How do people get themselves into such an emotional mess? The answer is Faulty Thinking. Your emotions are caused by your thoughts- conscious or unconscious. If you're experiencing depressed feelings, it means your mind is dwelling on depressed thoughts.

There is a fascinating story of a man who experienced major burnout in the Bible and how God helped him recover (1 Kings 19). Right after he experienced the greatest success of his life, Elijah's emotions hit bottom. He was emotionally and physically depleted, but his faulty thinking made matters worse. Elijah's 4 mistakes are common to all of us:

1. We focus on our feelings rather than the facts. The mistake of emotional reasoning says "I feel it, so it must be true!" Elijah said, "I feel like a failure, so I must be one." The fact is feelings are highly unreliable. Great performers and athletes know they must learn to ignore the negative feelings they often experience after they've performed.

2. We compare ourselves to others. This, of course, is a self-defeating trap. We end up comparing other's strengths to our weaknesses, while ignoring our strengths. Or we foolishly label ourselves with derogatory statements. Labels never motivate us to change - they only reinforce what you don't like about yourself. The Bible says you shouldn't compare yourself to others because you are unique!

3. We blame ourselves for things that aren't our fault. Elijah took the failure of others personally. He felt he should be able to control the actions and attitudes of others - a guaranteed formula for depression. You can influence people, but you can't control them. People don't always respond the way you'd like. So lighten up! Criticizing yourself or others is a poor motivator.

4. We exaggerate the negative. This is called having a Pity Party. When you're down, everything seems to look worse than it really is.

1. Rest your body. God didn't scold Elijah for feeling down. Instead he gave him a vacation with the needed food, rest, and relaxation.

2. Release your frustration. Tell God how you feel. God encouraged Elijah to pour out his inner feelings to him. Prayer is a great way to let off steam. Remember, God isn't shocked because He already knows how you feel!

3. Refocus your life. Get your eyes off your problems and onto the fact that God wants to help you if you'll let him. He can help you discover a new purpose and also provide the power to move in that direction.