According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, if you look up depression it will give you several different definitions. One of them is “a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, etc.”

Some people really struggle with this disease, but the first thing I think of when depression comes to mind is oppression. The funny thing is when you look up oppression, one of the main references in the definition is depression. Now this seems like a lot of information to take in, but it’s truly not.

The thing is almost everyone has some sort of symptom of depression on a daily basis. Some people resort to pills, some to alcohol, and some to other things as a means of dealing with these symptoms. I think in a lot of cases they are trying cure or control the wrong thing. Take me for example, if I had a really bad day today…the car broke down, unexpected bills came in the mail, my kids were acting crazy…all these things could be depressing, but so many times it is a case of mistaken identity. Satan tries to take these things and use them to depress and oppress. If we don’t have the joy of the Lord in our heart, we tend to use the worldly cures listed above. When, in fact, these are opportunities to let the love of Christ shine through our lives at one of the most significant times.

When people question our sincerity, or our religion, or our life as a Christ-follower, our best “medicine” is for them to see us cling to Christ through our adversities. This is where our true colors have the opportunity to shine. So, the next time you feel “depressed” think about how Satan is trying to oppress you and use it to glorify Christ.