Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
Did you know Elijah suffered from depression? Elijah had numerous mountaintop experiences. Yet, he became depressed and had a low valley experience shortly after a significant mountaintop event.
First Kings 17-19, 21, and 2 Kings 1-2 tell the stories of Elijah. His list of mountaintop experiences in partnership with God include:
• Being fed by ravens and water from a brook during a drought.
• Praying for jars of flour and oil not to run out until rain comes again, and it happens.
• Raising a widow’s son to life.
• Challenging and winning the battle between Baal and the LORD God at Mt. Carmel.
• Hearing the people after the battle proclaim “The LORD – He is God! The LORD – He is God” (1 Kings 18: 39b).
• Praying for rain to return after a 3+ year drought and it happens.
• Running over 30 miles fast enough to beat a horse.
This is quite an impressive resume. Yet, immediately after all of this, when he heard the threats of Jezebel to take his life, he runs far away, actually over 100 miles. It is then we read, “I have had enough, LORD. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:4b). He has run into the desert and sits under a broom tree. It is here he experiences a valley or wilderness experience. He is afraid for his life, exhausted in spirit, mind, and body, disappointed in his inability to keep Israel faithful to God, and plagued with feelings of being completely alone.
He has stepped into an extremely negative perspective of his life. Intellectually, we know as we read Elijah’s story that God is in control and yet we feel his pain, despair, and deep depression. God does not hide depression or mental illness in the stories of His characters in the Bible. James 5:17a tells us, “Elijah was a man just like us,” and we get to see his depression in this story. David, Moses, and Job were other faithful heroes who struggled with depression.
We can take comfort and learn from the overall story and lessons from Elijah’s valley of depression. Let’s consider what perpetuated his depression. First to consider, he hears a threat against his life and he’s afraid. He knows Jezebel and her ruthlessness so he knows this is a valid threat. His fear paralyzes him from any other thought so he runs.
Secondly, he’s exhausted. Often the energy involved in a mountaintop experience drains your reserves to fight off negative emotions and thought processes. Specifically, the Mt. Carmel battle lasted a full day. Then, after God’s success, he climbs to the top of Mt. Carmel to pray for rain. As soon as he hears there’s a small cloud, he sends word to Ahab but ends up running ahead of Ahab, who’s on horseback, over 30 miles to Jezreel. Additionally, he runs 100 miles after hearing the threat of Jezebel. I doubt he was merely plagued with shin splints after all that running. No, he was seriously exhausted!
As Elijah ran those 100 miles, he was running away from his community. In other words, he was isolating himself both physically and psychologically. This removed him from hearing any voice but his own that was quickly spiraling into negativity and depression. He began convincing himself that he was alone and the only one left, plagued with the futility of the task.
“I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected Your covenant, broken down Your altars, and put Your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (1 Kings 19:10).
What can we learn from Elijah’s experience with depression? First, God is there with Elijah and He will be with us. Elijah rightly presents his pain, frustration, and feelings of aloneness and worthlessness to God. God is the first one for us to share our burden.
God provided rest and nourishment for Elijah before anything else. He allowed him to sleep, then sends an angel to encourage him to “get up and eat” (1 Kings 19:5b). Elijah ate and slept again. Then “the angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “get up and eat”, for the journey is too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7). Elijah complies with the instructions from the angel. We should look and listen to those messengers of truth through His Word—friendships, trusted spiritual guides, and mental health counselors can also be a needed resource. At times, medication is a useful and necessary tool, either for a temporary time period or longer term. A psychiatrist and mental health counselor are valuable sources for this assessment.
Elijah travels 40 days and 40 nights and sleeps in a cave. It is then that The LORD begins to speak to him. However, it isn’t spoken through a powerful wind, nor an earthquake, nor a fire but in a gentle whisper. Even though God spoke in an overt display of fire at Mt. Carmel, this time He speaks in a quiet way.
God begins by giving him a mission. He is to anoint certain kings and anoint Elisha as his successor. We all need a purpose in our life, something that helps motivate us each moment of each day. We also need a partner in the Gospel. Someone that encourages and reminds us of our common mission for our LORD. It is after giving him a purpose and Elisha as a partner in the Gospel that God refocuses his perspective with the truth that he is not alone. “Yet, I reserve seven thousand in Israel – all whose knees have now bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Kings 19: 18).
Since, “Elijah was a man just like us” (James 5:17a) we can take note of not only that he suffered with depression but also recognize the signs of depression. Then, we can also learn through Elijah how the Presence of God gives rest, nourishment, mission, partnership, and assurances in the healing process.
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