All too often, those who wrestle with fear and worry avoid God, thinking that condemnation awaits them. Or they avoid his Word, thinking that only simplistic answers to “trust” and “be anxious for nothing” can be found there.But when God says, “Fear not,” it is not as a condemning Judge, but as a compassionate Father who desires to be a refuge for his fearful children who live in a dark and dangerous world. Even more, as the One who created us and the world around us, there is no one better than our Father to provide the wisdom we need for a life of peace.

Do the Scriptures really have anything meaningful to say about depression? With the emphasis on hope and joy and praise that the Christian faith is known for, it seems like an unlikely source of help in the battle against depression. It seems, rather, like a source of guilt and further discouragement. But if you understand depression in terms of “hopelessness,” you’ll find the Scriptures to be uniquely aware of the darkness of life in a fallen world. And not only does God make sense of the darkness, he shows us the way out.