“I Will Greatly Multiply Thy Sorrows”

Grace and peace saints.  

For years, the mental health field has sought to understand why women suffer more from psychological disorders like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder than men.  An article entitled, “Why do Women Get Depressed More Than Men?” tackles this subject. (Click here to read the article.)  The article quotes a book entitled A Deeper Shade of Blue: A Woman’s Guide to Recognizing and Treating Depression in Her Childbearing Years, wherein the author offers these particulars about depression in women:

“Depression is about twice as common in women as in men, with about 1 in 4 women suffering from depression at some point during her lifetime.

“Depression may strike at any time, but women appear to be particularly vulnerable during their childbearing years. Women are at highest risk for depression during pregnancy and shortly after delivery.

“At no other point are women more vulnerable to depression than during their childbearing years.  How can we explain this susceptibility to depression?” [Boldface mine.]

According to the author, experts are not sure why women between the ages of 18 and 30 experience a disproportionately high incidence of depression and anxiety than men, but they postulate that it might have something to do with hormonal changes in a woman’s reproductive system during this time.  The theory fails, however, to explain why women continue to have problems with depression long after their childbearing years.

As Christians, we must remember that everything in the physical world has a spiritual origin.  This holds especially true of psychological disorders.  If, therefore, we cannot explain something medically, it is because the explanation is not medical, but spiritual.  

Unfortunately, the majority of the medical and scientific community are not God-fearing people.  So rather than look to the Bible, they instead say, “We don’t know,” or propose various theories, which, though ineffective, often become the de facto explanations.  This is tragic, for everything we ever wanted to know is in the Bible, if we would only take the time to read it.  So if there is no adequate explanation for why women suffer more from depression than do men, we need only look to the Bible, where God has provided the answer for us in plain language.

You may be surprised to learn that the reason women suffer disproportionately from depression than do men–especially during their childbearing years–can be found in the Garden of Eden.  You heard me right: the Garden of Eden.

Now, I know that some women will resist this teaching, because Satan does not want women to have this information.  He knows that if you grasp what the Bible has to say about mental illness in women you are going to learn how you can be set free from depression and anxiety.  He knows that you will no longer have to go to anger management classes.  He knows that you will no longer have to waste your hard-earned cash on psychotherapists or medication.  And he knows that with this information, your self-esteem will be restored, along with your peace of mind.  He knows you will be set free.  

Satan knows that the Bible is so clear on the matter of mental illness in women that any thinking woman—Christian or not—will be able to grasp and appreciate what the Bible has to say.  And he doesn’t want that.  So he’s going to tempt you to get angry, defensive, and downright mad.  He’s going to try to close your mind to this teaching.  

We are not going to let him get away with that.  Let us therefore go to the Lord Jesus in prayer for help in opening our minds, our ears, and our hearts to what His Word says about depression in women.  Let us pray:

“Dear Lord Jesus, may your blessed Holy Spirit open my mind, my ears, and my heart to this teaching on depression.  Please prevent Satan from hindering me in any way.   I ask this in your name.  Amen.”

Before we continue, I want to point out that the fact that a woman is more likely to suffer from depression and other mental illnesses during her childbearing years is a very important clue to understanding the disparity in mental illness between men and women. So, with this in mind, let us journey back in time about six thousand years or so, to the Garden of Eden.  For it is there that we shall discover the key to unlocking the mystery of women and depression.

Now we know that it was in the Garden of Eden that the first sin occurred.  And it is commonly believed and taught that it was Eve’s disobedience that brought sin into the world.  But Scripture clearly teaches that it was Adam’s sin that cursed us:

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

You may ask why it was that the world was cursed because of Adam, when it was Eve who first ate the fruit.  Well, it was because God had given Adam dominion over the earth and everything in it.  For before Eve was even created, God had given Adam authority over the earth:

“And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof…

“But for Adam there was not found an help meet for him” (Genesis 2:19-20).  

