"I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."
- 1 Kings 19:10

There are many persons known and unknown to many of you dear readers, who are depressed, rejected and neglected and on the whole are sunken deep in the valley of low self-esteem. This sad commentary does not only dwell among those who are tied by poverty's strong ties, as many are led to believe, but in homes stately and adorned with manicured lawns and bubbling water fountains; not to leave out designer name vehicles. Let's call it all "depression".
Depression is a life-threatening condition that is often muddled with troubling confusion. Many confuse mood and depression, and it is not uncommon to hear people say, "I am feeling depressed" or "you look depressed" when in fact one is merely sad or discouraged.
Those suffering from depression may feel sad, but they are just as likely to feel irritable or emotionally drained. It would be better to characterize depression as a state of overwhelming hopelessness, aggravated by feelings of worthlessness, self-pity and even guilt. Other common symptoms are a loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, a general lack of energy and being overwhelmed by even simple tasks.
Those suffering from depression will often display behavioral changes that are out of character -- recurring bouts of anger, uncontrollable crying or social withdrawal. They may have trouble making simple decisions and exercise poor judgment. Serious or prolonged depression can seriously affect one's physical well-being and be accompanied by a longing for death or even suicidal thoughts.
In the 19th chapter of 1 Kings and verse 4 we read, "But Elijah himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, 'It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers'."
Are we being upfront and honest about depression in Christian circles? Can the godly suffer from depression, or is it only something that afflicts the weak in faith? There are many who when asked how they are feeling would say, "I'm blessed" or "I'm too blessed to be stressed out" when in fact, the body language and expressionless face says as Maury would say "That's a lie".
Elijah the prophet wanted to die. He asked God to take his life because he had come to the conclusion that he was a failure. Elijah had just been victorious in the showdown with the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. God had sent fire down from heaven to consume Elijah's sacrifice. In addition, the prophet had predicted a terrible famine, and the Lord had not sent rain for three years. After that time, Elijah prayed for rain, and God produced a torrential downpour. God was working mightily through His servant Elijah and this made him very unpopular with Ahab and Jezebel, the wicked king and queen of Israel.
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this." Because of this, Elijah was very afraid and he fled from Jezreel to Beersheba. He was terribly discouraged, for he had remained faithful in proclaiming God's message, yet the only result, as far as he could see, was a threat on his life, further making him to believe that he was the only faithful person left.
There are many of God's children who in times of grave difficulties and lack of encouragement mixed with ingratitude would join in with the words of an old saint in her hour of trouble, "I wish I was a rat so that the cat would eat me!"
When his burden seemed too great to carry, Moses also asked God to take his life. Likewise, Jonah preferred to die rather than watch the Ninevites repent and be spared by God. Jeremiah cursed the day of his birth. These were all great men of God, but even at their greatest, they were still mortal men.
Woe to the people who put leaders on pedestals and do not look down to see that their feet are made of clay. Every man at his best is still a man, and they will fail. History is filled with men and women who were complete failures as far as the public or professors were concerned, but turned out to become great inventors, musicians, scientists, war generals and world leaders.
Depression can have profound consequences. It can destroy families and the productivity of one's life. It is the leading contributor to drug and alcohol abuse and every aspect of life can be affected, including one's emotions, physical health, relationships and work. Indeed, the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few, and so those of the household of faith and workers in the vineyard of the Lord need to be proactive in preventing and dealing with depression.
No longer can we afford to turn a blind eye to situations that we can see developing and not reach out in the spirit of love and help. We must be willing to listen with compassion, rescue the perishing, care for the dying and, in some cases, use drastic measures to snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. No use gossiping, but weep over those who are erring and extend our hands to lift the fallen.
The apostle says it best -- "There go I, but for the grace of God."

o E-mail 241haystreet@gmail.com; Facebook Ruby Ann Darling or write to P.O. Box SS 19725 Nassau, Bahamas, with your prayer requests, concerns and comments. God's blessings!

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