The sound of porcelain shattering interrupted my chores. Following the noise, I discovered a wedding gift on the floor. Only after it was ruined did we realize the vase had been hand-painted in Italy. With a heavy heart, I gathered the pieces and put them in the trash. Depression can leave us feeling like that vase—broken and useless, fit only for discarding. I wish I had known about the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which repairs damaged pottery by using lacquer mixed with gold dust. Although the breakage is obvious, the gold increases both the beauty and value of the cracked piece. God achieves similar results when healing depression, turning our brokenness into beauty. Elijah struggled with depression, as do many today. His story (1 Kings 19) reveals ways God desires to partner with us, injecting healing and hope into our despair.

The honor contest between Israel’s God and Baal reached a climax on Mt. Carmel. First, Yahweh set fire to the sacrifice; then he sent a rainstorm to end the three-year drought (1 Kings 18). Queen Jezebel responded to Baal’s defeat with a threat to Elijah’s life, sending him into the wilderness where he battled depression.

Steps 1 and 2 in Healing Depression: Rest and Replace

After running 100 miles to escape, Elijah slumped exhausted under a broom tree. He ran away from Jezebel only to run into God, who met and ministered to him in the wilderness. Elijah’s healing first required rest—from his physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional exertion and in God’s care. He needed to sleep and also to surrender to God’s plan.

Next, Elijah journeyed another 200 miles to Mt. Horeb, the Mountain of God. There, the Lord called him to replace his all-about-me focus with all-about-God faith. To transition from escaping pain to encountering God. He redirected Elijah’s attention and renewed his call. After all, desperate hearts are more open to God’s work.

Step 3 in Healing Depression: Return

Finally, healing depression necessitated a change of direction. Despite Elijah’s feelings, God instructed him to return to Israel, to his God-given mission. To ease Elijah’s loneliness, the Lord gave him Elisha as his assistant.

Elijah fled into the desert to escape excruciating circumstances, but it was there he encountered God. The wilderness became not only a place of desolation but also of transformation. Healing happened as Elijah obeyed, one step at a time.

The broom tree represented God’s presence and provision for Elijah, and he is no less present for us. Even if we struggle to see him. Seeing is the result of believing, not the prerequisite. We see because we believe, not the other way round. 

How to Find Healing

Although we cannot hurry the healing of our hurts, we can prolong the pain. By refusing to:

• Rest, entrusting our brokenness to the Lord, who knows and loves us
• Replace our self-focus with God-focus, believing his Word and standing on his truth
• Return to our God-given purpose, sustained by his strength to serve our fellow strugglers

Our place of desperation can also become a place of purification, restoration, and redemption. Where the Lord turns brokenness into beauty, revealing his light and love through the cracks. Maybe we can’t return to our jobs or to what we once considered normal. But we can depend on God to strengthen us for the next step. 

His grace is enough; it’s all we need. His power works best in weak people.

2 Corinthians 12:9, MSG, NLV

Healing may be slow, but it comes as we obey the One who never abandons us. As we do what we can and count on him to do what we can’t.

Out of the Wilderness

What lessons can we carry out of our wilderness experience? How can God use us as shade for those who are desperate? Can what we’ve learned help someone else? The Lord will renew our spirits as we focus on him, reaching out with his love to those who need his touch.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin notes that the Hebrew word for break can also mean a place of birth. 

When something breaks and is destroyed, it also can give birth to something entirely new which can provide ongoing sustenance. 

Breaking Up or Breaking Through

We may feel broken by our battle with depression. But what new dreams, new desires, is God birthing in us through it?

A Last Request

If you’re depressed, tell someone. Tell a doctor, friend, family member, or Christian counselor. Please do not suffer alone. I urge you to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) or go to their website at SuicidePreventionLifeline.org. With love and support from God and the people around you, you can get through this time.