In the darkness, is there light?
World Mental Health Day, October 10th 2026
“I was in the depths of depression.” “I feel really dark.” “It’s like I’m living in a fog.” “I just feel really numb to everything.” “I’m drowning in anxiety.” The metaphors don’t quite do justice to the overwhelming feeling of anxiety and depression. It’s like a blanket that covers everything and wipes out hope. The negative thoughts are ever-present, and the inner critic never clocks off. When I was struggling with depression, I found that I couldn’t see past the darkness. Even in the happy moments, it was like the darkness was still there with me, and I couldn’t see the way out.
Clear-sighted?
But in one sense, depression sufferers do see the world clearly. Have you seen that poster, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not all out to get you”? Well, just because you’re depressed doesn’t mean the world isn’t a mess. The world is a mess. Friends and family let us down, evil goes unpunished, the bad guys get rich, the little guys get trodden down. News sites and social media can seem like an unending reel of catastrophes and injustices. Politicians offer hope, but fail to live up to it. Everyone’s got their opinion on what’s wrong with the world, but no one’s got all the solutions.
It’s easy to lose hope. Depression tells you there’s no point thinking about the future. As an anxious teenager, I was negative about the future: I’d never fit in, never feel at home, never be comfortable in my own skin. Perhaps you’ve had times when you could say “darkness is my closest friend” (Psalm 88).
View from above
Into the darkness, the Bible speaks. The Bible says, yes, the world is a mess. Even more than we realise. Psalm 10 describes an evil person getting away with murder: “His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.” There truly is a lot to feel miserable about in the world!
But the darkness is inside us too. We can be our worst enemies. Sometimes we’re kind and generous, other times we’re impatient and cruel. Even in our suffering we can sometimes lash out at the people we love. Perhaps the Bible shocks you when it says “no one is righteous … there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3). We might think our failings would drive God away, but the surprising news is that Jesus loves to meet us in our darkest places.
The light has come
God doesn’t leave us in despair and darkness. He sent Jesus, the light of the world. Jesus came and faced the suffering we do. His friends and family let him down, evil towards him went unpunished, the bad guys got away with it, and he was trodden down. He faced even more than us, he went to his own death, though he had done nothing to deserve it. “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3). But Jesus’ death wasn’t pointless. It wasn’t the hopeless ending it looked like. The Bible says “there is no one righteous … but righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3). Jesus died the death we deserved, so we could have his perfect life instead and be forgiven and considered righteous. He didn’t stay dead, God raised him to new life, and he is now in heaven preparing a wonderful new home for those who trust in him.
The future is bright
When we focus on this world, we can feel pretty hopeless. The world is filled with darkness, and so are we. But there is hope. Jesus has died to purchase a wonderful future for us when we trust in him. There is a future home for us, where there is no more darkness, or sickness, or sadness. A world of light, and love, and hope. And if we feel like we won’t make it there, Jesus promises to put us on his shoulders, and carry us home (Luke 15).
Christian faith doesn’t take away depression and anxiety. It’s not a silver bullet to feel better. It doesn’t erase suffering. But it helps to lift our eyes from the darkness to a brighter future. To give us hope and thankfulness. To start us on the path to healing, knowing that when we walk through the darkest valley, Jesus upholds us every step of the way.
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:13-14)
By Alison Brewis
Alison Brewis is a publications assistant at the Latimer Trust and mum to four children. She’s the author of The Topsy Turvy King, among other children’s books.