As someone who battles anxiety and depression disorders, music is very powerful in helping me sort through all my thoughts and emotions. Sometimes the pit of disparity is too deep for anyone but myself to pull me out of. Sometimes music pulls me out. Sometimes music just lets me cry my soul out and helps me move on. People within our faith often say that Christian's aren't allowed to be depressed, but the fact of the matter is that more Christians struggle with mental illness than we let ourselves believe. We're taught to have smiles on our faces through the pain but sometimes you just need to allow yourself to be vulnerable with God, and lay out all your cares before Him. We're flawed, we're human, and that does not make God love us any less. As a Christian who suffers through these awful mental illnesses, sometimes you just need some time alone with God and some encouraging music that reminds you that He’s here for you. I've created this playlist to set the mood for vulnerability between yourself and God.

1. When life feels burdensome and you think you can’t make it through the storm:

Back To Life - Hillsong Young & Free

In the night

Through the struggle, through the trial

You have made my burden light

You have brought me back to life again

Your love it wipes every tear away

You calm the storms that surround me

You carry me

You carry me

2. When peace seems unattainable and you’ve got nothing to sing praise to Him about:

Reason To Sing - All Sons & Daughters

Will there be a victory?

Will You sing it over me now?

Your peace is the melody

Will You sing it over me now?

3. When your soul is broken and you feel powerless:

All The Poor and Powerless - All Sons & Daughters

And all the hearts who are content

And all who feel unworthy

And all who hurt with nothing left

Will know that You are holy

4. When you just need a reminder that God is always on your side:

God With Us - All Sons & Daughters

You've come to be hope

To this world

For Your honor and name

You've come to take sin

To bear shame

And to conquer the grave

5. When you still feel like your burdens have a deathgrip on you

(both bands’ versions are amazing):

No Longer Slaves - Bethel / I Am They

You split the sea

So I could walk right through it

My fears are drowned in perfect love

You rescued me

And I will stand and sing

I am a child of God.

6. When you need hope that God will right all of the wrongs and mend all of the heartaches:

Your Hands - JJ Heller

When you walked upon the earth

You healed the broken, lost and hurt

I know you hate to see me cry

One day you will set all things right

Yeah, one day you will set all things right

7. When your world is falling apart and just need to know that God has never, and will never leave you out to dry:

Not For A Moment [After All] - Meredith Andrews

And every step every breath you are there

Every tear every cry every prayer

In my hurt at my worst

When my world falls down

Not for a moment will You forsake me

8. When the darkness drowns out the light and you need a reminder that God knows what He’s doing:

Center Of It - Chris August

In the dark, in the light,

In the morning and night

In the good, in the hurt,

In the places I hide

When I rise, when I fall,

You'll be there through it all

At the start, at the end

In the center of, the center of it

9. When you’re feeling broken, emotionally or physically:

Healer - Kari Jobe

You hold my very moment

You calm my raging seas

You walk with me through fire

And heal all my disease

I trust in You, Lord I trust in You

10. When you’re hurting in silence:

Even Me - I Am They

He knows my thoughts

The things that no one sees

He knows my heart

It’s every broken piece

11. When you think you don’t deserve His love:

Over & Over Again - I Am They

In my suffering and

In my weakness and

When from You I ran

You find me

In the dark of sin,

When I’m there again

You find me, You find me

12. When you need a reminder of where your worth lies:

Through Heaven’s Eyes (The Prince Of Egypt) - Brian Stokes Mitchell

So how can you see what your life is worth

or where your value lies ?

you can never see through the eyes of man

you must look at your life

look at your life through heaven's eyes

13. When it feels hard to trust Him:

Better Than I (Joseph: King of Dreams) - Dallyn Vail Bayles

If this has been a test

I cannot see the reason

But maybe knowing I don't know

Is part of getting through

I tried to do what's best

But faith has made it easy

To see the best thing I can do

Is to put my trust in You

14. When you just need a little faith:

Give Me Faith - Elevation Worship

Give me faith to trust what you say

That you're good and your love is great

I'm broken inside, I give you my life

15. When life is testing your faith:

Because He Lives (Amen) - Matt Maher

Because He lives

I can face tomorrow

Because He lives

Every fear is gone

I know He holds my life my future in His hands

16. When your weary soul needs rest:

Lord, I Need You - Matt Maher

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

When I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus, You're my hope and stay

17. When you feel alone at the top of the mountain or abandoned at the bottom of the valley:

Hills and Valleys (The Valleys Version) - Tauren Wells

Father, you give and take away

Every joy and every pain

Through it all you will remain

Over it all!

18. When you’ve got a void that you don’t know how to fill:

A Reason to Hide - Caves

After every struggle

I’ve tasted in sorrow,

Looking for the light

My burdens replaced with

Your mercy and grace,

It’s all because of Christ

19. When your thoughts tell you that you’re unworthy of love:

Before The Throne Of God Above - Selah

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end to all my sin

20. When you need a reminder of God’s faithfulness:

I Will Look Up - Elevation Worship

I will take You at Your word

For Jesus You have taken hold of me

All my life is in Your hands

You are my strength, You are my strength

Wherever you stand in your faith in God, just know that He hears your cries, and He knows of the things you need before you even ask for them. He is always on your side. Never allow your pain to cloud His love for you. With that, I leave you with the Spotify link to my playlist of “20 Songs for the Depressed Christian”.

https://open.spotify.com/user/1223334733/playlist/...

You are loved. You are valid. You are worthy.

Signed,

A Depressed Christian.