Dealing with depression…

Some of my close friends and family members are dealing with depression at this time of year and I find it hard to know what to say to comfort them. I have dealt with bouts of depression in my life and have even taken medication for it at a really dark time in the past, but as life has moved forward and I have grown closer to knowing God and His Will for me I have kept focused on dreams and goals that don’t leave too much time for getting depressed. Still, winter brings less light and, if you live in a cold region (which I do), less outdoor activity, it’s easy to start feeling a little blue…and for some, clinically depressed. Now I’m not a doctor and would never argue with medical advice (I’m a firm believer God and science work beautifully together.) But outside of that, I think the answers to battling depression are in the Bible. First, just reading the Bible takes you outside yourself and your boredom. Second, it offers practical advice and comfort: we see over and over how people suffer and then rise above with God’s help (a good example is the Book of Job  or Hebrews 11); we are reminded to fight depression so it doesn’t allow Satan’s lies to enter our hearts (Hebrews 12); we are reminded we have a purpose and God won’t let us down (Romans 8:28); and we are told by Jesus many times in the Gospels not to fear or be anxious (Matt 6:34). Yesterday, feeling frustrated with someone I love who has depression, I looked up to the sky to see the most beautiful sight, one that I had never seen before…a beautiful, full rainbow with a flock of seagulls dancing through it,  the sun shining on them so that they looked like big fireflies or fireworks bursting out of the rainbow. It was like nothing I had ever seen before and I was so mesmerized I forgot to take a picture! But it reminded me that God is full of surprises and if we keep our eyes turned to Him and His Word, we can feel joy.