I was reading from 1 Samuel 1 the other day and God revealed a beautiful truth about depression and how we can still experience God's goodness even in the midst of the lowest moments, from the life of Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel.
Hannah was one of the two wives of a man named Elkanah. Elkanah's other wife Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not. Out of a heart of envy because Elkanah would often show favouritism to Hannah, Peninnah would taunt her for being barren. 1 Samuel 1:7 says this: "This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat."
Clearly, Hannah was depressed by her situation. She had been without children for several years (as the scripture says that "This went on year after year") and was receiving insults. As a result she wept and would not eat. This is clearly depression. But the amazing thing about Hannah was that even in her depression, she would still come to the Lord. In verse 10, it says, "In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly."
So many people have this wrong notion that depression shuts us out from God's presence - that only "happy" people can pray, worship and experience God. But from the story of Hannah, we can learn that this isn't true. God desires that we come to Him regardless of our situation or condition.
I have counselled many people who battle with depression and most of the time, people who experience depression feel that they have no right to come to God in prayer and petition simply because they are depressed. Hebrews 14:16, however, tells us, "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
What is the basis by which we enter God's presence and experience His goodness? It's not based on our condition, our good works or even on whether we are depressed or not. Our basis for drawing near to God is simply and only because of His grace and through the finished work of Jesus. By the blood of Christ, we can now draw near perfect or not, depressed or not, weeping bitterly or not.
Hannah understood this best and as a result, God met her where she was: in the pits of her deepest depression. God desires that all approach Him regardless of the condition they come to Him in. He calls all to approach His throne with confidence knowing that it's by His faithfulness and not ours that we can experience His healing presence and touch.
