In today’s devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds us of the Biblical response to our seasons of depression.
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[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the daily devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading
[00:00:06] The Way.
[00:00:08] From the Depths of Depression by Dr. Michael Youssef
[00:00:13] While many men and women of the Bible sought earthly contentment apart from God, there were
[00:00:19] others whose unsettled lives ultimately drove them to the Lord's presence. Their wondering
[00:00:25] led them in the opposite direction of their ancestors. They ran to God instead of away from Him.
[00:00:32] David, in all the upheaval of his life, was constantly running to God. Even with all his candid questions
[00:00:41] and passionate expressions of vulnerability, we don't sense that David ever lost faith in God's
[00:00:47] power to make things right. What may surprise you is that David, a man of faith, appeared to have
[00:00:55] several bouts with what modern psychologists would label depression. Even though an estimated 10% of
[00:01:03] the U.S. population is affected by depressive illnesses at any given time, Christians often
[00:01:09] are ashamed to admit they are enduring their own dark periods of despair. The life of David, however,
[00:01:16] teaches us that every person, even those who trust God, at some point enters a dark valley. In fact,
[00:01:24] almost anyone who responds to the call of God will one day face doubts and questions, difficulties and
[00:01:30] trials that will lead him or her through the door of depression. Jeremiah was known as the weeping
[00:01:38] prophet because he anguished over the sins of God's people and the judgment he saw coming as a result of
[00:01:45] their disobedience. More than once he withdrew in defeat and asked God why he had ever been born.
[00:01:52] Like Jeremiah and other dedicated servants of God, David experienced similar bouts of depression. Yet his
[00:02:01] hunger for God, even in the pit of despair, is a vivid demonstration of the biblical response to
[00:02:08] depression. If we're willing, we can turn our despair into a passionate pursuit of God. Let's pray together.
[00:02:17] Heavenly Father, we confess that at times we have been overwhelmed with feelings of despair,
[00:02:24] but we draw hope from the example of your servant, David, who continued to seek you even in the darkest
[00:02:31] valley. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen. To take a deeper dive into today's devotional topic,
[00:02:39] check the show notes for links to additional resources. And while you're there, subscribe to
[00:02:45] the My Devotional Podcast so you never miss an episode. My Devotional is a ministry of leading the
[00:02:53] way with Dr. Michael Youssef. To learn more, visit ltw.org today.