Orange County Christian Counseling Logo

  • ServicesRead about the expertise available
    • Individual ServicesAddress your personal concerns confidentially
      • Abandonment and Neglect
      • ADHD
      • Aging and Geriatric Issues
      • Anger Issues
      • Anxiety
      • Coaching
      • Codependency
      • Christian Counseling for Children
      • Christian Counseling for Teens
      • Depression
      • Eating Disorders
      • Grief Counseling
      • Individual Counseling
      • Infidelity and Affairs
      • Men’s Issues
      • Neurofeedback
      • OCD
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
      • Professional Development
      • Psychological Testing
      • Relationship Issues
      • Sexual Abuse
      • Sex And Porn Addiction
      • Spiritual Development
      • Trauma
      • Women’s Issues
    • Christian Couples CounselingWork through challenges together
      • Couples Counseling
      • Premarital Counseling
      • Marriage Counseling
    • Family CounselingEstablish the peaceful home you desire
      • Couples Counseling
      • Christian Counseling for Teens
      • Christian Counseling for Children
      • Family Counseling
    • Group CounselingBenefit from the support of others
      • All Counseling Groups
    • Online Counseling
    • Marriage Counseling
  • LocationsChoose from our variety of office locations
    •  1Huntington Beach
    •  1Irvine
    • Loma Linda
    •  1Newport Beach
    •  1Orange County
    • San Diego
    • Orange CountyTustin
    •  1Online Counseling
  • CounselorsFind the best counselor for your needs
  • CareersBecome an affiliated Christian counselor
  • (949) 281-3240Please give us a call, we are here to help
header-image

Finding Hope in the Midst of Darkness

Orange County Christian Counseling
https://orangecountychristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/finding-hope-in-the-midst-of-darkness-4.jpg 640 1137
https://orangecountychristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/occc-min.jpg
4952 Warner Avenue, Suite 227-B
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92649
United States
4952 Warner Avenue, Suite 227-B
HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92649
United States
Orange County Christian Counseling
Nov
2021
12

Finding Hope in the Midst of Darkness

Orange County Christian Counseling

Individual CounselingPersonal DevelopmentSpiritual Development

Depression as a Christian seems contradictory since the Bible promises us peace and joy. Peace and joy are very different feelings when compared to a depressed mood. We can have peace in our hearts about the future and our current situation. We can have the joy of the Lord through our salvation. However, our mood may tell us that we are sad even though there is no identifiable reason to be sad.

Finding Hope in the Midst of DarknessThis is where I like to implement distractions. I may know in my mind that there is nothing to be sad about. I may have a wonderful life, a great spouse, successful children who are walking with the Lord, but I still don’t feel good, and I lack the desire to participate in things I once found interesting. The enemy tries to discourage a person and pressure them to feel guilty about these feelings. Naturally, we tend to look inward for the reason.

The goal is to immediately use Scripture to fight those automatic negative thoughts (fiery darts) that the enemy shoots into our minds. Find certain Scriptures that speak to you in the specific area in which you are struggling. Write these down on a small piece of paper to carry with you until you memorize them.

Like us if you are enjoying this content.

Do not allow these darts to enter your long-term memory. Short-term memory is anything under thirty seconds. If you rehearse something, a telephone number, a name, a time, or a phrase using certain rehearsal techniques they will convert to long-term memory. The trick here is to get to those fiery darts immediately with Scripture you have previously memorized.

Repeat God’s word to yourself and get his promises into your long-term memory. Carry your Bible around with you wherever you go. Put it in your purse, carry a small Gideon’s Bible in your back pocket so you can get used to using your sword. Keep seeking, keep knocking. Don’t grow weary.

Finding Hope in the Midst of Darkness 1Another reason we may continue to be affected by feelings of sadness is that we may have conditioned ourselves to be in this state. People find it comfortable to sit in darkness, wallowing in self-defeating thoughts. Though it’s not necessarily a desire to feel depressed, we may experience a physiological response (physical response throughout the body) to a depressed mood.

