Joy exists in the presence of God.
Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. (1 Chronicles 16:27)
God did not intend for man to have full joy in this life without Him.
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)
True joy belongs to the upright in heart.
Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. (Psalm 97:11)
Joy is a product of righteousness.
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. (Psalm 32:11)
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. (Psalm 68:3)
God anoints those who love righteousness and hate wickedness with a joy that others don’t experience.
Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalm 45:7)
Spiritual joy can be experienced as intensely as painful depression.
The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy. (Proverbs 14:10)
Happiness depends upon a consistent walk in the fear of the Lord.
When we harden our heart (i.e., refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit), we eventually and inevitably fall into a pit of trouble and sorrow.
Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 28:14)
Those who walk in the fear of the Lord find the supernatural instruction needed for every challenge in life.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
Those who handle life without God’s wisdom and instruction multiply sorrow to themselves.
Those who receive counsel and instruction from God and His Word have gladness of heart.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. (Psalm 16:4-9)
Depression is the cumulative spiritual effect of functioning without the application of God’s Word in one’s life.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24-27)
Depression is prolonged, profound (great) sorrow.
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. (Psalm 32:10)
many > Hebrew – rab adj. > much, many, great, exceeding, abounding
The best men can do to alleviate depression is take alcohol or drugs.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. (Proverbs 31:4-7)
Depression is a “wake-up call” to let God reprove and reorder our way.
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. (Psalm 50:15-21)
The repentant can live in the expectation that they will experience joy and gladness.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. (Psalm 51:8)
Depression can only be cured by a fresh seeking of God.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth (Psalm 105:3-5)
Stubbornness of spirit must be eliminated if we are to be completely led by God.
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. (Psalm 32:8-9)
When we fall short of the actions and attitudes that God would have in us we experience guilt.
When there is no repentance, there is no cleansing or restoration to the presence of God where joy exists.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation… (Psalm 51:10-12)
Sin left uncleansed leads to self-justification. We find reasons for why we acted in a certain way.
We excuse our falling short. We blame others for our situation.
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)
Sin that remains on our conscience opens the door for depression or worldly sorrow.
Men drown their sorrow, guilt and depression in “wine, women and song.”
It would be far better to hear the correction of God.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:5)
Godly sorrow is better than ungodly joy.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Ecclesiastes 7:3-4)
Paul sought to reclaim the Corinthians from worldly sorrow through a rebuke.
For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. (2 Corinthians 7:8-11)
Through godly sorrow that leads to repentance we can be lifted up and out of the worldly sorrow that leads to depression.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:8-10)