When the darkness felt endless, God whispered something that changed everything.
I didn’t talk about it much at the time.
I smiled when I needed to. I got through the days. I answered the “How are you?” with, “I’m fine.”
But deep down… I wasn’t.
There was a season where the heaviness just wouldn’t lift. Days felt like I was walking through fog. Nights stretched longer than they should. I couldn’t explain it — and honestly, I didn’t even want to try. I was just tired. Sad. Numb.
Depression can feel like that.
Like you’re lost in a deep valley with no clear path out.
But in the middle of that dark place, one quiet promise from God kept me breathing:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted…” — Psalm 34:18
I Didn’t Feel Close to God — But He Stayed Close to Me
When you’re hurting like that, your emotions can lie to you.
You feel like God is distant. You feel like He’s forgotten you. You feel like your prayers are hitting the ceiling.
But feelings aren’t always facts.
And Psalm 34:18 reminded me of a truth that didn’t depend on how I felt:
God was near.
Even when I couldn’t feel Him.
Even when I wasn’t praying eloquently.
Even when all I could do was cry.
He’s not repelled by pain.
He draws near to it.
Depression Doesn’t Mean You’re Weak or Faithless
Some well-meaning people might tell you to “just pray more” or “have more faith.”
And while yes — prayer matters, and faith does carry us — depression isn’t a lack of faith.
It’s a battle. A real one.
Elijah, one of God’s prophets, sat under a tree and begged to die.
David wrote psalms in caves where he wept and felt abandoned.
Even Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane, said His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.
You’re not less Christian because you’re hurting.
You’re human.
And God meets you in your humanness with compassion — not shame.
The Promise That Kept Me Going
I wrote it on a sticky note and kept it by my bed:
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18
Not “might be.”
Not “used to be.”
Not “if you pray enough.”
He is close. Right now. In it. With you.
I didn’t always believe it in the moment, but I kept reading it.
Whispering it.
Letting it sit with me while I sat in the quiet.
And slowly, like the sun rising behind clouds, something began to shift.
Healing Didn’t Happen Overnight — But It Did Happen
I didn’t have a “lightbulb moment.” No fireworks. No voice from heaven.
But day by day, God gently led me out of the fog.
Through conversations I didn’t expect.
Through a walk in the sun that felt easier than the day before.
Through His Word, which kept saying, “You’re not alone. I’m still here.”
Healing looked like showing up when I didn’t feel like it.
Crying in prayer without needing the right words.
Letting trusted people in.
And over time — light returned.
🌿 Final Thoughts: If You’re in That Place, Hold On
I don’t know exactly what you’re going through right now.
But if you’re in that same quiet kind of darkness…
If you’ve been feeling tired, numb, discouraged, or just plain done…
Let me remind you:
You are not alone.
You are not forgotten.
And you are not too far gone.
God is still close to the brokenhearted.
He still saves those crushed in spirit.
He’s not mad at you for being here.
He’s sitting with you in it — holding you tighter than you know.
So breathe. Cry if you need to. Whisper His name.
And hold on to the promise:
He is close. Even here. Even now.
đź’› Want More Hope-Filled Encouragement?
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