Beating Depression/Week 3c of 3

"...and now they are trying to kill me too." (I Kings 19:10)

The third lie that Elijah had bought into was this one--he feared his fate was in the hands of others.

Another aspect of depression is a sense of a loss of control. Elijah felt that his actions were inconsequential and that he had no control over his situation. Others had power over him and were going to determine his fate.

When depression hits, a person experiences a loss of faith--in himself and in God. In the midst of depression, a person's faith may not be strong enough to see God's involvement in his life. When a person reaches that point, it's easy to forget who God is and that His sovereign plan will not be derailed.

But look at God's answer to Elijah in I Kings 19:16-18. You'll notice that God did not reveal what Elijah's fate would be. He just gave Elijah enough of a glimpse of the future to remind him who was in charge.

Also notice that God chose to achieve His plan through Elijah. You see, Elijah's actions were consequential and so were God's plans. God, in effect, was saying to Elijah, "Your fate is in my plan." Elijah wasn't to concern himself about what others might do to him. He was to concern himself with obeying God's direction for his life. His fate was in God's hands. And, because God is good, those who know Him personally have nothing to fear.

All of this is easy to say, but hard to do. Knowing all that I have shared, I still struggle with doing the right things on a consistent basis. The fact that an incredible man of God like Elijah hit the burnout wall should be a warning to us all.

Take stock of your own life on a regular basis. Make sure you're taking care of yourself--eating right, getting plenty of rest and the right kinds of exercise. Be proactive about reducing stress in your life.

And make sure you have friends and family around you that can help you keep a right perspective on life. Do what doesn't come naturally for a man. Share how you are truly feeling with someone close to you.

Beating Depression/Week 3b of 3

"I am the only one left." (I Kings 19:10)

The second falsehood that Elijah had come to believe was this one--he was all alone in his efforts to do the work of God. He saw himself as the only soldier fighting the battle.

Remember that Elijah had isolated himself, leaving even his servant behind to hide himself in the desert. One of the signs of depression is isolation. And one of the natural outcomes of isolation is that you can't check your perspective against the viewpoints of others.

Often, a person in depression sees reality, but interprets it wrongly, through that doom-and-gloom filter I talked about in my last posting. Elijah's negative perspective was skewing his conclusions about everything. He needed a different perspective--something God was more than prepared to provide.

In His instructions to Elijah (I Kings 19:16-18), God in effect answers, "I am fighting with you and I have reserved many others in my army." Elijah, in fact, was not alone. It was important for him to realize the truth. I imagine it was like a splash of cold water when Elijah found there were 7,000 others that were fully committed to God in Israel. Kind of a mix of "Oops, my bad," and "Hey, that's encouraging, I have some soul mates!"

We all need to share our burdens with others. Certainly, we can share them with God; but, it also helps to have companions who can walk with you, share the experience, and participate in carrying the load. So notice that God gave Elijah a companion in the form of a successor, Elisha.

Take this lesson to heart. Surround yourself with companions on the journey. Cultivate relationships with godly friends and mentors. Use them to check your perspectives on issues that are important to you. Be open to their perspectives, especially if you hear the same one from several people.

And don't forget the ultimate source for true perspective--the Bible. God's Word tells it like it is, for those willing to listen.

Beating Depression/Week 3a of 3

"And the word of the Lord came to him: 'What are you doing here, Elijah?" (I Kings 19:9)
Once Elijah made it to Mt. Horeb, this is the question that God posed to him. I've compared this question to that of a young mother talking to her toddler, "Where you goin'?" The mother knows exactly where the toddler is going. She's alerting the child to her presence and initiating a learning moment--usually in the form of "You really don't want to go there."

The question from God to Elijah is full of understanding and grace. God knew the answer before he asked, but Elijah needed a chance to voice where he was. Elijah's answer reveals some lies that we often "hear" and believe as we move into a state of depression:

"He replied, 'I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.'" (I Kings 19:10)

This week, I want to unpack the three falsehoods I see in Elijah's answer and then interpret as God answers to each lie through His instructions to Elijah.

The first lie that had become part of Elijah's perspective is "The other side is winning." Can you see it in his answer to God? It's as if Elijah is telling God, "All your goals are being thwarted and you're losing the war." Sounds ridiculous when you put it that way, but that's actually what Elijah was saying.

When we move into a deep funk as part of a depression, it is almost impossible to see the silver lining in situations. Just the opposite, we see everything through a doom-and-gloom filter. That's where Elijah was. As far as he was concerned all was lost, which doesn't make sense when you consider his great victory for God on Mount Carmel.

God answers Elijah through instructions on what to do next, giving Elijah a task and a glimpse into the results of his future actions (I Kings 19:17). God is making three points to Elijah through what he says:

1. God is sovereign. God has a plan and is moving that plan forward. Only he knows the future. And no one on earth is going to derail His plan.
2. We are human and can't always see how God's plan is unfolding and often never see the outcome. (Elijah eventually prophesied Jezebel's fate, but doesn't remain on earth long enough to see it come to pass.)
3. We need to check our perspective by tuning into God's perspective--through His Word, through other godly peers or mentors.

So one warning sign you can look for in terms burnout and depression is whether you have a constantly defeatist attitude about the world around you.