Joy? How?

Every year in the United States 19 million people, over the age of 18, are affected by depression. Of these 19 million, 12 million are women. Clinical studies tell us that approximately 1 in 8 women in America, will develop clinical depression in their life time. Women experience depression at approximately 2x the rate that men do.

I grew up in a Christian family. I was saved at an early age, and the gift of joy seemed to bubble out naturally as a result of Christ's saving work. Throughout elementary school and high school, I had the typical fluctuation in moods (perhaps even more than typical, given my dramatic nature), but my joyful bubbliness would soon resurface with little, to no effort from myself. God is good.

However, when I began college, and then even more so as I entered graduate school, I began to battle increasingly black moods. The joy would still peak through, but it was very conditional on my circumstances. (And circumstances during the lean, stressful college years were not always favorable.) I had brief, passing thoughts of how lovely it would be to die. I battled chronic health problems which drained my energy and delight in life. I was to survive. No more. No less. In graduate school my fear of man kept me in constant turmoil as I was evaluated over and over and over again.

I was a joyless, bitter, miserable mess.

I was "depressed."

Depression is not, in and of itself, the cause. Depression is the fruit. And each time, standing in the midst of the blackness and pity, depression is a fog, I saw two things: women who lived their lives with passionate joy and I Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.” This is not a suggestion. It is a command. God commands us to be joyful.

God does not give commands that He does not also provide the strength to follow. “for His commands are not burdensome,” (I John 5:3) So I am clearly called to be joyful... but how?

How am I to "rejoice" and cultivate joy?