Overcoming the Darkness: Biblical Help for Spiritual Depression

by Nate Pickowicz

Many of us feel unable to swim against the tide of sorrow and sadness.

Spiritual depression is defined as the prolonged and pervasive numbing, muting, suppressing, or restraining of the joy of the Lord within the life of the Christian. And more and more Christians are besieged with it. Experiencing feelings of doubt, anxiety, or despair can become the norm of our daily lives.

Despite our struggles, the Bible gives us numerous exhortations to battle our downcast condition. But how? Sometimes it feels hopeless, as if nothing can pull us from the mire.

Overcoming the Darkness speaks to the deep waters of troubled hearts that feel afflicted or alone in their spiritual struggles. Drawing from the life and wisdom of God’s Word, along with personal experience, pastor and teacher Nate Pickowicz helps us administer God’s balm to our spiritual wounds. Jesus Himself invites us to come to Him for help. He is the ultimate cure for our spiritual depression, but it can be hard to know how to access and experience His healing power.

Listeners explore the causes of spiritual depression, including calamity, longstanding afflictions, persistent melancholy, fear, persistent sin, and more. And they discover a wholistic, practical road to spiritual health. There is hope for tomorrow, and we can live for it today.

Genres: Counselling

224 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

Nate Pickowicz (B.A., Muhlenberg College, M.A., Trinity Theological Seminary) is the pastor/planter of Harvest Bible Church in Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire. He also writes for EntreatingFavor.com and Servantsofgrace.org. He and his wife, Jessica, have two children.

Reviews

[Paul Tautges · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're trudging through an extended valley of deep sorrow or spiritual darkness, this book will meet you with hope from Scripture. Nate Pickowicz writes from the perspective of a fellow struggler with honesty, humility, and biblical clarity. He gently lifts the eyes of the weary and discouraged to Christ, our Man of Sorrows, who comforts the broken and restores joy to the downcast spirit.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and much needed resource for every Christian facing spiritual depression. Nate Pickowicz demonstrates pastoral love and care as he helps the reader not only understand spiritual depression, but brings understanding to its causes and cures. As he walks the reader through causes such as calamity, opposition, fear, anxiety, and sin he gives Scriptural understanding to the afflictions we all experience. Then he gives Christians biblical guidance on the means of overcoming spiritual depression through discipline, obedience, holiness, ultimately culminating in our seeking refuge in Christ alone. This text can minister to the heart of every Christian because it is rooted in biblical truth, which is the sole source of authority in the Christian walk. I highly recommend this to every Christian’s library.

[Emily Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compassionate and timely book for our world. It approaches the topic of spiritual depressions with gentle but firm truths, pointing to Christ as the true and only cure.

[Amber Ginter Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overcoming the Darkness by Nate Pickowicz is a compassionate, biblically grounded book that speaks primarily to spiritual darkness—seasons of discouragement, doubt, suffering, and feeling far from God. If you’re looking for Scripture-based encouragement and pastoral wisdom rooted in the Christian faith, this book offers several thoughtful and hope-filled reflections.

The tone is very conversational and empathetic, which makes it accessible and easy to read. Pickowicz uses solid biblical examples and reminds readers that darkness is not a sign of spiritual failure, but often a part of the Christian walk. I appreciated the gentleness of his approach and the reminders of God’s nearness in hard seasons. There are some genuinely good nuggets of truth that can be comforting and grounding.

That said, I want to be clear that this book is not written for clinical mental health disorders. As someone with diagnosed GAD and depression, I found parts of the book to feel too simplistic for those navigating anxiety or depression at a clinical level. Some of the solutions and encouragement, while well-intentioned, may feel insufficient or even frustrating for readers who require therapy, medication, or more robust mental health support alongside their faith.

This isn’t a flaw so much as a scope distinction—the book does well within its intended lane, but readers with clinical diagnoses should approach it as spiritual encouragement, not mental health treatment.

Overall, Overcoming the Darkness is a warm, pastoral read with strong biblical grounding and a kind tone. I’d recommend it to believers walking through spiritual heaviness or discouragement, with the understanding that it complements—but does not replace—professional mental health care.

[SarahReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book will be a great resource for anyone suffering from depression and anxiety who wants biblically based help and encouragement. It would also be a great resource for anyone who has loved ones in their life who are struggling in this way to come along side them and encourage them to hold fast to Jesus and the promises found in God's word.

[Candace Heurion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book finds a great balance between walking through the truth of anxiety and depression as seen through the lens of scripture without acting like an inclusive self-help book. It's helpful for understanding where you might find yourself and how you're not alone in the historical landscape of this area.

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.