I’m Just a Guy: Fighting Depressionნიმუში

Thank You!

If you find yourself fighting depression, I encourage you to visit the link below. You'll discover a meaningful way to connect—and it would be an honor to walk alongside you and support you in this season. I truly hope this plan has encouraged your heart.

https://thelionwithin.us/i-am-just-a-guy

Holding on in the Dark

Just like sin, depression thrives in the dark.

For me, both grow strongest when I keep them concealed and hidden from others. I lie to myself, thinking that by staying silent I’m protecting others and not adding to their burdens. It doesn’t really make sense, but when our minds are cloudy and we’re trying to navigate in the dark, the results can be destructive.

One of the best ways I know to illustrate this is with a beach ball. Growing up, I loved going to the beach, and playing with a beach ball was always fun. Sometimes my brother and I would see who could hold it underwater the longest.

Of course, being brothers, it became a competition. And there were a few factors that made it tricky:

• We were in the ocean, where the waves and currents in North Carolina can be unpredictable.
• Our mom did her best to protect us from sunburns, so we were always covered in sunscreen. (This was the ’80s and '90s—so none of that spray-on stuff. It was the greasy kind that never rubbed in.)
• Add a slippery beach ball to the mix, and it turned into something that could’ve been on American Ninja Warrior.

At first, it wasn’t too hard to push the ball underwater. But eventually, the current would shift, a wave would catch us off guard, or our grip would slip. And every time, the ball would come shooting out of the water—usually smacking us right in the face.

So why bring this up in the context of depression? Because most men, myself included, try to manage depression the same way—pushing it down, wrestling with it alone, convincing ourselves we can handle it. But the harder we try to bury it, the more control it seems to gain. And eventually, it will come bursting to the surface, often with painful consequences.

That’s why the Gospel of John is such good news. He reminds us that in Christ we have the Light of men, and that Light destroys the darkness. Hope isn’t the absence of darkness—it’s the presence of a Light that cannot be overcome.

Depression whispers that the darkness is permanent, that it’s “just the way things are.” But holding it down in secret is like trying to keep that beach ball underwater. Sooner or later, it will break free. My encouragement is this: let go. Bring the struggle into the Light. Confession and honesty strip the darkness of its power because once the Light begins to shine, Scripture tells us darkness cannot comprehend it.

How encouraging is that? The darkness we feel when battling depression has no chance of survival when exposed to the power of the Holy Spirit.

I’m not naïve enough to say this is a quick fix or a complete cure for depression. But I do believe that reflecting on Scripture, walking in the Light, and refusing to fight alone can change everything. You are not alone in this battle, and my prayer is that the Holy Spirit shines brightly in your journey.

Reflection Questions:

1. What darkness are you most tired of fighting?
2. Who can you trust to bring struggles into the Light?