As Christian hedonists were not unfamiliar with the pain of depression, and we get a lot

of questions in the inbox about how to work through those unavoidable times in life when

depression hits.

There's often a physical and a medical side to depression, but there's also a spiritual

side to these seasons, too, and to that question comes an email from one female listener.

Pastor John, what scripture passages do you return to when you are suffering from depression?

I'm suffering from depression pretty bad at the moment, and I need some help from scripture.

Can you help me?

This is the central question for her to ask, namely, where shall I turn in scripture in

God's Word?

This is what God said we should listen to His Word.

I don't want to be naive here, to be sure there are many dimensions to depression, from

genetic to dietary to exercise, to trauma to demonic harassment, to relational stress,

to financial burdens, to weather conditions, to sinful entanglements, to sleeplessness,

and on and on.

I don't want to give the impression that I am oversimplifying the complexities of what

might trigger a season of darkness or depression.

Nevertheless, I say it again, under and over and through all these issues that may need

to be addressed, and I would encourage her to address all of them that are relevant.

The key question is, what has God said to me, that is, what does the scripture say?

And the reason this is so key is that the Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing

by the Word of Christ, depression regularly involves a weakening of our faith and our hope,

...