Tacoma Christian Counseling Logo

  • ServicesRead about the expertise available
    • Individual ServicesAddress your personal concerns confidentially
      • ADHD
      • Aging and Geriatric Issues
      • Anger Management
      • Anxiety
      • Autism Spectrum Disorder
      • Bipolar Disorder
      • Chemical Dependency
      • Counseling for Children
      • Counseling for Teens
      • Codependency
      • Depression
      • Eating Disorders
      • EMDR
      • Grief and Loss Counseling
      • Individual Counseling
      • Infidelity and Affairs
      • Lifespan Integration Therapy
      • Men’s Issues
      • OCD
      • Pornography Addiction
      • Personal Development
      • Psychological Testing
      • Relationship Issues
      • Sexual Abuse
      • Sexual Addiction
      • Spiritual Development
      • Trauma
      • Weight Loss
      • Women’s Issues
    • Christian Couples CounselingWork through challenges together
      • Couples Counseling
      • Premarital Counseling
      • Marriage Counseling
    • Family CounselingEstablish the peaceful home you desire
      • Couples Counseling
      • Counseling for Teens
      • Counseling for Children
      • Family Counseling
    • Group CounselingBenefit from the support of others
      • Men’s Sexual Addiction Recovery
        Group
      • All Counseling Groups
    • Online Counseling
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Sexual Addiction
    • Marriage Counseling
  • LocationsWe have offices at various locations
    • Bellevue Office FrontBellevue
    • Bothell Office Front EntranceBothell
    • Edmonds Christian CounselingEdmonds
    • Everett Office Front EntranceEverett
    • Federal Way 2Federal Way
    • HansvilleHansville
    •  1Kent
    • Kirkland Christian CounselingKirkland
    • Lacey 2Lacey
    • Mill Creek Office Waiting RoomMill Creek
    •  1Monroe
    • Oak Harbor OutsideOak Harbor
    • Poulsbo
    • Puyallup Christian CounselingPuyallup
    • Redmond OfficeRedmond
    • Seattle Downtown Christian CounselingSeattle Downtown
    • Seattle Greenlake 1Seattle Greenlake
    • Silverdale Office FrontSilverdale
    • Tacoma Office FrontTacoma
    •  1Vancouver
    •  1Online Counseling
  • CounselorsFind out more about our counselors
  • CareersJoin our team of Christian Counselors
  • (253) 777-1997Please give us a call, we are here to help
header-image

Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your Story

Tacoma Christian Counseling
https://tacomachristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/slaying-dragons-in-the-dark-crushing-depression-and-building-hope-for-your-story-5.jpg 1920 1280
https://tacomachristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Mount-Rainier.jpg
https://tacomachristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Tacoma-Christian-Counseling-Logo-Fill-Stacked.jpg
621 Pacific Ave, Suite 302
TACOMA, WA 98402
United States
621 Pacific Ave, Suite 302
TACOMA, WA 98402
United States
Photo of Sarabeth Butts

Sarabeth Butts

Jun
2024
18

Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your Story

Sarabeth Butts

DepressionIndividual Counseling

Who is the hero in your story? In many plots of our favorite films and books, we witness the present challenge of a hero or heroine who doesn’t recognize the scope of his or her power. He or she may sense some form of irreversible impending doom or depression, curious and eager to help, yet later question their ability to do so.

As the tension mounts, circumstances shift, placing a sense of responsibility on them to rise and answer with action. This call to conquer is often something that only our central character can respond to, as they have been chosen and equipped to advance, despite emotion and appearance.

David had experienced a conqueror’s journey of his own between the time he tended sheep, beheaded Goliath, and eventually became king (1 Samuel 16-17; 2 Samuel 2)). Like the leads in many fictional stories, his tenacity, talents, and training were sharpened in secret. God designed David’s destiny like the wild card that defeated Israel’s enemies.

Like us if you are enjoying this content.
Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your Story 1At the time Samuel anointed the future king in the presence of a family who’d forgotten about him, the destiny of a people and a nation outweighed his present distress. Like many heroes and heroines, David as shepherd, psalmist, warrior, and king perceived that the fights he endured were worth preserving Israel and Judah’s legacy on the earth.

The struggles were essential to being the “man after God’s own heart.” Many of the Psalms read as his diary, a songbook of lamentation and rejoicing, where he turned to God in seasons of triumph and despair. We can study David and his writings to encourage ourselves in the Lord, as he did (1 Samuel 30).

Despite depression and present circumstances, we need to recognize that the most significant hero in our story is the Holy One who lives in us. This is who and what empowers us with the ability to conquer and slay dragons in the dark.

The traumatic incidents and resulting difficulties that we have confronted persuade us that we lack the capacity to advance against a virulent enemy. However, that is part of the devil’s smokescreen. He wants us to embrace a notion that suggests that we can’t partner with God to experience uncommon victory.