Adam was given dominion over the earth, evidenced by God letting him name the animals.  So it would be Adam’s actions that would bless or curse the earth, not Eve’s.  

What does Adam’s sin have to do with the higher incidence of depression and mental illness in women?  A lot more than you may think.  Now let us look at what God said to Adam after he ate the fruit:

“And unto Adam [God] said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake” (Genesis 3:17).

Again, it is commonly believed that God cursed the earth because of Eve.  But as we can see, God cursed the earth because of Adam.  But it wasn’t merely because Adam ate the fruit that God cursed the earth.  Adam actually did two things that brought sin into the world, not just one.  And the first of those two things directly concerns our discussion.  Let us examine God’s words carefully:

God said,  “Because thou (Adam):

1.  “hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and

2.  “ hast eaten of the tree…

“Cursed is the ground for thy sake.”

Did you see that?  God not only cursed the earth because Adam ate the forbidden fruit, but because he “hearkened to the voice of [his] wife.”  God punished Adam for listening to Eve!  

Now to understand how serious this was to God, you must understand that God had essentially made Adam the king of the world.  Adam was boss.  We have already seen that God let Adam name all the animals.  In that he who names a thing owns a thing, God allowing Adam to name the animals proves that they belonged to Adam.  But let us now see further evidence of Adam’s ownership of the world:

“And Adam said (about Eve), This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23).

“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20).

Did you see that?  Adam not only named the animals, but Adam named his wife also.  And not only did Adam name his wife, but he also named her kind: Woman.  Adam invented gender! 

Clearly, Adam was not only the master of the earth, but he was also the head of his family.

Because Eve spoke with Satan, instead of Adam, she had basically made herself the spokesperson for the family.  This was not a good thing, because Eve was taken from Adam, not the other way around.  Adam, then, was the head–and, thus, the spokesperson–for the family, and not Eve.  When Eve spoke with Satan, she usurped Adam’s authority.  She made herself the boss.  And the decision she made while in that position had tragic results for mankind.

Now, to understand what this has to do with depression in women, we have to look at what God said to Eve after her sin; for the key to the equation lies therein.  God said to Eve:

“I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Genesis 3:16).

God cursed Eve.  And the curse was twofold.  God said:

“I will greatly multiply…

1. “thy sorrow and
2. “thy conception…”

This passage is generally understood to mean that God cursed Eve by making childbirth painful, which is true.  But there is much more that is meant here.  Notice that the word “sorrow” is mentioned twice in Genesis 3:16.  God invented language, so He knows about synonyms, homonyms, and antonyms.  God knows there is more than one way to say a thing.  So when He uses a word twice, it is not because He has run out of vocabulary.  It is because He wants us to pay attention.  God wants us to consider the word sorrow.

When we consider the word sorrow, we immediately understand that though it is used twice, it is used in two different contexts.  The first time it is mentioned it is part of a clause wherein the verb “multiply” modifies both the word sorrow and the word conception, and both words are separated by the coordinating conjunction and.  The sentence literally can be read:

“I will greatly multiply thy sorrow, AND I will greatly multiply thy conception.”

Because the word sorrow here is mentioned together with the word conception, it is generally understood that both have to do with childbirth.  But they don’t.  The first instance of the word sorrow has to do with worry, while the second instance has to do with childbirth.  To prove this, let us go to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.  The first instance of the world sorrow (“I will greatly multiply thy sorrow“) is the Hebrew word itstsabown (Strong’s #6093), which means “worrisomeness” or trouble.  

The second instance of the word sorrow (“In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children”) is the Hebrew word etseb (Strong’s #6089), which means “(painful) toil” or “a pang” (as in birth pangs).  In other words, labor.  It is the second instance, therefore, of the word sorrow that has to do with childbirth.  The first instance literally has to do with worry, or, as it is commonly called today, depression.

