If you’re feeling depressed, remember that you’re not alone. God is with you always. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in your family, your church, or your friend circles. Ask them to pray with and for you, and continue to pray each day, asking God to draw you closer to Himself. If you’re feeling down today or if you’ve felt down for quite some time, pray this prayer today:
Table of contents
A Prayer for Battling Depression
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you never change, even when everything around me is changing and unpredictable. (Hebrews 13:8) Thank you that you are stable, even when I feel so very unstable. (Isaiah 33:6) It feels like Satan has been whipping me around! Please sustain me, protect me, and enable me to stand. (1 John 4:4; Psalm 28:7)
I know that because sin entered the world, all of creation is under a curse–all creation groans. (Romans 8:22) Because of this, I struggle physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thank you for how my body is made, and that it sends me warning signals to tell me that I need help. Right now my brain and emotions are telling me that something isn’t right.
Help me to see if there is something physical that is causing my depression. Help me to sift through my circumstances to see if there is a need for change in some way. If I am experiencing depression as a result of a spiritual battle, please bring that to light and show me the best way to fight that battle.
Please lead me to the right source for help. Thank you for understanding what I am going through (Hebrews 4:15), and thank you that Your Word tells me that even Your Son went through hard times emotionally. There were times that He was distressed, grieved, faced loneliness, experienced deep sorrow, and after the death of John He went into isolation (Matthew 14:13). He cried in prayer (Hebrews 5:7-9), and at times he was overwhelmingly sad (Isaiah 53:3). There was even a time that he was afraid his body would not survive the anguish he felt. (Matthew 26:38)
I pray that You would send someone to help bear my burden. (Galatians 6:2) Thank you for again reminding me of how weak I am, and for the body of Christ that you have provided to help bear burdens when we grow too weary to bear them alone. I need someone to come along side me, take my arms, wrap them around their neck, and help me walk until I am strong enough to walk on my own. (Ecclesiastes 4:9)
Thank you for the grace that you have provided. (Hebrews 4:16) I pray You will use this difficult time to cause me to go deeper in my relationship with You, and that You would get the glory for anything that is produced in me. (James 1)
Thank you for how you are going to use this time in my life and for all you are doing through this depression. Thank you that You have allowed my weakness to manifest itself in the form of depression, so that You can work more of Your image into my life. (Galatians 2:20; Galatians 4:19)
Thank you that I am not defined by this weakness. Since I am Your child, I am defined by what You accomplished on the cross. Because of Christ’s death on the cross, I can wake up every morning and live life knowing that no matter what I do, think, say, or feel–the cross covers it. Because You offered up Your own beloved Son, I can have peace with You and can face each day with fresh hope and grace. Help me to focus on what is true, and not focus on how I feel. As I sit before the cross, help me to gain a new appreciation for what it actually means for me on a daily basis.
Help me to embrace my weakness as a gift. Remind me that my weakness allows You to work through me even when I am so very weak and feel as though I can do nothing. (2 Corinthians 12:9) Through this time, I pray that you would enlarged my heart that I might love and obey You, and love others more deeply. (Psalm 119:32; Galatians 6:2; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
Amen
A Prayer Against Depression
“Heavenly Father, please strengthen our hearts, and remind us to encourage one another when the troubles of life start to overwhelm us. Please guard our hearts from depression. Give us the strength up to rise up each day and fight against the struggles which seek to weigh us down. Amen.” ~ John Barnett
A Prayer For Escaping the Pit of Depression
“Lord, it seems as if my world has collapsed, hurling me into a deep, dark pit. I come to you in complete surrender. I am desperate for you, helpless and afraid. Please lift me out of this pit and show me the way, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen” ~ Mary Southerland
Discover what the Bible says about depression and how to fight it. Find Scripture that will encourage us to find peace and joy in the midst of depressing circumstances and feelings. – Bible Verses for Fighting Depression
This article originally appeared on GinalSmith.com. Used with permission.
Gina Smith is the author of Grace Gifts: Celebrating Your Children Every Day, and writes at her personal blog GinalSmith.com She has also been featured on HSLDA’S Homeschool Heartbeat Radio. She has been married to her husband Brian for 29 years and they have 2 adult children. You can follow her on Instagramand Facebook.
This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.
