Even as there is a difference between a headache and a brain tumor, there is a difference between depression and despair. Depression, as used in the Scriptures, conveys a sense of heaviness weighing upon the soul. Despair, as used in the Scriptures, conveys a sense of hopelessness. There is a sliding scale of depression – you can be mildly, seriously, or severely depressed. Mild to serious depression is characterized by a heaviness or sadness weighing upon the soul. Severe depression (clinical depression) is characterized by, among other things, hopelessness. There is a big difference between heaviness and hopelessness even as there is a big difference between vision and blindness. Yes, heaviness can cross an invisible line somewhere and slump into hopelessness, yet there is a big difference between heaviness and hopelessness. Heaviness means I am weighed down; hopelessness means that I don’t see a way through (which increases the heaviness I feel).
Believe it or not, Jesus was depressed –
And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death…” Matthew 26:37-38
The word ‘distressed’ carries the meaning of heaviness and depression. He wasn’t afraid to acknowledge or own the fact that He felt that way. What He didn’t do was allow it to own Him. Remember – He said that He was depressed about His circumstances and wanted them to change, but then He said to His Father, “Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Mt. 27:39) His heaviness wasn’t hopelessness to the point of giving up, giving in, or giving up. He saw a way through – submission to the will of His Father.
The apostle Paul spoke of the heaviness of his heart in 2 Corinthians 7:6. “But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus…”
He notes another time of heaviness – “…we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing…” 2 Corinthians 4:8
Even though heavy things were happening to Paul and there was a heaviness in his heart, there wasn’t a hopelessness – he saw a way through. He knew that God was with him and for him and had him covered. Heaviness doesn’t mean hopelessness.
So, if you find yourself with a heavy heart, please don’t think that somehow your faith is deficient or that there is sin in your life. Don’t let anyone shame you. You’re in good company! Was Jesus depressed about His situation? Yes. Was there sin in His life? Yikes! I hope not!
Beloved, we might be in heaviness, but we’re not hopeless for we see a way through. We might be down, but we’re not out. We might be experiencing heaviness of heart, but not hopelessness of soul. We believe that God is doing and will do great things. Though we don’t see all that God has for us and is working out for us, we do see Jesus Christ risen and ascended and seated at reigning with the Father at His right hand! We believe in and look to Him who said that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
