Out of the Blues, is an incredibly helpful book for the depressed and lonely, and those wanting to help the depressed and lonely. His approach to the subject is gentle and balanced. He does not thunder down on the fainthearted, nor does he coddle the “woe is me” pity party.

Wayne Mack (1935-2025) was an adjunct professor of Biblical Counseling at the Master’s College and Director of Strengthening Ministries International. His book, Out of the Blues, is a helpful examination depression and loneliness from a biblical perspective that offers several biblical remedies for Christians wrestling with these troubles.

In the introduction, Mack gives his purpose in writing the book. In chapters one through three, he explains depression and categorizes types of depression. In chapters four through five, he offers biblical principles and examples addressing depression. In chapter six, Mack addresses loneliness. In chapter seven, he answers several questions on depression and biblical counseling. In chapter eight, he offers more thoughts and insight on counseling people who experience depression.

In the introduction, the author gives the reason he writes this book is because he noticed a deficiency in written literature utilizing proper exegesis of Scripture to address depression. That said, Mack clarifies that he is not writing about physically or biologically induced depression such as bodily malfunction, sickness, or drugs, to the extent that such depression exists (3).  He writes that he is not trying to exhaust all Scripture has to say about depression but to share what is biblically accurate and what helps people suffering from depression and loneliness. He further clarifies that, as a biblical counselor, he rejects any integration of secular thought or theories (128).

A Book About Depression, Rooted in Scripture

It is encouraging to know that more counseling resources are being written that exclusively depend on Scripture. Psychiatry and psychology, as naturalistic disciplines, are largely unhelpful in dealing with spiritual issues of the heart, like depression and loneliness, precisely because of their worldview (1 Cor 2:14).

Such a worldview has no grounding for moral truth or any objective standard by which to categorize emotions as good or bad. At best, the most helpful contributions that these naturalistic disciplines can make are to provide observations of emotions and behaviors. They are unable, however, to provide conclusive interpretations due to their worldview (Rom 1:18-21).

In contrast, the Christian can look to Scripture to discover what God reveals about emotions, morality, and reality and rightly interpret behaviors to address them (1 Cor 2:13-16). This is what the author hopes to do in this book.

Defining Depression

In chapters one through one and two, Mack begins with looking at God’s perspective on a biblical definition of depression. He explains that depression is a common experience for all sorts of people, even himself. He readily says that the Bible teaches how to overcome depression, and stresses that every Christian should “know how to deal with it as God intended” for the benefit of their souls and others (2). Mack defines three categories of depression: mild, moderate, and severe (4).

“Mild depression,” is a very common experience. He explains that even Jesus, the sinless one, “experienced sorrow, weariness, discouragement, and disappointment” (Is 53:3; Heb 2:17-18; 4:15; Matt 14:14) (5). Therefore, Mack explains, it is right to acknowledge sadness. However, he warns that submitting to those feelings instead of refusing to be controlled by them is the wrong response (8-9).

“Moderate depression,” is when one’s mind is “set on the negative aspects of their life—earthly things—rather than on God’s promises, purposes, and power-things above” (9). He points to biblical examples of individuals who felt sadness that neared apostasy and serious emotional turmoil but did not lose hope in God. Even if their sadness would last longer than a few days, they could “still redirect their thoughts towards God and avoid falling into utter despair” (15).

“Severe depression” is distinguished by the presence of “utter hopelessness” (15). Those suffering severe depression have no more room in their hearts for anything but sorrow and hopelessness. Mack explains they may be “experiencing both emotional and physical distress at the same time” (16). This is a response to sadness that renders the individual useless to themselves and others (17). Severe depression affects life physically, emotionally, behaviorally, intellectually or cognitively, theologically, and has potential to spiral downward (27).

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