The battlefield of the mind is the place where we pursue, overtake, and recover all. That is what David did, though weary and wounded by depression, shifting loyalties among his troops, and the threat of permanently losing all he loved and valued.

Sometimes, we view God through the same jaded lens as others who have wounded us in life. Those misguided notions often come through a past rooted in pain. It affects our current perception of God.

When we partner with the enemy’s influence to label Him as unkind or unfair, we amass hurt and offense. We multiply the intensity of those uncomfortable emotions and negative experiences when we disconnect from God and those who can help us through our darkest times.

Connect with God to help with depression

Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your StoryGod loves us more than we could love ourselves. Instead of retreating into the shadows to nurse our hurt, He wants us to bring it boldly into the open with Him. Part of reasoning and growing in relationship with Him means that we engage instead of running away in anger, sadness, or offense.

Even where our uncomfortable emotions are in response to a sovereign decision He made and we disagreed, He wants us to haul those same disruptive thoughts and feelings to His feet. He longs for us to engage with Him to pour out instead of holding on to what has been building up in our hearts.

When we allow Him to wash the sin and residual hurt, He exchanges, redeeming and restoring us with His pure blood (Isaiah 1:18). Sometimes this takes time and assistance for us to recognize.

It may disturb our theology to consider sharing the depth and expanse of what we truly feel with God. However, this is the kind of intimacy with Him that He created us to experience. We can only heal to the degree that we are willing to allow the Spirit of God to redeem hidden hurt.

When we avoid expressing the raw feelings that God already knows, we unnecessarily internalize them and sometimes project them onto others. We may not realize that our attempts to withhold our pain from the Lord treat Him as a stranger and not as a loving Father.

However, it is through the low points, the darkness, and difficulty that we exchange weakness for His strength (2 Corinthians 12:9). We grow in reliance and relationship. He empowers and uplifts, transforming us from merely surviving in our hurt to thriving and healing.

It is difficult to see through the thick smokescreen of circumstance. There are times along our journey when the threats against our mental and emotional states seem palpable. We may not even see a glimmer of hope, let alone feel empowered to pursue what lies beyond the present. This is precisely where Satan toys with our minds, seeding unbelief to sabotage the destiny we were created to reach.

For those of us who have a trauma history that has leveraged ill effects, we need to recognize that our investment in healing not only offers a long-term coping strategy but also engages us in effective warfare against the spirit behind debilitating depression.

Calling for counsel for depression

While we partner with God, we must realize that we don’t live in a vacuum. Encountering triggers is an inevitable part of our journey, but we must also have a strategy to cope with those moments.

Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your Story 2Working with a therapist to resolve lingering pain can help us get to the roots of surfacing pain. Counselors guide and engage us with techniques to handle our physiological responses while addressing the intrusive thoughts and uncomfortable emotions that present when triggered. Getting help is an important step in holistic healing and growth.

Reminders of trauma will certainly position themselves between our present and unknown future. As we stumble upon challenges that trigger the thoughts and feelings of past encounters, we will feel vulnerable. The enemy will work against us in a few significant ways.

Fear will try to wrestle us out of walking in our authority, pinning us to a past that is powerless against the power of the Almighty. The voice of shame that operates in accusation and torment, will try to fill our minds with lies and limitations.

Here, we must recognize that we are not our own worst enemy. We are not fighting ourselves, but rather standing in triumph against the demonic forces that contend with us (Ephesians 6:10-12).

There is an ongoing battle in the unseen realm, but it is one that Jesus has already conquered. We are armed with the practical and spiritual tools to advance His light into the darkness of our depression. We are powered by His conquering grace that reinforces the victory in Christ, from the inside out (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Cultivating community

Having a supportive circle of friends and family can help. When we are physically worn out from the drain on our minds and emotions, we will need encouragement. relationships with people who embody the Father’s love, with their patience and kindness, can be safe spaces to refresh.

While we encounter a dimension of healing through the human touch, the hands of Jesus extended through the Body of Christ, we also may establish boundaries. Being wise and selective about what we share and with whom is another protective factor to preserve and support our mental and emotional well-being.

Crushing depression’s grip

Depression doesn’t get the final say in our mental wellness journey. We might have a diagnosis, but it doesn’t have to hold us captive. Our spiritual weapons are designed to wage war in the realms where we cannot see (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your Story 3Although we stand against an invisible enemy, the results of what we pray and declare are manifested in where we can see. God gives us spiritual and practical strategies to accomplish His aims, enforcing His finished work through dark seasons.

We crush the talons of depression as we make good use of an array of our available resources. Having an integrated approach puts our faith to work, led by God’s Spirit and actualized through our efforts (James 2:26).

