If you are someone who struggles with feelings of depression and hopelessness, you are not alone. Having Bible verses for depression and hopelessness at hand helps you speak truth into your situation—the situation the enemy wants to keep covered in lies.
The keys to overcoming are speaking and believing by faith the truth of God’s word—Bible verses—and asking Him to make His voice louder than the enemy’s.
What Is Depression and Hopelessness According to the Bible?
Depression and hopelessness feel like black, heavy clouds following you throughout your day. Sad moods, grief, and frustration are generally short-lived and are part of everyday life. But when these general moods progress into something more, overtaking your thoughts, depression and hopelessness dominate the mind.
Depression and hopelessness bring heaviness in the spirit, trying to rob you of joy, hope, and faith. They tempt you to isolate, focus on the trials, and keep you from confidently coming before your loving Father who longs to touch your heart, healing it in this time of need.
Isaiah 61:3 says, “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil for joy in mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (emphasis added)
The Bible speaks about the spirit of heaviness. Isn’t that a description of depression and hopelessness—a heavy cloud that doesn’t seem to lift?
The Good News for Those with Depression and Hopelessness
But there is good news! Isaiah 61 starts with this, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me…” The “Me” in this passage is Jesus! Your relationship with Jesus is the answer to overcoming depression and hopelessness.
The Flesh and The Spirit
Depression and hopelessness can be described as a wrestling in the mind between the flesh and the spirit. The two Bible passages below describe this tension place. Again, the key is to speak and believe God’s word by faith. This reconnects your mind with truth, Jesus—the word made flesh.
2 Bible Passages Describing the Tension between Flesh and Spirit
Romans 7:15-20
- “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” (emphasis added)
- “’Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’”—Matthew 26:41 (emphasis added)
What Does All This Mean?
In short, depression and hopelessness are not uncommon to man. They are thought patterns and mind battles anyone can go through—including Christians. Paul himself describes the battle.
Bible verses about depression and hopelessness reveal they are a spirit of heaviness. This means the enemy is the one behind them, not God. However, they do create opportunities for you to draw nearer to the Lord, allowing Him to heal your mind.
Know this, Jesus said He did not come to heal the healthy, but heal the sick (Mark 2:17). He comes to those who know they need Him, who cry out to Him in their hurt.
Jesus says…
- “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”—John 10:10
Cry out to Jesus!
10 Bible Verses for Depression and Hopelessness
The Bible also tells us…
God is a good Father and gives good gifts.
- “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”—James 1:17
God does not tempt you beyond what you can bear.
- “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”—1 Corinthians 10:13
Give thanks in all circumstances.
- “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”—1 Thessalonians 5:18
God is close to those who cry out to Him and are crushed in spirit.
- “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”—Psalm 34:17-18 (NIV)
God will never leave you. Even if you feel alone, you are not alone.
- “’And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.’”—Deuteronomy 31:8
You have authority over the spirit of heaviness.
- “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.”—Matthew 10:1
You can tell your soul to get in line with the truth.
- “Bless the Lord O, my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”—Psalm 103:1-5
You can expect good things.
- “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”—Ephesians 3:20
You are healed by Jesus’ stripes.
- “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”—Isaiah 53:5
You can ask others to pray for and with you.
- “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. “—James 5:14-16
Meditate on these Bible verses for depression and hopelessness. Ask the Spirit to remind you of these truths when the enemy is whispering lies to you.
Draw Near to the Lord in Depression and Hopelessness
There is a great promise in overcoming depression and hopelessness. It is not a quick fix but rather a process of connecting to the Healer Himself through His word.
The truth is everything that happens in your life is an opportunity to draw nearer to the Lord. His love for you is so great, and He wants to draw near to you—to heal you wholly. Will you invite Him into these places of pain?
When you draw near to the Lord, He draws near to you. Ask Him to cleanse your thought-life and keep your mind focused on Him (James 4:8).
Did You Know…?
The Lord doesn’t want all the things you can do for Him. He wants you to know you get to do life with Him. He is right there by your side. What’s more is this, He wants nothing more than your broken and contrite heart. He does not look down on or disregard you for the depression and hopelessness you are experiencing. No! This is what He wants to heal so you can know and experience His loving power!
“For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.”
—Psalm 51:16-17
Do you need prayer for depression and hopelessness? Click here to submit your prayer requests. We’d love to pray with and for you.
