Depression's Roots

Someone said to me that her daughter was very depressed. I said send her to me. Not that I have confidence in my counselling, but I have confidence that God breaks through in such situations. What is depression? Depression would seem to be an ailment more typical of an urban congregation, and I have counselled people many times with (clinical) depression. It’s not as if anyone can just snap out of it -- it’s tough to get out -- however, no matter how “rooted” depression may seem, there really is hope. While there are various factors involved, the core factor in my experience is inward looking. People will express this through sentences with “I” or “me” at the core: “I can't handle this. I have failed. How does this reflect on me? What am I going to do?” Often such thoughts are almost unconscious. The ultimate solution lies in God, and in deliberately turning such thoughts to Him: “Lord, I place this in Your mighty hands. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness and grace. God has this in His control. He’ll show me what to do.” OBSERVATION: Of course, for that, one needs a relationship with God. God is not a mental exercise. (No. 2 on my list of causes of depression would be “global stress”).