breathe, you’re human too.
Christians are mostly always asking the wrong questions. From “Can Christians be possessed?” to “Can Christians struggle with depression?” we never seem to be asking questions that can drive action.
I think questions should have a point. We shouldn’t just ask questions because we want to gain knowledge. That is good, but knowledge doesn’t always birth results.
For example, whether that question is answered with a yes or no, it doesn’t provide results to a Christian who might be struggling with demonic oppression, depression, or other things many Christians don’t like to talk about.
So, questions should be better phrased to provide answers and bring solutions rather than just gain knowledge.
That being said, I believe what Christians should be asking when it comes to the topic of depression — or any other topic really — shouldn’t be “Is it possible?” It should be “If it’s possible, what can I do about it?”
Today, statistics show that a good number of Christians around the world suffer from depression and other mental illnesses, and that should be nothing surprising because Christians are indeed human beings.
As much as we are “spirits” we are still living in a body. Therefore, we will still struggle with human things like sickness, pain, and mental illness. We will have accidents, stub our toes, have breakdowns, and get hungry simply because we still live in this world, and that’s fine.
Now, there’s a difference between what Nigerians will call “going through a lot” and what we know to be Clinical Depression.
Clinical depression is a mental illness, while the other can be a phase, often triggered by circumstances.
For example, if your car breaks down, you’re fired from your job and you get home to find out that your mother is dead, all in one day, it’s possible to slip into a phase where life doesn’t interest you, where you’re struggling to get up every morning and start your day, where you find it difficult to eat or do the things that used to make you happy.
You will grieve for a long time, and that’s okay. It doesn’t make you less of a Christian.
In cases like this, where you’re simply going through hard times, it’s best to speak to someone who you’re sure would understand, try your best to lean on God, and build strong convictions about God and his plans for your life if you didn’t have that before.
Grief is a human thing, so we cannot escape it. However, we can manage it. So in times like this, it’s best to sit through it with Jesus and let Him help you. It’ll also be great to have your strongest community by your side as you manage this phase.
The reason why I’m making a distinction between clinical depression and grief or hard times is because they’re often mistaken for each other, especially in the Christian community. People believe that because they went through hard times, they understand what it’s like to live with clinical depression. But that’s not true.
It’s just like someone who had an accident — and got a temporary injury on their leg — thinking that they can understand what it’s like to be born lame. It’s not the same thing.
Yours was a phase at best. Was it real? Yes. Did it affect your life or slow you down? Yes. Was it painful? Yes. But is it the same? Absolutely not.
Christians who struggle with grief can often find strength in scriptures and “choose joy.” They can easily “take from within and put upon,” but for Christians who struggle with clinical depression, it’s much harder. Not impossible, just harder; and it often requires much more intentionality.
Clinical depression is a chronic mental illness that triggers depressive episodes which often last for weeks. Many people who struggle with this attest to being unable to do anything meaningful with themselves for long periods because, in times like that, they feel useless.
Episodes that are birthed from clinical depression don’t necessarily need a trigger, are harder to notice, and can spark up suicidal thoughts in the mind of a person.
Christians who struggle with mental illnesses like depression are often shamed and looked down on by people in the church, especially in Africa. In some cases, they’re made to believe that there is something wrong with them, that they’re suffering for their sins, or that they are just lazy in keeping up with their devotion. And in extreme cases, they are made to believe that they are possessed by demons because they gave them a foothold in their lives.
This isn’t true, as Christians cannot be possessed by demons. At best, they can be oppressed, but if that truly was the case with depression, how is it that the most spiritual people also struggle?
So, if you struggle with long depressive episodes that are not necessarily triggered by circumstances, you should consider a diagnosis. And if you discover that you do have clinical depression, start taking steps to ensure that you manage it properly, through the help of professionally certified therapists.
And when those episodes hit you, it may seem like the world is ending, but if you sit still long enough, you’ll get enough strength to get back up. In times like that, you can remind yourself of who you are, and try to hold on to God as much as you can because, yes, it does help.
According to statistics, people who have something they believe in — like Christians — often have a better grasp of their mental health than people who don’t believe in anything beyond themselves.
So, your devotion might not look the same. You might struggle with even having the mental strength to open scriptures, but if you have any memorized, you can repeat them to yourself.
You can also play your audio bible out loud and try your best to keep up.
I keep saying, “Try your best” because I know that it can be a struggle to concentrate during depressive episodes. You will not have the strength to do deep studies like before, and that’s fine. If all you can do is sit in the darkness and repeat the same words to yourself over and over again until they sink, that’s also fine.
And like my good friend, Daniel said, “as much as everybody in the church claims to be a Christian, that doesn’t mean that you can talk to every one of them about sensitive emotions or trust them with sensitive information.” I said this to say that you must be careful about who you open up to about your struggles.
If someone is quick to dismiss you because of how uncomfortable the emotions you’re going through might feel to them, then it’s best to just avoid talking to them about your struggles. It doesn’t make them bad friends or bad Christians, it just means that they don’t have the capacity to help you with your pain.
Another thing that can help you is music. Yes, music. If you’re like me and you love music, you can listen to some good music whenever your episodes hit. If you find the strength to open YouTube Music or Spotify, find a playlist or artiste that sings reality things and listen to them.
You may want to avoid hype songs with too much serere. Listen instead to songs that have lyrics with deep meaning, like the songs in this playlist I created for myself earlier in the year.
In all this, one thing you should remind yourself of though is that whatever you’re going through is not your fault and that — contrary to popular opinion — God sees you, and he knows what you’re going through.
You might not know why He is letting you go through these things yet, but if you believe that God is good and He has your best interest at heart, then you should be able to trust that He knows what’s best for you.
Finally, you must remember that Jesus has overcome the world, and that includes depression. So, as much as it’s important to feel all the feels and take good care of yourself while at it, make sure you keep your eyes on Jesus and try your best to depend on the Holy Spirit and not let yourself be overwhelmed by the darkness.
To end this piece, I’ll quote the words of Jesus Himself,
