I’ve made no secret that I have seasons of depression. At present the lights are on and shining quite brightly. I’ve no idea if there will be another season of darkness on the horizon but I feel healthier than I ever have.
Ultimately, I owe this to God’s grace. He has used His Word in a mighty way during this season as well as other means.
In some way every persons depression is unique. And so I won’t pretend that you are just like me, but maybe you are. When I’m in the doldrums advice from in the flesh people usually doesn’t do much. Perhaps it is pride unable to take correction or wisdom. Or maybe it is shame. I don’t know but in those times I turn to books to speak truth to me.
Here are 8 books the Lord has used in helping me battled depression.
1. Christian’s Get Depressed Too by David Murray. Reading through this book was the first time that I allowed myself to accept the diagnosis. This little book continues to be helpful.
2. When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper. The whole book is phenomenal but his chapters dealing with depression have been very helpful and encouraging. I’
3. Torn to Heal. Yeah, I know I wrote the book but writing it was wonderfully healing for my soul. I don’t know how helpful it is to other readers who battle depression but for me writing it was healing.
4. The Anatomy of Secret Sins. At times some of my depression is the result of unconfessed sin. The Lord used this book to help me clean house.
5. How People Change by Tripp and Lane. God has used this book time and time again to keep me from resting on superficial change. He used this book to lay a solid foundation with the gospel.
6. Calvin’s Institutes. What a strange place to find comfort for depression, eh? But God has used this many times to help me realize it is okay to not have questions for things. Calvin’s relentless pursuit of establishing all theology on the Bible has encouraged me times without number.
7. Sensing Jesus by Zack Eswine. You have to read this book to really know how terrific it is. If you are in the ministry this is a book you really need to own. God has used this to rebuke and comfort me many times.
8. The Happy Christian by David Murray. This is a newer book for me and I’m not even totally finished. But the Lord has been using this book in a might way in my life. I believe God has done much work in tearing down poor thinking. Now I needed a bit of assistance in developing good thinking. Murray’s book is helping considerably.
One other book I’d like to mention, that I have only started reading, is Spurgeon’s Sorrows by Zack Eswine. It looks to be helpful but I can’t add it to the list because I’m not far enough into it yet.
What books have helped you?
Dealing with Depression by Sarah Collins and Jayne Hayes is excellent – Published by Christian Focus
If you are living with a clinically depressed person without realizing all the symptoms involved apart from depression itself, I found “Depression Fallout” to be helpful. It empathizes with the depressed’s spouse, sometimes an even more difficult position than being depressed yourself. This, however, is not a Christian book in any sense as she suggests there comes a time when you might need to leave your depressed spouse to save yourself, which is not at all biblical.
Defeating Depression by Leslie Vernick is an excellent book; however, I believe it may be out of publication/print. Thank you for your list …. looks like I’ll have to make a few more book purchases soon.