When we feel tired, we prefer to lay in bed to get some additional sleep. We feel hungry so we find something to nourish our bodies. Working through depression feels unnatural because our emotions or our bodies may prompt us to do things that will keep us remaining depressed:

  • Loss of interest
  • Excessive sleep
  • Feeling slowed down
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Excessive Guilt
  • Recurrent thoughts of suicide or death

Depression has many faces and many different presentations, and the sufferer may experience a variety of symptoms. As Christians, we may think that the Lord would relieve us from these feelings if we were in His good graces. This is false. There are instances where we may be experiencing guilt, shame, sad mood, and difficulty sleeping due to unconfessed sin. If we continue to live in a specific sin, the Holy Spirit will convict us and prompt us in this way.

Finding Hope in the Midst of Darkness 2Do not mistake this for condemnation, however. Christ sent his Holy Spirit to us to encourage us and to convict us of sin. Conviction is meant to prompt us to repent, not to condemn us. The Bible says that His goodness leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Out of love, we turn back to Christ knowing that his plans for our lives are far better than our own.

The enemy has effective methods of making us feel as though we will never measure up, leading us to feel beaten down by the world and our sin. Don’t grow weary of doing good, “At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up (Galatians 6:9).”

A thorn is a struggle or an ailment that the Lord has not freed us from so that He may be glorified through us. This is not to be confused with a stronghold. A stronghold stems from a certain sin we continuously fall into (i.e., binge-eating, sexual sin, continuous anger outbursts, slander/gossip, pride, lying, or substance use.)

Jacob experienced a thorn following his wrestling with God. Paul had a thorn that he was forced to live with, the nature of which the Bible does not reveal (however, many Biblical scholars think it may have had something to do with his eyes). A thorn may also be the loss of a child, the death of a spouse at a young age, a physical ailment, cancer, and even mental illness. The propensity to experience depression may also be a thorn.

Finding Hope in the Midst of Darkness 3It may keep us clinging to Jesus, running back to Him for continual support because we realize that during periods of intense depression, He is the only way we can make it through the day. Ultimately, Jesus wants us to be close to Him. He wants us to spend time in His word and rely on Him.

This does not mean that the Lord is devious and crafty, but He permits these ailments so that we will cling to Him. We live in a fallen world and as fallen creatures we do not fully understand His methods. We may not know why He would allow a young child to die prematurely, but we trust in His essential goodness and love. We constantly fight a spiritual battle with an enemy who is much smarter than we are, so we reach to Jesus to guide and strengthen us moment by moment during times of depression.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:17-18

One biblical truth you can hold fast to is that He will never leave you nor forsake you. Don’t lose faith or become discouraged when the storm rages between your ears. Cling to the hope that though you may be sitting in darkness, the Lord is your light (Micah 7:7b).

If you are in grip of mental health difficulties such as these depressive symptoms and would like to speak with someone to help identify the problem in a more clear and identifiable way, please reach out to a counselor for guidance and encouragement. We have a team of mental health professionals that will provide a hand to help you walk through your spiritual wilderness. You don’t have to go through this alone.

Photos:
“A Walk in the Woods”, Courtesy of Geran de Klerk, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Skeleton Keys on Book”, Courtesy of Carolyn V, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Chains”, Courtesy of Zulmaury Saavedra, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Victory!”, Courtesy of Svyatoslav Romanov, Unsplash.com, CC0 License

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact one of our counselors for further information.

  • Share on Facebook
  • Tweet it
  • ↑ Back to top

Other articles that might interest you...

spacer

Three Spiritual Development Stages for Women
Orange County Christian Counseling

Three Spiritual Development Stages for ...

This article references the book Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. I’m...

continue reading »
spacer

Related Services

  • Individual Counseling
  • Personal Development
  • Spiritual Development
Orange County Christian Counseling Logo
Orange County Christian Counseling
Professional help with faith-based values
Welcome to Orange County Christian Counseling. We offer faith-based therapy for individuals (children, teens, and adults), couples, and families in Orange County, California and the surrounding areas including Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Garden Grove, and beyond. Browse our online counselor directory to find the best therapist for your needs.
© 2025 Orange County Christian Counseling. All rights reserved.
4952 Warner Avenue, Suite 227-B, Huntington Beach, CA 92649. Tel (949) 281-3240.
Facebook Sitemap Online Counseling Privacy Policy Terms of Use Feel free to contact us!
We are open for business. In person and online counseling are available now.