He feels only the pain of his own body,
and he mourns only for himself.”
Depression is a real thing. It is a thing that has no discrimination between young or old, black or white, tall or short, large or small, Republican or Democrat, and, not between believers or non-believers. The above verse is the last verse of Job 14. Job, as we know is in a very bad spot. He has lost all things that are precious to him, including his seven children ... all in one day. He has lost his health ... all in one day. Job has had catastrophic events happen of extraordinary proportion. In chapter three we first begin to read about Job’s depression. But, on top of the depression he has three friends show up to tell him that the reason for all the bad is that he is bad. In chapter eleven we read the very harsh and blunt words of his “friend” Zophar. Zophar is the cruelest of all his friends. For the past three chapters Job has been trying to answer Zophar, but in chapter 14 Job finally just gives in. He begins to talk about a fatalistic philosophy of life. He pleads with God, that if this is all there is and he, indeed, is wicked, like Zophar says, than just “leave me alone” and let me die. This last verse sums up all that he is feeling. Job only feels the pain in his body and there appears no hope but to die in this pain. Depression takes away our hope. God’s power is known in the mind, but the heart and the body have given up. In fact, in truth, the mind has as well. It might acknowledge the power of God, but it can’t seize hold of that power. That might be what makes depression even harder for believers. They are the ones who are “supposed” know the power of God. But they, too, can slip into deep despair. Job was one example. Elijah is another. Note his thoughts:
Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
As we read the rest of Job we find the same answer for him, as God gave Elijah. They both are shown the power and glory of God (Job 39-42 & 1 Kings 19:11-14). The fact that these great men of God were depressed is not the story. Many, if all, go through some form of depression. The key here is that as they began to see the glory of God and ponder the power of God, that was the avenue out of their depression. They were not weak because they were depressed. They had some good reasons for the fear, hurt and pain they were feeling. But, eventually they allowed their fear to give way to the faith and saw the glory and power of God. Man’s words cannot heal depression. God’s word and power can.
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