Prayer for Healing
Prayer for StrengthPrayer for ProtectionMorning PrayersGood Night Prayers
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Did you know that Christians can get depressed too? Many people think that if you are saved and serving the Lord it is not possible for you to be depressed.
We would like to examine depression in the bible, give you the warning signs of depression, offer you a test to tell if you are in fact depressed and then give you some biblical solutions to get out of it.
First, let’s look at some of the signs of depression, a yes answer to more than 5 of these would be positive depression symptoms:
- Are you always feeling sad?
- Do you feel hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty?
- Have you lost interest in hobbies and activities that you once loved?
- Are you always tired?
- Are you having trouble concentrating and remembering details?
- Do you have insomnia ? Or you over sleep most of the time?
- Have you had a drastic change in your weight due to overeating or not eating at all?
- Do you harbor suicidal thoughts or think about death and going to heaven a lot?
- Does your body ache, do you have headaches, digestive problems or cramps?.
If you would like to do an online depression test click here
In the bible several great men and women of God also battled bouts of depression. Here is a Psalm written by King David that describes what he felt as he was going through his depression.
Psalm 42 (NLT)
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?3 Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”
4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God,singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar.7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.
9 “O God my rock,” I cry,
“Why have you forgotten me?Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?”10 Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
We see that David was broken hearted, deeply discouraged, his body ached, he was crying and sad. We also see his solution to his depression which was to praise God. Worshiping God brought him out of his depression. We know that while you are going through the depression you may not feel like worshiping God but if the bible offers it as a solution I think it is something we should do!
Another great man of God who suffered from depression is Elijah. He had just come out of the major victory of calling down fire on the false prophets and now Jezebel was after him. What we learn from this is that after a great victory, or even sometimes going into a great victory, you may face depression.
1 Kings 19:4-5 (NLT)
4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”
We see that Elijah was suicidal and the solution to Elijah getting out of his depression was basically for him to eat something. We are not saying that it will be this simple for everyone because each person’s process is different but we are saying that there is a solution for you and God can show you what it is.
We see in this following verse the Apostle Paul’s discouragement and that God sent Titus to encourage him and his joy returned.
2 Corinthians 7:5-7 (NLT)
5 When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. 6 But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 7 His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!
Know that in the midst of your depression, God’s word offers hope and insight on how to get out of it. Put your hope and trust in God. Praise Him. Worship Him. Put on some worship music and sing to God, ask Him to deliver you from that spirit of depression and know that He will do it. If He did it for the great men of the bible, He will do it for you as well.
Say what you will about Joel Osteen, you would have to be blind to not see that he has the gift of encouragement. Regardless of your denominational affiliation, watching one or two of his sermons if you feel depressed will surely lift you out of it! That is his spiritual gift at work in the body of Christ and at times when you feel like you need it getting a word of encouragement from him will help. Here are some of Joel Osteen’s sermons
Here are some scriptures for you to meditate on to help you out of the depression:
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)
8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
Psalm 3:3 (NKJV)
3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Psalm 34:18 (NLT)
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Prayer for Depression
Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
Jeremiah 29:11-12 (NLT)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen.
John 16:33 (NLT)
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT)
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Psalm 118:17 (NLT)
I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.
Here is a Prayer for Depression:
Holy Spirit you are the Comforter and I ask you to comfort my heart at this time. Fill my mind with your wisdom and enlightenment to see a way out of this state of depression. I ask that you would send forth your warring angels to bind the spirit of depression and evil around me. Close every door that I have left open to this spirit. Send your ministering angels to speak life, truth and hope to me. Guide me on a path of revival and renewal. Refresh my spirit and fill me anew with your joy. May the joy of the Lord be my strength. I repent for not trusting and putting my hope in you. I pray that your grace will fill me and that I will have a renewed hope in Your word and Your promises. Give me the gift of discerning spirits so that will see where and when this spirit of depression comes in and bind it up before it attacks. No weapons that are ever formed against me shall prosper and I know that I shall live and not die to declare the salvation of the Lord. Fill me from the top of my head to the tip of my toes with your Holy Spirit, with Your peace and Your presence, in Jesus name. Amen
Here are some other prayers for you. And some other spiritual warfare prayers.
www.missionariesofprayer.org
You may feel helpless and lost when a spouse, friend, or family member is depressed. These suggestions for helping someone with depression include practical tips and emotional support.
