Psalm 42: 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

The Psalmist here is saying that depression is the enemy of your soul. Something has happened that has left you weighed down. Depression is the umbrella word and sometimes that state of mind is fleeting or it can come in, pull up a chair and sit down. The question is: Are you going to entertain it or chase it away?

If your condition is a result of a medical problem or medicines you are taking, then you need to see a medical practitioner for help. Otherwise, you need to realize that you can get out from under it by wielding the sword of the Word of God, just like the Psalmist did.

First, examine yourself. Where did it begin? Are you angry, dissatisfied or terrified? Anger relates to a past event, dissatisfaction is with the present state of affairs and your terror has to do with the future. If you are angry at someone, you will need to forgive them. How you handle this is up to you, but humility can have a cleansing effect. Then you need to repent before the Lord for time wasted being angry. If you are dissatisfied, is it with yourself or with someone? Is it a relationship or job situation that should have ended long ago, but you have been nursing it in the hope that it will improve? What has the Spirit of God been saying to you about it? Sometimes you have to let go of what you have so God can give you what he sees that you really need.

If your depression has to do with fear of the future, my friend this is the most debilitating of all because it is irrational. We have absolutely no control of the next moment let alone the years ahead. This is why the Psalmist preached to himself: “Put your hope in God.” Pray for wisdom for today to do life with excellence but commit your tomorrows to God who alone is eternal and knows the end from the beginning.