Overcoming Depression by Jeff Bills, Lead Pastor

“Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and to our fellow men.”

These are not the words of a preacher to his congregation, though given the tone and the message, they could be. In fact, this is a quote from a newly elected president of the United States of America to the nation. It was January 1933 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave his inaugural address (something he would do three more times in his life). The national context in which he gave this speech was what we now call the Great Depression.

During the decade-long economic depression, the stock market lost 80% of its value, nearly half of the banks in the country were insolvent and unemployment levels fluctuated between 25–35%. When President Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself” he was speaking to millions of people in severe circumstances. For those Americans who lived through those dark economic times, it left a lasting impression.

While our current economic realities are nowhere near what they were in 1933, for many Americans these are difficult times economically. The meteoric rise of gas prices and the drop in the value of homes coupled with the high cost of healthcare and increasing food prices have anxieties also on the rise.

What is striking to me about FDR’S first inaugural address is that it deals with the human spirit as much as it does with the economic and political realities of the day. The new president did not sugarcoat the problems people were facing, but he sought to remind them that there is more to life than possessions and that real success grows out of strong faith and moral character. Isn’t it interesting that in the depths of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt describes “true destiny” as ministering to ourselves and others? I am sure his critics had a field day with that one!

In the face of challenging economic times, the words of the Apostle Paul ring with the clarity of eternal truth: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12–13).

When facing the harsh realities of life, we really see that we have a strength that is enduring in Jesus Christ. It is through faith that we are able to say with all confidence, “I have nothing to fear.”