Dealing with Depression

Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. (1 Kings 19:5-6) 
 
The Bible exposes a real-life issue as we read about Elijah’s journey. Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.  The number one symptom of depression is sleeping.  You just don’t want to get out of bed.  It is not that someone is lazy or boring; maybe they are just depressed and they would rather stay in bed.   
 
Because we are chemical beings, our bodies are sometimes imbalanced. If our neurotransmitter balance is impaired, we are not functioning properly. Picture yourself as a battery. Your battery is full of electrical charges.  At the end of the nerves in your body are little things called neurons, and they are sending charges through your body.  In depression, we are not charging our battery. Although simplistic, I think you get the gist. 
 
I don’t know what was in that angel cake.  Whatever it was, Elijah needed it. The angels made the bread, and suddenly Elijah was now able to function.  There is nothing unspiritual about taking anti-depressants; it is not a sin.  This is probably wise because some people desperately need anti-depressants, if they were born with a genetic predisposition for chronic depression. It helps them hit on all cylinders. The way you think affects the way you feel, and the way you feel affects the way you think. Sometimes, it is medically necessary for you to have a touch of chemical help to allow you to function properly.  There is nothing wrong with that.  
 
Meet your physical needs.  Some of us just need to get a good night’s sleep.  Some of us need to exercise.  Some of us should eat right.  Of course, nutrition is a very, very important aspect.  If you just keep eating fast-food, it will slow you down; this is an important thought. Sometimes, the greatest spiritual advice is to take care of your body with proper nutrition and exercise. How are you doing with these things today?