Many of us remember Elijah as the prophet who called fire down from heaven, prophesied a drought of three and half years, and ascended into heaven on a fiery chariot. However, we would be remiss if we overlooked an essential, and probably the most humanistic, part of his life. Elijah also dealt with depression. Can you imagine a depressed prophet? Elijah was anointed. He was chosen by God to help guide his people and performed miracles that demonstrated God’s greatness. Yet, he felt paralyzing fear and immense sadness- emotions so intense they diminished his will to live.
Elijah’s Story in 1 Kings
1 Kings 18 provides context for Elijah’s struggle. The people had turned from God again and were worshipping Baals. So, as He had done many times before, God sent Elijah. Elijah gathered the people on Mount Carmel and called for a “battle of the gods.” The prophets of Baal would sacrifice to their gods, and then Elijah would sacrifice to the one true God.
The one caveat?
They could not light a fire. That would be provided by the gods. The prophets of Baal cried out all day, performing numerous rituals to win the favor of their gods, but despite their efforts, there was silence. No fire came.
Then, it was Elijah’s turn. He built an altar and had water poured over it three times. He cried out to God, saying, “Let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant,” and fire came down from heaven. The altar was consumed, and the people fell down and worshipped God.
That night, Elijah killed all the prophets of Baal. One would think this should be the highlight of his career. But Jezebel heard what Elijah did and said to him in 1 Kings 19:2, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Elijah became afraid and ran for his life. While this may not be where his mental health challenges began, this is where the spiral accelerated. As we read on, we begin to see Elijah display classic signs of depression.
Recognizing Signs of Depression
The mnemonic SIGECAPS is often used to highlight the symptoms of depression. The letters stand for: sleep, interest, guilt, energy, concentration, appetite, psychomotor retardation or agitation, and suicidality. These are all things that can result from or be impacted by depression. Let us examine Elijah’s behaviors as described in 1 Kings 19 and see how they align with symptoms of depression.
| Behaviors | Symptoms |
| Verse 4:
Elijah prays to die “I have had enough, Lord” “I am no better than my ancestors” |
Suicidality
Hopelessness Little interest in doing things Worthlessness |
| Verse 5:
He kept falling asleep |
Hypersomnolence (sleeping too much) |
| Verse 6:
An angel had to wake him to eat |
Poor appetite |
Sometimes, we find ourselves in similar predicaments to Elijah. We burn out, exhausted from the trials of life. We lose our spark and our will to live. Throughout the rest of the chapter, we see God remind Elijah that he is not alone. He reminds Elijah of His presence in the still, small voice and tells him that there are many others who do not worship Baal. Elijah did not overcome his depression alone, and we do not have to either. In addition to prayer and leaning on our spirituality, we can find professionals to help guide us through difficult seasons. My prayer for you is that you find hope in Elijah’s story and feel less alone in what you are going through.
Our resources tab has information on where you can access help and support based on your needs. For example, you can find therapists, psychiatrists, Bible app plans on mental health, or call the National Suicide and Crisis lifeline at 988.
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