Reading books like Shades of Blue: Writers on Depression, Suicide, and Feeling Blue will increase your understanding of what depression is. One of the best ways to be helpful to someone who is depressed is to learn about depression. What does it feel like? If you have even just an intellectual understanding of depression (as opposed to first-hand experience), you’ll be in a better position to help someone with depression. Shades of Blue is a collection of stories that illuminates the truth behind the stigma of mental health issues such as depression. This book offers compassion, solidarity, and hope for all those who have struggled with depression.
In How to Deal With a Depressed Boyfriend, I offer several different types of practical tips for helping someone with depression. It can be difficult to find the balance between being supportive, and taking on your loved one’s problems. If you carry his burden, you won’t help him. It’s tricky to offer love and encouragement in healthy ways, but it is possible.
Helping Someone With Depression
Remember that every person is unique. What may help me deal with depressed feelings may not help you. We all deal with emotional issues differently, and there is a huge range in the degree and severity of depression. What may seem to like a good idea for helping someone with depression – such as trying to cheer the person up – won’t work for everyone. In fact, trying to cheer someone up is one of the worst tips for helping someone with depression!
So how do you know how to help when someone is depressed? You try a variety of things, and you stay open to feedback.
Ask the person with depression how you can help
If you haven’t yet talked about depression with the person, you might start with honesty. Tell him what your experience is with depression (be brief!), and ask what it feels like. If he’s willing to talk, listening will be the best tip for helping someone with depression.
Ask what you can do to be helpful. Tell him that you don’t know how to help, but you want to be as supportive as possible. If he says there’s nothing you can do to help, believe him. It’s possible that there is literally nothing you can do to help someone with depression. It’s also possible that he doesn’t know what he needs.
If he asks for help treated depressed feelings, read 8 Natural Remedies for Depression – No Drugs or Doctors. Don’t tell him to take specific natural supplements for depression. Give him information, and encourage him to talk to his doctor or counselor.
Listen without judgment
Don’t express your opinions about being depressed or ways to treat depression – even if you’ve read a pile of psychology textbooks about depression. If he wants to talk about what it’s like to be depressed, then listen. More likely, he won’t talk about it.
Withdrawing and social isolation are two of the most common signs of depression, which means you might have a difficult time connecting with him. This makes helping someone with depression difficult.
Bring him comfort foods
A pot of warm chicken noodle soup – or any comfort food – won’t cure depression, but it is a symbol of your love and support. Even if he doesn’t eat or look at the food he will still be aware that you’re there for him. Don’t force him to eat, or try to guilt him into eating. Just bring his favorite food and let him eat it if he wants.
Need encouragement? Get a beautiful FREE “She Blossoms” 2019 calendar when you sign up for my free weekly Blossom Tips!
If you want to cook with foods that are healthy and delicious, read 6 Foods Proven to Help Treat Depression.
Offer to help in practical ways
Does he need a babysitter, dog walker, house cleaner, or rides to the doctor? Maybe you could go beyond offering to help; you could just dig in and help out. This suggestion for helping someone with depression won’t work for everyone – some people might get irritated if you suddenly started cleaning their house or organizing their doctors’ trips!
Even so, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look around his house. If there’s dishes in the sink, maybe you could clean them up. If the dog is climbing the walls, maybe you could take him out for a romp. If the kids are bored, take them to the park.
Allow the process to unfold
How to Help Someone With Depression
Is your loved one depressed because of a death, disappointment, or loss? Depression and grief are normal emotions, and they need to unfold naturally. It takes time to grieve a loss or broken dream. It can be healthier to take time to grief and process pain than it is to bounce back too quickly.
There is a difference between grief and depression – and you’ll learn what the difference is when you read about depression. The symptoms of both are similar; the biggest difference may be the time it takes to heal.
Watch for signs of severe depression
Be alert for signs that he might harm himself or others. It can be difficult to determine if he’s that depressed, but it’s important to be aware of the possibility. Call a suicide hotline if you think he wants to harm himself, or if he’s talking about how meaningless and dark life is. Get information on ways to help someone with severe depression.
Be a consistent source of hope and faith
This is my favorite tip for helping someone with depression: stay present in his life. You don’t need to text or call every day, but it’s good to stay connected. How do you usually communicate with him? Don’t give up on him. Stay in contact.
