The Bible and Depression Bible Study
Week 9 - Jeremiah is Restored
Brief Review
In Step 3 we looked at a prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-3 about Jesus Christ. We saw that Jesus was anointed by God to bring the garment of praise for relief from the spirit of heaviness.
In Steps 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 we studied the Biblical record of depression of Elijah, Job, Hannah, David, Jonah and Moses.
Depression – A Study of Jeremiah and Depression
Jeremiah was a Prophet. The Lord called him to carry a message of doom to Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. The Bible is very clear that Jeremiah was chosen to be a Prophet of the Lord: Jeremiah 1:4-5
4 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
He was known as “the weeping prophet,” because he cried tears of sadness, not only because he knew what was about to happen but because, no matter how hard he tried, the people would not listen. Furthermore, he found no human comfort. God had forbidden him to marry or have children (Jeremiah 16:2), and his friends had turned their backs on him.
Many times during his life he fell into depression. We will look at one period of depression revealed to us in the Book of Lamentations.
Lamentations 3:1-20
1 I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths crooked.
10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.
12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.
16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
How many symptoms of depression do you find in this passage?
Jeremiah is Restored
The great news in the Bible teaching about depression is that there is hope for you and me. There is a different way of viewing calamity and/or the problems that sometimes consume us.
There is a way out of the dungeon of depression. Here is how Jeremiah did it.
In verse 22, which follows Jeremiah’s thinking pattern of depression, we find out how he dug his way out of the black hole of depression. It is exciting! He said, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope” (Lamentations 3:21). There you have it!
The key! He changed his thinking, and his way of looking at his circumstances! Hope returned! What, then, did Jeremiah start thinking about? Lamentations 3:21-22
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
God's Goodness, Wisdom and Power
He reminded himself of God’s loving kindness, compassion, faithfulness, goodness, and delivering power (Lamentations 3:22-26). He also said this, “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?” (Lamentations 3:37).
In other words, the Bible teaching about depression instructs that God is in control of life and events of history. It is wrong for us to complain about how God does things (verses 39, 40).
When we don’t understand our circumstances, we must leave matters in the hands of God who loves and cares for His people since He knows the whole picture. God’s solution is to change your thinking about your situation, and trust Him. Another word for that strategy is - faith. Putting the Lord FIRST.
Lamentations 3:23-41
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not.
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Questions to answer:
· Do you put the Lord FIRST? Do you give thanks and praise to the Lord every day?
· Do you seek opportunities to serve and worship?