When we meet with a sound therapist, safely treat with pharmaceuticals under doctor’s care when necessary, adopt healthy practices, and receive relational support, we embrace a comprehensive approach to navigating a diagnosis with mindfulness and courage.

God meets us where we are. He’s committed to equipping and enabling us to plow through the enemy opposition and leap over the obstacles mounting against us, including depression (Psalm 18:29).

We will go through difficulties in life, sometimes simultaneously and sometimes successively, causing us to be aware of the weight associated with life in this world. As we encounter these experiences, we can cultivate joy and peace to elevate and encourage us in our present circumstances. Sometimes another trial emerges as the current one fades, but Jesus is our true constant. He sustains us, remaining the same.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. – Hebrews 13:8, NIV

Next steps to battle depression

Take a moment to assess your life. If you are battling depression, please know that you are not alone. Realize that you can avail yourself of God, as our true source, and the resources He’s furnished for you to thrive amid difficulty. Explore our site to locate and contact a counselor who matches what you need. Then, make your next bold move that crushes depression and builds hope, one supported step at a time.

Photos:
“Victory”, Courtesy of Miguel Bruna, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Marking Her Place”, Courtesy of Josue Michel, Unsplash.com, Unsplash+ License; “Don’t Give Up”, Courtesy of Rosie Kerr, Unsplash.com, CC0 License; “Upraised Hands”, Courtesy of Amaury Gutierrez, Unsplash.com, CC0 License

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please contact one of our counselors for further information.

  • Share on Facebook
  • Tweet it
  • ↑ Back to top
Photo of Sarabeth Butts
Sarabeth is currently not accepting new clients

Sarabeth Butts

Licensed Mental Health Counselor
(253) 215-4536 sarabethb@tacomachristiancounseling.com

Each of us experiences times in our lives when pain, stress, confusion, or despair overwhelms and threatens to consume us, or when we find ourselves stuck in patterns that we can’t seem to escape, desiring change but unable to figure out where to begin. It takes tremendous courage to admit our need for help, and even more so, to ask for that help. And yet, this is often where healing begins – when we allow another person to come alongside us, help us to see what we can’t see, and offer a sense of hope for us when hope seems absent. It would be my honor to join you wherever you are in your journey toward greater emotional, relational, and spiritual health and freedom. Read more articles by Sarabeth »

Other articles that might interest you...

Depression: Losing Heart, then Hope 2
Tacoma Christian Counseling

Depression: Losing Heart, then Hope

Think of the concept “heart” as a metaphor for having substance, determination, and courage. Then consider hope, heart’s primary collaborator,...

continue reading »
Hope for Women with Postpartum Depression
Tacoma Christian Counseling

Hope for Women with Postpartum ...

Many women fear childbirth. After all, giving birth is supposed to be one of the most painful things you can...

continue reading »
Between Mountains and Miracles: Finding Hope for Loneliness and Depression 3
Photo of Shayla Haller

Shayla Haller

Between Mountains and Miracles: Finding ...

Believers in Christ don’t have to wait for the next big miracle to experience the Presence of God. In the...

continue reading »

About Sarabeth

Photo of Sarabeth Butts

Sarabeth Butts, MA, LMHC

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Each of us experiences times in our lives when pain, stress, confusion, or despair overwhelms and threatens to consume us, or when we find ourselves stuck in patterns that we can’t seem to escape, desiring change but unable to figure out where to begin. It takes tremendous courage to admit our need for help, and even more so, to ask for that help. And yet, this is often where healing begins – when we allow another person to come alongside us, help us to see what we can’t see, and offer a sense of hope for us when hope seems absent. It would be my honor to join you wherever you are in your journey toward greater emotional, relational, and spiritual health and freedom. View Sarabeth's Profile

Recent articles by Sarabeth

  • Jun 18 · Slaying Dragons in the Dark: Crushing Depression and Building Hope for Your Story
  • Apr 23 · Teens and Codependent Relationships
  • Jan 13 · How to Become an Active Listener: Exercises to Cultivate Active Listening as a Habit
See all articles by Sarabeth »

Related Services

  • Depression
  • Individual Counseling

Sarabeth's Office Locations

  • Photo of the Puyallup office

    Puyallup

    Washington

    General Office Number

    (253) 200-5787
    1420 S Meridian, Suite C Puyallup, WA 98371

    View Office Details
Tacoma Christian Counseling Logo
Tacoma Christian Counseling
Professional help with faith-based values
We are an association of professional, independently licensed Christian counselors experienced in helping people of all ages find healing for a wide variety of issues.
© 2025 Tacoma Christian Counseling. All rights reserved.
621 Pacific Ave,, Tacoma, WA 98402. Tel (253) 777-1997.
Facebook Twitter Online Counseling About Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Feel free to contact us!
We are open for business. In person and online counseling are available now.