Mandisa Talks About How Faith, Jesus and God’s Word Helped Her Overcome Depression
By Movieguide® Staff
AMERICAN IDOL alum and Christian music artist Mandisa recently shared how her faith in Jesus helped her overcome depression in a new book called “Out of the Dark: My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God’s Joy.”
“I released an album, several years ago, also called Out of the Dark,” and I talked about the depression that I faced a few years ago,” she shared with Movieguide®’s Cheryl Crisp. “I came to understand this is an issue that is really affecting a lot of people, a lot of Christians who maybe have the mindset that we’re supposed to have it all together, that is absolutely not the case.”
“My mindset in writing is, I was always thinking about the person who was also struggling with depression, and maybe did not have a way to talk about it,” she added. “I really wanted to give people a freedom and maybe a tool to introduce these uncomfortable conversations about our mental health.”
After the death of her friend and singer, Mandisa recalled how far she felt from God. In her depression and grief, Mandisa said she relied on prayer and the support of fellow believers who helped her to return to Him.
“I’m thankful for prayer,” she said. “I’m thankful that we have direct communication with God. I’m thankful that he gives us the opportunity to ask for anything. I was asking and really believed that God was going to heal her here. When she passed away I felt like my heart was sick. And the foundation of my belief, it just kind of shook that foundation.”
“I started to question a lot of things about God: ‘Are you listening to me? Are you hearing me?’ I did not do what I have since learned that people like David did, where they would actually voice that out to God, I did the opposite,” she added. “I essentially hid from God. I kept those things, my sadness and my anger, I kept those things away from him. I have learned in this process that God wants it all, even if we’re angry or upset, and that He wants us to have those conversations with him. Because when we keep it hidden, it’s just so easy to go dark. And that’s what happened to me.”
Mandisa said that her depression grew so severe that she contemplated suicide.
“I knew it was really bad when I had the handful of pills,” she said. “Again, it’s such a slow fade, that can lead somebody to that place. But in that moment, where I was tempted to just end it all, it was the messages that I would get from my friends, all the text messages, and the phone calls. And some of my friends even came to my house. And from their perspective, they went ignored, like I wasn’t responding to them. But in that moment where I felt so alone, I was reminded of all the people that were reaching out to me.”
“I love God’s timing,” she added. “I’m so thankful for my friends and my family who reached out because it’s because of them that I’m still here today.”
Mandisa said that she learned how to fight against those temptations through Jesus’ example and the Word of God.
“I look at Jesus, we all read about how he was tempted in the wilderness, but what is so interesting to me in that story is that when Satan was confronting him with all of these things that he wanted Jesus to do, the way that Jesus responded was he didn’t get in a debate with Satan. He simply said, ‘It is written,'” she explained. “He fought with the Word of God. [In Ephesians 6] the only offensive weapon listed is the sword of the Spirit. I believe that that’s how God wants us to fight, is with the Word of God.”
Ultimately, Mandisa hopes that her music and her new book will help others realize that they are not alone.
“If you’re struggling with these areas, you’re not alone, God hears you,” she said. “He doesn’t want you to try to do this by yourself, grab a friend and have these uncomfortable conversations, you’re not going to be imposing.”
“You’re the body of Christ, and we need one another,” she continued. “I encourage you to reach out to somebody to help walk you through. I can say this, as somebody who has walked through these issues, I’ve tried it without God and I’ve done it with God, and it is much easier to walk through the valley when you’re holding on to Jesus. And the way that you can do that is through the body of Christ that he’s surrounded you with.”
She concluded with her favorite Bible verse, Psalm 40: “Right now it’s Psalm 40 and it’s because I consider it my testimony. It says, ‘He lifted me out of the pit, out of the mud and the mire, he set my feet on a rock and gave me a new song to sing.’ Many will hear what God has done, they will be amazed and they will put their trust in him. That’s why I told this story. Because I want people to see look at what God is doing in my life. Be amazed and put your trust in him because he wants to do it for all of us.”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
