A Christian counselor’s look at 4 practical, biblical things Christian moms can do to control depression and sadness.
How can a Christian mom control depression?
Emotions are hard.
Sadness and depression are a reality for SO MANY Christian moms. And these hard emotions can make it really difficult to enjoy family life.
God is not unaware of your struggles.
Today, we’re going to dive into Scripture to find biblical wisdom – PRACTICAL wisdom – for handling those difficult seasons of sadness, overwhelm, and depression.
Ready? Let’s dive in.
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Can you really control depression?
As a mental health counselor, I’ve seen a lot of people dealing with a lot of emotions. And emotions can be messy. Overwhelming. Impactful.
But there are ways we can control them.
God did not make a mistake when He gave us such a full range of emotions! From happiness to anger to surprise to sadness… they’re all normal, and there really are things you can do to get your emotions under control.
RELATED: 10 Reasons Why Moms Struggle With Out Of Control Emotions
The biggest problem with feelings of depression is that it starts to feel bigger than you can handle. After all, depression is famous for making us feel like we can barely get out of bed, let alone enjoy anything or do something meaningful.
Regardless of how you’re feeling in the moment, your emotions can direct you toward making healthy changes. Your emotions can lead you to reconnect with God, with your loved ones, and with yourself.
Yes, you can control depression. Let’s look at 4 action steps that will help.
First: Don't ignore the reality of depression.
You might find it helpful to learn more about what depression looks like for moms and how it’s impacting your family.
That can be a big wake up call sometimes!
But it can also be a wake up call to realize that you can’t get out of bed in the morning. Or to notice that you’re thinking about harming yourself. Depression can really change how you function on a daily basis.
If this is you, I am confident that the steps below – straight from the Bible – will be helpful. But they might not be enough. Seek a counselor, talk to your pastor, or reach out to 988lifeline.org for support. You can call 9-8-8 in the USA for emergency mental health support.
4 action steps for how to control depression
Even though emotions can be overwhelming and difficult, God has a good plan for us in how to manage them.
Of course, different emotional struggles call for different action steps. (Although pretty much every action step will help every emotion… some just target specific emotions more powerfully.)
When you’re dealing with depression and sadness, one great place to start is in the psalms. Psalms 42 and 43 give a very helpful and practical guide to dealing with these hard emotions.
But my favorite big action steps come from 1 Kings 19.
That’s right, let’s turn to the Old Testament!
First, let’s get some background on this chapter of the Bible.
In this chapter, the prophet Elijah has just finished a big show-down with the false prophets who were hurting the Israelite people. God showed his power in a big way, bringing fire down from heaven to show everyone that He is the only true God. The people were amazed.
And then, the people started threatening Elijah.
So, he ran away… and started a conversation with God about his feelings of overwhelm, sadness, and depression. In fact, he tells God: “I have had enough, LORD… take my life.”
And that’s where we see God respond with 4 clear action steps for what to do about it.
1. Be intentional with your physical health.
As soon as Elijah expresses his depression to God, there is a response. And that first, immediate response comes in the form of caring for Elijah’s physical health.
Elijah sleeps, eats, sleeps again, and eats again (verses 5-8).
There can be no question that Elijah is struggling with a moment of depression. He had an exciting experience of God’s power and presence (chapter 18) followed by running for his life and telling God that it would be better for God to let him die.
God does not yell at Elijah for these thoughts and feelings. He does not laugh at him, tell him to try harder, or expect him to get it all together on his own.
Instead, God cares for Elijah’s physical needs.
He allows him to sleep. He sends an angel to provide food and nourishment.
And you must do the same.
- AN ACTION STEP: When you are feeling sad, depressed, or overwhelmed, make sure to be intentional with your physical health. Eat healthy meals, get enough sleep, drink water, and try to take care of yourself.
2. Seek God.
After God provides for Elijah’s physical needs, Elijah takes a journey to Horeb, the mountain of God. He pours out his complaint to God (verse 10).
