Each year, millions of people suffer from depression. Causes vary—some people are physiologically prone to depression, while others are depressed because of specific events or chronic stressors. Human beings have struggled with depression since the beginning of time, so it’s not surprising that the Bible addresses the topic.
In Psalm 42 and 43, the writer is forthcoming about how depressed he feels and lists various reasons for his mood, including being taunted by his adversaries, deceitful people, and feeling rejected by God (v.42:10, 43:1-2). He prays:
Send your light and your truth; let them lead me.
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling place (Psa. 43:3).
A couple of things stand out in this passage. First, during a season of depression, the world appears dark, so it’s relevant that the Psalmist asked God to “Send your light and truth; let them lead me” (43:3). The Psalmist is asking God to guide him out of this season of darkness and to a place where he can sense God’s presence. Also, notice in verse 5, the Psalmist dialogues with himself and asks:
Why, my soul, are you so dejected?
Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him,
my Savior and my God (Psa. 43:5).
In his book Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures, Dr. Martyn-Lloyd Jones talks at length about why it’s important to dialogue with yourself, especially when you’re depressed. He writes:
“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problem of yesterday, etc., Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. The main art in the matter of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself.”[1]
Our thoughts are our greatest influence because they are constant and never-ending. For better or worse, we are heavily impacted by internal dialogue. That’s why it’s crucial to intentionally guide what we think about. When we are struggling, we must remind ourselves of what we know to be true (rather than contemplating worst-case scenarios), mentally review the promises of Scripture, and guide our thoughts in a realistic and positive direction.
Keep in mind, self-dialogue is just one aspect of overcoming depression. It may be necessary to see a therapist, take medication, and pursue numerous other aspects of wellness. But Lloyd-Jones is correct to point out that our thoughts profoundly influence our mood. If we are intentional about managing our thoughts and even go as far as to guide our thoughts by developing the habit of self-dialogue, we’ll be one step closer to better days.
[1] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cures. (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids: 1965, 21).
