Depression can make the simplest things feel impossible.
When I was in its depths, something as basic as getting out of bed to brush my teeth felt like climbing Mount Everest while carrying the weight of the world. Time moved strangely – days blurred together in a fog, but each individual moment felt endless. My body felt heavy, like moving through molasses. And the most confusing part?
My life looked perfect on paper.
I’d met my soulmate, graduated college, and was pursuing my dreams.
But depression doesn’t care about perfect-on-paper. It doesn’t care about the logical reasons you “should” be happy. It wraps around you like a heavy blanket, muffling joy and amplifying every negative thought until even the smallest tasks feel impossible. It can strike anyone, at any time, regardless of circumstances – and contrary to what you might have heard, regardless of faith.
This brings me to something we need to address right away:
DEPRESSION IS NOT CAUSED BY A LACK OF FAITH, NOR IS IT A SIN.
I’ve heard too many well-meaning Christians say things like “You just need to pray more” or “Real Christians don’t get depressed” or “If you had enough faith, you wouldn’t feel this way.” These words, though often spoken with good intentions, cut deep and can keep people from seeking the help they need.
Let me say this clearly: your depression is not a measure of your faith.
You’re not “less Christian” because you’re struggling (I touch more on this in my previous post ‘Pray It Away’ – Let’s Talk About What Really Helps).
These days, depression and I have finally reached a place of mutual understanding. Thanks to my good friend Zoloft, therapy, and a strong support system, it now only shows up occasionally. When it does, I know how to handle it – treat myself to a coffee, take it easy, and ride the wave.
But this understanding didn’t come easily.
There were countless nights when I’d lie in bed, tears streaming down my face, completely confused by my own pain, wondering why my faith wasn’t “strong enough” to fix it.
If you’ve stepped away from church because of how your mental health struggles were received, I understand. When you’re already fighting depression, having your faith questioned feels like a double betrayal. If you’ve been hurt by religious platitudes or made to feel like your depression was a spiritual failure, I want you to know: those responses were wrong, not you.
Your pain is valid, and your struggles don’t make you any less worthy of love, support, or healing.
This is why I believe so strongly in a holistic approach to healing. While prayer can be a powerful tool in our journey – and for many of us, an essential source of comfort and strength – it shouldn’t be our only resource. God works through many channels – therapy, medication, exercise, nutrition, and community support are all valid paths to healing. Sometimes, taking medication or going to therapy is the answer to our prayers.
Seeking professional help isn’t a betrayal of faith – it’s an act of stewardship over the life God gave you.
Depression thrives in isolation. It’s one of the loneliest mental illnesses, trapping us in our minds with thoughts that no one else could possibly understand what we’re going through.
But I’m here to tell you:
I understand.
I see you in that dark place, and you are not alone.
The years I spent wrestling with depression were by far the darkest of my life. But as painful as that experience was, it gave me a deeper capacity for empathy and understanding. I’m not claiming to know everyone’s unique situation – depression manifests differently for each person. But I intimately know the debilitating sadness, the unexpected bursts of anger, and the hollow despondence that can accompany it.
Here’s what I’ve learned about recovery: it’s rarely linear. Some days will be better than others, and that’s okay.
What matters is that you keep going, keep reaching out, keep believing that things can get better.
Because they can, and they will. I’m living proof of that.
If you’re struggling right now, please know that seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s an act of courage. Whether that help comes through therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, spiritual guidance, or a combination of these, you deserve to find what works for you.
You can get through this.
The fact that you’re still here, still fighting, still trying to make it through each day – that’s incredible.
I am so proud of you.
Take it one day at a time, one moment at a time if you need to. And remember: just as the darkest night eventually gives way to dawn, this too shall pass.