Once again, God does not respond to Elijah’s complaints with a lecture or with criticism. Instead, God tells him to come closer. He tells Elijah to go to a specific place so that God’s presence can pass before him.
That is the exact opposite of what we might think God is going to do! When Elijah is depressed and complaining, God seeks to come closer to him.
And when God does pass before him, He does it gentle. With loving kindness. There is a powerful wind, an earthquake, and a fire. But then comes a “gentle whisper” – and God is there in the gentle whisper.
- AN ACTION STEP: Spend time each day with God. Read the Bible, even just a chapter. I like starting in the Psalms or in the Gospel of Mark.
GRAB MY FREE HOLY HABITS 45-day Bible and Prayer Guide to start building a habit.
3. Challenge your negative thinking.
In addition to caring for your physical health and seeking God, another action step that will help you control depression is to start challenging your negative thinking.
When Elijah complains to God, he is expressing the negative thoughts inside his own head. And the thing is – they aren’t true!
In verses 10 and 14, Elijah complains to God that he is the only one still following God. He outlines how all of Israel has rejected God and focuses on his own faithful commitment to God.
God does not respond by congratulating Elijah on his faithfulness. He does not offer agreement or validation of what Elijah thinks is true. But, neither does God criticize him for being wrong.
Instead, God corrects him gently. He tells Elijah to go find Elisha to help him in his ministry, and points out that there are 7,000 others in Israel who have also remained faithful to God.
- AN ACTION STEP: Change your thought patterns. These 13 tips will help stop negative thinking. Hit the pause button on negative thoughts, evaluate what you’re thinking about, and challenge any negative or unhelpful thoughts. Spend time reflecting on God’s amazing character and praising Him.
GRAB A FREE BIBLE STUDY to dive into biblical truth about sadness and depression.
4. Seek fellowship, companionship, and relationship with other people.
After God has cared for and comforted Elijah himself, He tells Elijah to get friends to help him. In fact, God is very specific. He tells Elijah who to go to, where he’ll find him, and how to go about bringing this person in to help with his ministry.
God does not want you to go through life alone.
We all need relationships, and we have them with many different people. Some are intimate, like your husband or a best friend. Hopefully, some are spiritual leaders whom you trust, like your pastor. Sometimes, it may be a professional counselor.
Relationships are helpful for getting outside of your own box of despair and building hope and encouragement into your daily life.
- AN ACTION STEP: Reach out to someone. Try to get together in person (grab coffee!) and start a conversation. You don’t have to share every struggle, but try to build the relationship. And if you need help – ask for help.
Go deeper into the Bible
In Matthew 11, Jesus tells us that He is our best source of rest. And in Philippians 4, He promises us “peace beyond human understanding” if we turn to him with our big, hard emotions.
You have access to God’s rest and peace.
Jesus has opened the door for you! It’s not about a check-box, that if you just read the Bible more or pray more then you’ll start feeling better. But this is a relationship.
If you’re wondering where to start, let me offer 3 resources for you:
- Grab my free Bible study looking at Scriptures on depression
- Try my free 45-day Bible and Prayer challenge to build a daily habit of time in the Bible and in prayer.
- Dive into Finding Your Identity in Christ, my devotional workbook to deepen your faith.
Listen to Episode #131
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Related Posts:
- How To Limit The Impact Of Depression On Your Family
- The Christian Mom’s 5 Best Bible Verses For Depression
- 13 Secret Weapons For How To Stop Negative Overthinking
- The 5 Best Bible Verses For Anxiety And Overwhelm
- Praying Through 7 Of The Best Bible Verses For Anxiety
- The Best Exercises To Stop Negative Thinking In Its Tracks
Disclaimers: I am a licensed therapist but my podcast, blog, and resources are not professional or personal advice. I am an affiliate for many of the resources that I link to, and may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Read my full disclaimer here.