Daily Gospel

Does God care when I feel depressed?

Psalm 139:1-12

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

² You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my every thought when far away.

³ You chart the path ahead of me

and tell me where to stop and rest.

Every moment you know where I am.

⁴ You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

⁵ You both precede and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to know!

⁷ I can never escape from your spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the place of the dead,^£ you are there.

⁹ If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

¹¹ I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are both alike to you.

There is no depth to which we can descend that God is not present with us. When depression comes, we must remember that even though we cannot see or feel his presence, he has not abandoned us.

Psalm 130:1-8

¹ From the depths of despair, O Lord,

I call for your help.

² Hear my cry, O Lord.

Pay attention to my prayer.

³ Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,

who, O Lord, could ever survive?

⁴ But you offer forgiveness,

that we might learn to fear you.

⁵ I am counting on the Lord;

yes, I am counting on him.

I have put my hope in his word.

⁶ I long for the Lord

more than sentries long for the dawn,

yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

⁷ O Israel, hope in the Lord;

for with the Lord there is unfailing love

and an overflowing supply of salvation.

⁸ He himself will free Israel

from every kind of sin.

We can cry out to God in prayer even from the darkest night of despair. He will hear us.

Isaiah 53:3

³ He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

We know that through Christ God understands the pain of human life.

Romans 8:39

³⁹Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not even life’s worst depression can separate us from the love of Christ.

Does feeling depressed mean something is wrong with my faith?

Judges 15:18

¹⁸ Now Samson was very thirsty, and he cried out to the Lord, “You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagan people?”

1 Kings 19:3-4

³ Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. ⁴Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”

Even for the people of God, depression can often follow great achievement or spiritual victory.

Psalm 35:9

⁹ Then I will rejoice in the Lord.

I will be glad because he rescues me.

Psalm 40:1-3

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

³ He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be astounded.

They will put their trust in the Lord.

Matthew 14:29-31

²⁹“All right, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

³¹Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. “You don’t have much faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” ³²And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

God is able to lift us out of the pit of depression and fear.

@Promise from God:

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”