Is It a Sin for a Christian To Be Depressed?

Could anxiety be sinful? Yes, if we accept the testimony of Jesus and respect Paul's apostolic command.

But the Bible certainly acknowledges that life’s complications can be depressing. The words "depressing" and "depressed" are flexible in their meaning and cover a broad spectrum of mental states. For example, we are commanded to “weep with those who weep.” This means that we sympathize with others' grief, rather than trying to convince them that sorrow is always sinful.

However, how Christians manage their grief may demonstrate either strong faith, or it may result in a debilitating depression. Therefore, we must give this question serious thought. There is no simple “yes” or “no” answer.

Now here are Paul’s comments on the matter.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

So many things are easier said than done. The advice, “Don’t worry,” is surely in that category. That peculiarity, however, does not nullify the counsel. “Don’t worry” is not only good advice but also a biblical command.

How can we be commanded not to worry? Isn't anxiety an inevitable human emotion that arises when certain things happen to us?

Webster defines this state of mind.

“Anxiety is a painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill ... an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked 1 by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), 2 by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and 3 by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it” (51).

An overwhelming sense of self-doubt about one’s ability to cope should not overcome the Christian, who has been told, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). Let us consider the biblical counsel that helps us manage anxiety and prevents it from overwhelming us.

Paul's Prohibition Against Anxiety

The apostle Paul’s prohibition against anxiety is: “Do not be anxious about anything” (Phil. 4:6a). Notice that Paul’s statement is a command. It is a comprehensive command, for we are not to be anxious about anything. Like all commands, we must choose to submit to it, thereby choosing not to worry. It is also a permanent requirement. Our lives should be characterized by confident trust in the Lord, rather than by worry and doubt.

The Lord Jesus also forbids worry (Mt. 6:25). He encourages us not to be anxious, because our Father lives, gives, loves, clothes, and knows our needs (Mt. 6:25-32). Worry can not create circumstances, correct problems, or change the future. It is, therefore, faithlessness, self-centeredness, distracting, and debilitating.

How to Prevent Anxiety

After stating the prohibition, Paul relates the prevention.

“But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6b).

Instead of merely talking to yourself and others, talk to God. Instead of worrying about anything, talk to the Lord about it. This is the antidote to excessive anxiety, yet we might not utilize it if we worry it won't help.

Paul says that this prevention for anxiety involves real communication (i.e., prayer) with the Creator, who is a personal being, who listens, cares, and responds. The word “prayer” stands for this divine blessing and represents a reality for the child of God. It is not a psychological pick-me-up, nor is it a quick fix.

Paul said that in our prayers, we ought to make “supplications.” Therein, we recognize that God is the one to whom these needs ought to be addressed. There is no one else to whom we can turn for these necessities. Sadly, we may find ourselves placing more confidence in men than in God. Listening to sound advice is needful, and so is leaning on the loving arm of Jesus through prayer (Heb. 4:15-16).

Prayer should be characterized by “thanksgiving,” Paul says. A poet expressed the thought in this way:

In midst of dangers, fears, and death,
Thy goodness we’ll adore.
We’ll praise thee for thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more.

God has made us resilient, but we must rely upon him for the strength. A grateful disposition allows us to make many spiritual observations about his “mercies past,” empowering us to humbly hope for more.

The prevention also includes, says Paul, “requests.” Amazingly, we can convey to God Almighty a specific request for a particular need. And so, Paul encourages us to rely on the Lord, trusting in him, and he will enable us to withstand life’s difficulties and keep paralyzing self-doubt at bay.

The Promise

The promise is given in the next verse (Phil. 4:7), which is conditioned on obeying the divine prohibition and following the preventive measure.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Such peace is incomprehensible to those who are not “in Christ Jesus,” the sphere wherein the promise is given. It is incapable of empirical analysis. It is immeasurably better than any human forethought could devise. It is inseparably joined to the redemptive work of Christ Jesus. It is the calm that comes from the Master of ocean, earth, and skies, for it is the Creator who says to us, “Peace, be still.”

Through the redemption by the blood of Christ, our most critical problem of all has been dealt with. Therefore, worry about nothing; pray about everything; thank God for anything; and have the peace that only God can provide.

“Casting all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).