Daily Dose- Mental Health Devotional for Light in Our Dark Depression

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
English Standard Version

This verse is a favorite of those suffering mental illness, especially depression. “A dark place” is the usual description of depression. To hear the words that the light shines in the darkness is a comfort.

Without Jesus, our lives will fall short and be incomplete. We hold on to this verse because the light of Christ will never be overcome. There is hope here. In our hopelessness, these words lift our spirit and speak directly to our brokenness.

“The light of Christ is the brightness of God shining on the retina of the human soul.”
~John Piper

Apart from Jesus, life never made sense to me. I scrambled to find who I was and make sense of an abusive world. In attempts to fulfill the hole inside me, I ran from one relationship to the next. Even though I never knew the gospel message, I felt the calling of the Lord. Only Jesus satisfied the longing inside my soul. My soul was created to be filled by him.

Christ came so we might live and live fully. Depression and other mental illnesses create this confusion that our broken minds are limited. In fact, the limitations of a broken mind are still no match for God. Once we accept Christ into our lives, there are no limits to what he can do. The Word is a light and compass for our time on this earth. Jesus is the light of God illuminated within us. The darkness that strives to implant itself deep in our soul will always be overcome. This is the gift of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Have you accepted Jesus into your heart?