We may therefore reword the passage to read,

“I will greatly increase your worries and your pain during childbearing.”

God is literally saying that He will both make life worrisome and childbirth difficult for women.  In the second part of the verse, God reveals the exact way He will do this:

“In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee” (Genesis 3:16).

God’s curse on Eve and all women will have three results:

1. “In sorrow [women] shalt bring forth children.”
2. “[A woman’s] desire shall be to [her] husband.”
3. “[Her husband] shall rule over [her].”

You will notice that God presents the effects of the curse in reverse order to the way He presents the curse; for whereas the curse addressed a woman’s worries first, then childbirth, now God first emphasizes childbirth, then a woman’s worries.  This is intentional: He is saving the most important for last.

Let us examine these individually.

1.  “In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.”

Recall that the Hebrew word for sorrow in this context means “painful toil.”  Toil means work, and it is for this reason that the pain a woman experiences during childbirth is known as labor.  Women were literally cursed with painful childbirth.  

But if one considers the higher incidence of depression during a woman’s childbearing years, one can also see that the word sorrow also takes on the additional meaning of worry. This is why women of childbearing age experience a higher incidence of depression and anxiety characterized by excessive changes in mood and temperament.  It is literally due to the curse of worry that God placed on Eve.  

Moreover, as God’s curse on Eve was a generational curse (because the blood had not yet been paid by Jesus on the cross), then this curse has been passed down to all women, in the same way Adam’s sin has been passed down to all mankind.  Proof of this is the fact that in the same way Eve was cursed with a painful delivery, so are all women cursed with a painful delivery right up to this very day.  This is no trivial thing, as hundreds of thousands of women die in childbirth every year. 

Points two and three are important because they are the specific penalty for Eve having usurped the authority of her husband, which was her primary sin: 

2. “Thy desire shall be to thy husband.”

Eve’s greatest concern would be to please her husband.  In other words, from that moment on, Eve would be preoccupied with how she could please Adam.  God did this to Eve, because it was her preoccupation with a talking snake that got her in trouble in the first place.  Eve was curious.  Had she not paid any attention to Satan, disguised as a harmless snake, she would never have been tempted to sin.  So, God cursed Eve with a preoccupation with pleasing Adam, to keep her out of trouble.

As this curse is passed down to all women, married women today have been cursed with a preoccupation with pleasing their husbands.  As the curse concerns all women, not just married women, then a single woman’s preoccupation will be with her man–her boyfriend.  Moreover, in that not all women have a man, but are still cursed, then the average woman’s preoccupation will be with finding a man (and keeping a man), getting married (and staying married), and having children. 

This is where the worry comes in.  It is no secret that many, if not most women are worried that they may not find a husband.  In fact, many women panic if they are not married by the time they are thirty years old.  Also, at around this age, women become concerned with their “biological clocks”: the fear that they are reaching the age when they can no longer bear children.  For many women who reach this point, finding a husband and bearing children can become an obsession.  Just watch how the maids of honor at a wedding literally fight over the bouquet when the bride tosses it in the air, and you’ll understand what I mean. 

For many women, the search for a suitable mate becomes almost a full-time job.  This can, and does, become a major source of stress in a woman’s life.  Women who have passed childbearing age and haven’t yet gotten married often become very depressed.  And for many women who successfully marry, but are too old to bear children, this can become a source of depression, from which they may never fully recuperate.  Now given that this in fact happens, can there be any doubt in the mind of any honest person that this is a curse?

We continue with curse three:

3. “[Thy husband] shall rule over thee.”

Did you ever wonder why women generally have such a difficult time in life?  Did you ever wonder why so many women time and again, find themselves in relationships with dominating men?  It’s a curse!  

To understand why God cursed Eve in this way, it is important to understand the dynamics of Adam and Eve’s relationship.  Adam was the boss, yet he didn’t Lord it over his wife.  Adam wasn’t controlling.  If he had been, then Eve would never have had an opportunity to be tempted by Satan.  Adam wouldn’t have given her enough breathing room! 

