This Article is presented with permission from the author, Scott Attebery.
“Did Jesus battle depression? seems like a strange question at first, but consider Isaiah’s prophesy of the coming Messiah:
“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).
That certainly sounds like someone dealing with the symptoms of depression. So why do we immediately push back at the thought that Jesus might have dealt with symptoms of depression?
Perhaps it is because we have the false notion that depression is either 1) a sin or a 2) sign of weakness. But neither is the case.
In fact, depression is not something a person chooses. Rather it is something a person must choose how to deal with. The real issue is not whether a person experiences depression, but instead, how the person reacts to depression.
For this reason I am of the opinion that Christ did indeed battle depression. And more importantly, He battled it perfectly. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us,
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
The darkness of depression can attack without warning. It does not ask permission and it does not need a reason. Make no mistake; depression is real. It feels like an unending trance that is inescapable. And if someone were to offer you an all-expense paid vacation, you wouldn’t take it because you don’t even know what would make you happy. Worse, you feel like you don’t even know yourself anymore.
Of course there is more than one category of depression (situational, clinical, etc). But no matter the source or treatment (counseling, medicine, etc), depression is always an opportunity to draw nearer to Christ. For this reason, we must view the words of a counselor as an extension of Christ’s wisdom –not a replacement for it. And we must see medicine as a gift of God – not an alternative to His power. If I seek a cure without seeking Christ, I am bowing to idols of my own desires.
That’s why I think Hebrews 4, after reminding us that Christhas experienced our same temptations, encourages us in verse 16 to
“Draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Did Jesus battle temptation? Yes, I think so. But even more -I believe He defeated it!”
Bro. Dennis