Believe that he WILL come through this. Be hopeful and faithful in your belief that this is a stage of his life, and that it will end. Lift him up in prayer, and trust God that your friend will come through this period of depression. Be positive and encouraging, and stay involved in his life. Your presence is meaningful and valuable even if he doesn’t tell you how much you mean to him.
A prayer for helping someone with depression
May you be filled with peace and hope. I pray for strength to be positive, wisdom to know how to help, and joy that surpasses all understanding. May you have faith that God is with you, that He knows exactly what you are going through. May you be filled with the holy, pure love of Jesus – and may that love and light shine through you.
Helping Someone With Depression
I pray for your depressed loved one, that he feels the strength and love of Jesus. May God touch his spirit and bring peace to his soul. May he find resources to help him cope with the depression, and may you walk alongside him as he journeys through this stage of his life. May he feel joy and hope once again, and may his life be filled with energy, power, and light.
If it’s fall or winter, your depressed friend might be dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Read What is SAD? Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Depression to learn more.
I welcome your thoughts on helping someone with depression, but I can’t offer advice. Please feel free to share your experience, as you may find clarity and insight as you write.
xo
www.theadventurouswriter.com
Are you dealing with depression? You don’t have to overcome it alone. Learn how to cope with Major Depressive Disorder here
Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, affecting 6.7% (16.1 million) adults aged 18 and over.1 Major depression can appear at any age, but the likelihood of onset increases with puberty and peaks in the twenties.2
Symptoms of major depressive disorder
Major depression isn’t limited to feeling “sad.” In fact, symptoms can vary and include both emotional and physical changes. Common symptoms of depression can include the following:
- Frequent crying and feelings of overwhelming sadness
- Feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Irritability or anger
- Changes in eating patterns, including significant weight loss or gain
- Loss of pleasure in normal activities
- Psychosomatic complaints including headaches, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal distress
- Difficulty concentrating
- Thoughts of suicide
The symptoms of major depression can make it difficult to attend to normal daily activities and can negatively impact employment or schooling, relationships or social functioning, and other areas of functioning.3 For these reasons, it can be a challenge for someone suffering from major depression to seek help and follow through on treatment.
Article continues below
Worried you or someone you care about may be depressed?
Take our 2-minute Depression quiz to see if you may benefit from further diagnosis and treatment.
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How to find help
Major depressive disorder is treatable with professional care, though success rates and length of treatment will vary depending on the severity of the depression. Understanding available treatments and how to find help make the process less overwhelming.
Treatment
Although treatment is individualized, several standard treatments are recommended:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Process-oriented talk therapy
- Medication
- Family therapy
- Hospitalization if necessary
- Residential treatment if necessary
- Alternative treatments (nutrition plans, exercise plans, meditation or mindfulness strategies)
How to find the right therapist
Having confidence in your therapist plays an essential role in establishing a connection. To find the best therapist for you, it is recommended that you speak to more than one therapist.
Be prepared to ask potential therapists questions that include both practical matters and treatment strategies. Consider these questions when you speak to potential therapists:
- Do you accept my insurance?
- Do you specialize in children, adults, families, or all three?
- What experience do you have treating major depressive disorder?
- If I need medication, can you prescribe it for me or refer me to someone who can?
- What are your credentials?
- What is your treatment approach?
- How will you help me overcome depression?
- How long do you expect treatment to last?
- What happens if I don’t start feeling better in the typical timeframe?
- Are there things I can do on my own to improve my treatment outcome in addition to therapy?
- How many sessions a month do you typically provide for someone with depression?
- What if I can no longer afford the cost of treatment?
- Do you provide sliding scale rates?
Once you have your list of questions, it’s time to seek out referrals. If you know other people in your area who suffer (or have suffered) from depression, ask them. Word of mouth can be a great way to find a good match. If this is not possible, begin with your physician. It’s always a good idea to get a physical if you suspect major depressive disorder because some medical problems can cause similar symptoms. If medical conditions are ruled out as a cause of the symptoms of depression, ask your primary care physician for a list of referrals for therapists.
If you still need further recommendations, your insurance carrier, local hospitals, and outpatient clinics have referral systems in place. You can also search for a therapist online at one of the resources listed on our Mental Health Resources page.
Article Sources
1. National Institute of Mental Health, “Major Depression Among Adults,” retrieved from
2. American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, American Psychiatric Publishing, Washington, D.C., 2013: Page 165.
3. Ibid., page 161.
Last Updated: Feb 13, 2018
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