (Job 3:11). But in time Job realized that God still loved him, and when he turned to God he found new strength and comfort.
And I pray this will be your experience as well. Perhaps you've never thought about God very much - but He made you, and He loves you. He loves you so much that He sent His Son into the world to give His life for you and make you part of His family forever. If you have never done so, ask Jesus Christ to come into your life today - and He will. No matter what happens to us, we can have hope when we know Christ.
At the same time, don't hesitate to seek medical help if you need it. Depression can be caused by many things, including chemical imbalances in our brains, and often the right medicine can correct these. God can use doctors and medicines to help us, and in fact they may be God's answer to our prayers.
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Sometimes people with chemical imbalances have lots of depression, and the medicine only has temporary results. It is good to stay close to your pastor and your doctor in these situations. The doctor should keep the patient from using too much. The pastor should keep the believer seeking God and His healing, either by grace and/or by patience and belief in eternal victory. Sometimes an overdose of medicine can be fatal. God understands all our problems, and we are to use doctors, who usually keep us from using too much medicine. Sometimes a pastor and also a close Christian friend are good balances for medicine. If in doubt, most would say stay close to the prescribed dosage, or less. Doctors usually respect your pastor, even if they don't pray themselves.
RAPHA was a well known Christian mental health center. The founder wrote a few books. One of the best known is 'The Search for Significance'.
Even the Neuthetic counselors (the solution to all of mans problems can be found in the Bible) do not turn their backs on medication as a useful tool. "Take a little wine for your stomach" Paul told Timothy, no?
We rush to a doctor for everything on the head, but when
it comes to the inside organ called brain, most of the
highly spiritual people resort to prayer, and at times
put all the blame on the devil. Our chemical imbalances
will show up in the brain, and brain controls the whole
body. People with chronic and clinical depression must
seek proper medical attention. Above all, God's help to
solve the problem because the source of all healing is
God; whether it comes through medicine or by the prayer
of faith.
A link to this article has been posted on the website GoodNewsNow.com.