Is It Sin to be Depressed?

Job chapter 30 has an interesting verse.

Job 30:20-21
I cry to you for help and you do not answer me;
I stand, and you only look at me.
21 You have turned cruel to me;
with the might of your hand you persecute me. ESV

Job is talking to God - God Almighty. Remember earlier in the book when God was talking about Job He said:

Job 1:8-9
"Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" ESV

How could God think that of a man who would call God "cruel." It seems pretty obvious to me that Job is depressed. After all - he's lost most of his family, his wealth, and even his health. I'd be pretty bummed out if I were him.

Job's wife cajolled him to "curse God and die." Is calling God "cruel" the same thing as cursing Him? I don't think so. I think Job's wife wanted Job to break his relationship with God, but Job also said "I know my redeemer lives." Job can't deny the existance of God or his relationship with him - it would be like saying the earth doesn't really exist or that he isn't breathing air.

But now Job is depressed. He wasn't the only one. Think about David. That's right, King David. The "man after God's own heart" David. That man has some serious cases of the blues.

Psalm 6:6 I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears; ESV

Did David sin by being depressed? No. Neither did Job. Depression is the mourning over our perceived circumstances. It can have physiological causes, as well as emotional, spiritual, even circumstantial roots. But it's not sin.

We as a society, and maybe even more as Christians, have made a grave error when we equate our emotional state with our spiritual well being. Now I'm not advocating that we all go out and throw pitty parties - what I am saying is that as long as we have a relationship with God then we can be honest with Him about how we are feeling.

In fact - why would we be otherwise. God already knows our every thought anyway. You can't put on a smile and fool God. So why not just cry out to him like Job and David. Be bummed - be really really bummed - but be in a relationship with God.

That relationship, by the way, is only available through God's Son, Jesus Christ. Yes, even Jesus got depressed I think - and we know He didn't sin. Just read the account of the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26 or Luke 22. There Jesus cried out to God for relief - David also cried to the Lord for help as Job did as well.

That's the key when we are depressed - cry out to God for help, and then don't be surprise when He answers and fills you with joy.