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Sermon: Elijah and Depression 1 Kings 19

Elijah 3


Depression - I Kings 19


Depression is one of what J.I. Packer calls the four dark
“D’s” which can blight the Christian life. The others
being - disillusionment, disappointment, despair.
Depression is part of common human experience. We
all at some time or another know what it is to be
depressed. It may be the relatively light depression of
feeling a little down in the dumps for a few hours or
maybe even days, to the more serious case of a
prolonged period of feeling low and dispirited. It may
even fall to the level we call clinical depression where
the symptoms are so severe and debilitating that
medical help is needed - and can I say that there are a
whole range of treatments that can dramatically help the
clinically depressed person and we should not be afraid
to use them if necessary.


Nor should we be afraid to admit that we are feeling
depressed, especially if it is severe and affecting our
lives for there are many good and godly people active
in God’s service who have experienced this. For
example C.H Spurgeon a Baptist minister, probably the
greatest evangelical preacher of the C18 was given to
bouts of quite crippling depression. As was the poet
and hymnwriter W. Cowper.


Some of the most godly Christians in biblical times
experienced severe attacks of depression and darkness
of soul. Think of Job. The book of Job is really an
account of the dark despairing emotions and thoughts
that clouded Job’s mind and distressed his spirit. Or the
Psalmist in Psalms 42 and 43. Or Jonah at Nineveh. Or
Baruch in Jeremiah.


And, of course, Elijah here in I Kings 19 is a classic
example of a depressed believer

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About John

Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.

These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.

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