Managing depression can often feel like an uphill battle. This battle can happen daily and sometimes worsen during a specific time of year. Many people struggle with seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder, which is a type of depression that occurs during specific seasons, usually in the fall or the winter.
Certain symptoms include changes in appetite or sleep, feeling tired or having decreased energy, having trouble concentrating or making decisions, or thoughts of suicide or death.
My Personal Experiences with Seasonal Depression
I’ve also been feeling the effects of seasonal depression lately, especially in feeling lethargic for most of the day, experiencing significant changes in my sleeping routine, and feeling the weight of grief as I reflect on experiencing another holiday season without my grandfather.
Even in learning how to manage seasonal depression, I’ve found that there are spiritual practices that can help with finding hope in challenging times. Whenever I feel overwhelmed by symptoms of depression, I read the book of Psalms in the Bible. The book of Psalms is an Old Testament book and the first book in the third section of the Tanakh. The psalms are heartfelt prayers to God by various psalmists, including King David. The structure of the psalms highlights the importance of cognitive reframing, a tool that is used in cognitive behavioral therapy, and it involves identifying and changing how you view situations, events, and events.
Through David’s vulnerability with God in the psalms, cognitive reframing is happening during the prayer. David started in a distressed state and ended with more confidence, knowing that God is with him in those challenging times. There are five specific Psalms that highlight the character of God during grief and the hope that can help us to persevere in our trials due to our connection to God.
We can share our grief with God (Psalm 42)
Psalm 42 shows us that we can share our grief with God. King David explored this notion of being vulnerable with God about our grievances when he writes,
“ As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, Where is your God?
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why are you so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” – Psalm 42:1-3, 5 ESV
These verses show that David longed to seek God in the midst of his trials and that he knew that God would be there to hear his cries for help. These verses also show that David was not afraid to share his emotions with God. As he stated in the third verse, “ My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, where is your God?” This level of emotional vulnerability is how David was able to access the throne room of God in order to gain comfort. By the end of the psalm, David realizes that even in his lowest moments of grief that God is his Savior and that He gives him the hope that he needs to keep moving forward.
God is our Comforter (Psalm 31)
Psalm 31 exemplifies God’s character during grief. This psalm shows that God is our Comforter and that He is willing to help us in our time of need. David also highlights this when he writes,
“ In you, Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me. Come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction, and you knew the anguish of my soul.” – Psalm 31:1-3,7 ESV
These verses show that God is a comforter who knows about our afflictions and is a shield for those who are brokenhearted. God not only knows our challenges, but He sees our anguish, and He is there to guide us through processing our distressing emotions. Psalm 31 shows that even when it seems like He’s distant, even when it seems like we can’t hear His voice, God is there in the midst of our pain and suffering.
God is compassionate during our grief (Psalm 27)
Psalm 27 highlights God’s compassion towards us during times of grief. God’s compassionate nature is exemplified through the following verses,
“ The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, It is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out around me, Even then, I will be confident. Hear my voice when I call, Lord. Be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, Seek his face. Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me.” – Psalm 27:1-3, 7 ESV
This psalm highlights the fact that God expresses compassion for those who are broken hearted. Sometimes when we go through strenuous situations, it could be hard to even fathom that we could go to God about these situations. Even in David’s moments of doubt and anguish, he still recognized that he could turn to God because God would be compassionate towards him. The very end of the psalm says that David is confident that he will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, and all that he needed to do was wait on the Lord.
These three psalms not only helped David reframe his view of God, they also helped me to recontextualize my view of how God shows up for me in my moments of grief. The psalms not only helped me to understand what it means to be comforted by God, but they also helped me to realize that even in my doubts, anger, or grief, God was there to give me strength during those challenging moments.
Reading the Psalms gives me a new level of hope because not only do I know that I can bring my grievances to God, it also shows that God is with me every step of the way. The psalms also show that God is my comforter, my keeper, He’s compassionate, and that He protects my heart during these trying times.
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