If I'm a Christian, Why Am I Depressed?

THE most practical and helpful book I've ever read on the subject of depression! There are excellent books written by godly men on the subject of depression out there, but this one has become the quintessential source that I will go to and recommend to my counselees. Dr. Bob gives compassionate, concrete insights taken from Scripture and his own experiences both as a counselor and as one who himself endured the enormous weight of depression. His dear wife, Mary, gives encouragement and hope to the caregiver of the depressed. If you or one you love is crushed by depression, this book has life-giving hope because is it based on the Giver of life and the things He has to say about this common affliction. Easy to read, practical, hopeful, gut-wrenchingly real and candid, even humorous at times. Make sure this book is in your church library, your own personal lending-library, and on your own bucket list of books you must read this year.

I suffer from depression myself, & found this book to be tremendously helpful. The author is an extremely accomplished man, yet he became severely depressed & suicidal--&, with a lot of help he got better. It's not the usual self-help book. It's methodical in how it teaches you. I loved it!

Bob and Mary Somerville have truly answered the question raised in the title of this book. The sanctification process is lifelong, so God can use suffering, which depression surely is, at any point in our spiritual journey to bring us to our knees so he can raise us up to be more like him, to be stronger in our faith than ever before. To trust in the sufficiency of Scripture to lead us there.

Pastor Bob was my childhood pastor as he ministered to my church. He baptized me and fleshed out the gospel and what it meant to live a Christian life at an early age. I was so sorry to hear of his struggles. I do identify, too closely, with what it is like to be too depressed to speak...for months at a time. I was not blessed to have a godly caregiver, as Mary was and is to Pastor Bob. I do, however, wish i had access to this book during the worst of my struggles..although, to be honest I would not have gotten through it then. I went for years without reading anything because of a lack of focus and a sense of confusion and powerlessness. That is why I gave the book a 4 instead of a 5. A severely depressed person could not have been able to grasp all the truth that the book contains...and I don't think I could have gotten through the first page.However, now, being in a better place emotionally and mentally, I read the book and absorbed much of its message and I do believe that should the shades be drawn once again, I will have a better handle on how to cope in a way that strengthens rather than destroys my faith. No one requested that I read or review this book...These are my own opinions.

Christian, please know that you are not alone in this. Some of God’s strongest warriors struggle with depression. Find a friend or counselor who can help you. Keep your faith in God and He will deliver you. Just as Jesus promised, He will never leave you or forsake you.

This author is very good. he has been through some of the same problems I have and he gives very good answers as to what to do. I know doctors can help some but I know I need to find a good Christian counselor to help me. the Bible is a great source of help. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling with depression.

Hearing about the author's story and how he faced depression has helped me tremendously. I appreciate how he uses the Bible to help explain how we as Christian's can face depression. I have had my struggles with depression and this book has given me help in facing depression in the future. Overall it has been a great help for me.

This is the first and only book I have read on depression written for Christians. The main reason being that the author has actually experienced clinical depression. Most Christian authors/counselors have never been through the terrors of clinical depression and therefore are out of touch on this subject regardless of training or background. While Somerville, who is a Biblical Counselor, writes from a Christian perspective he does not bombard you with religious platitudes and a simplistic just-trust-God attitude. He has felt the pain and knows how to be gentle with those who are not only experiencing that pain but questioning their relationship with God or even His existence. If you are a Christian suffering from depression GET THIS BOOK and brush aside all of the condemnation from those who tell you your faith is weak, you aren't trusting God, and that you just need to "snap out of it."

Probaly cause you to become depressed.