Biblical Answer

Can I ever be happy again?

Yes, you can be happy again. True happiness comes from joy, not from pleasure. Joy is not the opposite of depression, but it is deeper than depression. You can experience both joy and depression at the same time. Joy is like a rock that you can stand on, regardless of the circumstances. To experience joy, you need to seek the Lord and ask Him to help you. God promises to give you joy, and He wants you to experience it (Ps. 126:1-2). Joy is not something that you can use up; it grows over time as you add to what you have. It is a no-risk proposition to seek joy, and the worst that can happen is that you will honor God.

You can be happy again by turning away from the things that bring you depression and seeking the Lord. Depression often tells you that you will never be happy again, but that is a lie. God has already begun the renewal that will take place, so there are opportunities for joy today, not just when eternity arrives. You need to resist depression's tendencies toward passivity and seek the Lord actively. If you are not even taking a step toward loving, your heart is being revealed, and you are venturing into new ground. You are going to do something when you don't feel like doing it, and that is a sign of growth.

To experience true happiness, you need to focus on the things that bring you joy, not just the things that bring you pleasure. Pleasure is fleeting and temporary, but joy is eternal and enduring. Augustine said that the ultimate object of joy is God, and true happiness is to rejoice in the truth, for to rejoice in the truth is to rejoice in God, who is the truth. If you look to Jesus, you will no longer be alone, and you will be strengthened and changed. Expect to say, "This is exactly what I needed." Through depression, you can learn things about God and yourself, and you can experience joy in the midst of sorrow. You can be happy again, and it is worth seeking. The Lord promises to give you joy, and He wants you to experience it (Ps. 126:1-2). Joy is a gift from God, and it is available to you today. You can be happy again, and it is worth seeking. The Lord promises to give you joy, and He wants you to experience it (Ps. 126:1-2). Joy is a gift from God, and it is available to you today.