Can a Christian be Depressed?

There is a strain in popular Christianity which implies that Christians are upbeat, happy people. The theological warrant for this, God's victory in Jesus Christ, seems sound. After all, "if God is for us, who can be against us?" Insight into the reality that, no matter how bleak the current situation appears, there is Someone at work who will make all things right should have some impact on our emotions.

I am unclear, however that faith does always make one 'feel' happy. Part of the reason why is because I am not sure what generates our feelings. As a counselor I have often worked with people who self identify as "having every reason in the world to be thankful and happy" but "just aren't." Their successes, good health, good families and faith would, on the surface, be more than sufficient reason for them to break into endless song of praise and tap dance where ever they go, finding mere talking and walking to be insufficient to express their joy. Their lved reality is different.

Knowing God's victory and trusting in the future redemption does not make Christians happy all the time. It seems like it should. Therefore (this is a syllogism now) someone who is not happy is probably not a Christian. Therein may lie the issue. Some people find themselves wondering, "am I one?" One of the ironies of the "saved by faith alone" school is it reportedly provides "blessed assurance" of our salvation. That is all well and good until you hear the expression, "lip faith." Lip faith, in simplest terms, is the recognition that someone can say with their lips "I believe," but may not actually do so. It raises the question, "is my faith genuine?" which blows up "blessed assurance" like a bomb. One ends back up with the prospect of Judgment, and hope mixed with fear.

Another probably cause is personality. There are many different kinds of people. There are a variety of natural dispositions. Some folks just don't bounce around. Some people are worriers. And telling them worry is a sin only adds to their worries! Some people have chemical or physical things at work within them which no amount of preaching can easily overcome. And, truth be told, an overview of two thousand years of Christianity does  not resonate with the premise, "Christians are fun,  happy people." In most times and most places the Christian self understanding included elements of darkness and struggle. Not the whole story, but certainly a part.

Can a Christian be depressed? Yes. However, it is good to work against such inclinations. Depression, after all, is depressing. But we probably do not benefit anyone by ignoring that a Christian is always a human, and all things human affect Christians. We are redeemed, not perfected, and we wait for the final consummation. At that time, depression will be wiped away. In the meantime, we carry our crosses and aid one another with our burdens, and we tell each other the stories of God, stories which can give us hope and joy!