But Adam wasn’t domineering, as Scripture clearly teaches that Adam and Eve were together when she was tempted by Satan, though it doesn’t say this in so many words. Adam gave Eve the freedom to follow her own will–with tragic results.  Now note that when God confronted Adam about his sin, Adam didn’t heap blame upon his wife.  When God asked him why he ate the forbidden fruit, Adam simply said:

“The woman…gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12).

Adam told the truth.  That was his nature.  Adam wasn’t accusatory, judgmental, or self-righteous.  Like Moses, Adam was “meek above all men” (Numbers 12:3).  Eve took advantage of Adam’s meekness and usurped his authority.  God, therefore, cursed all women by making them subject to men.  God made this a man’s world.

To fully appreciate this, you must first understand that it was not God’s original intention to make women subject to men.  Scripture is clear that though God put Adam at the head of the family, He clearly looked upon Adam and Eve as partners.  Consider this verse:

“And God blessed them (Adam and Eve), and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over…every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28).

God blessed both Adam and Eve and told them both to have dominion over the earth.  In other words, Adam and Eve were to be a king and a queen, not a king and his subject.  It was Eve’s disobedience that provoked God to change her role—and the role of all women. Because Eve usurped Adam’s authority, God cursed women with men who are no longer meek, like Adam or Moses, but controlling and domineering.  Are all men this way?  Of course not.  Are many men this way?  Ask a woman.  God cursed Eve and all future women with men who would rule over them.  And women have lived under this curse ever since. 

This doesn’t apply only to marriage and relationships.  Women in general have been ruled over by men since the Garden of Eden.  The struggle for women’s equality came about as a result of man’s dominance over women.  The struggle for women’s rights in the workplace came about as a result of man’s dominance over women.  And the struggle for woman’s suffrage came about as a result of man’s dominance over women. 

This is as much a source of stress and worry for women as is the need to find a man and have children.  For despite the fact that women are now CEO’s of major corporations, and are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals, by and large, women have never completely overcome the disparity in wages with their male counterparts, nor have they been allowed the opportunities for personal advancement that men have been allowed.  There are exceptions, of course, but there remains a huge difference between what a man can do and what a woman can do and what a man can earn and what a woman can earn: the so-called glass ceiling.

Moreover, it is a perilous world for a woman.  Women are more often the victims of violent crime than are men.  Women regularly experience more physical assaults than do men. And women are always collateral damage in war, as rape in war-ravaged areas increases exponentially.  Even in peacetime, the rape of women in certain areas of the world has reached epidemic proportions.

And women are not only the victims of violence.  Women are victimized in almost every conceivable way.  Women experience more discrimination than men.  Women experience more harassment in the workplace than men.  Women experience more break-ins than men.  Women fall prey to scams more often than men.  And women are routinely left pregnant and alone and have to rear their children without a man to help. 

All these are a source of constant stress and worry in a woman’s life. 

Depression and mental illness in women as well as the difficulty women face in general, are the result of God’s curse on women for Eve’s disobedience.  And, as painful deliveries are the norm today, so are worry and sorrow the norm for women today.  It truly is a man’s world.  James Brown made it popular, but God made it happen.  

So what is the woman suffering from depression to do?  How can she free herself?  To answer this question, let us turn to Paul’s first epistle to Timothy, Chapter 2.  In verses 9 through 15, the Apostle Paul discusses what the role and behavior of women in the Church ought to be.  It is verse 15 that holds the key for rescuing women from the curse of Eve:

“Notwithstanding she (Eve, or women in general) shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.”

Now we know that when Paul says that women will be saved, he is not talking about salvation from Hell.  He is referring to the curse that God placed on Eve and all women. We know this; because Paul earlier states that he will not tolerate a woman to “usurp the authority over the man” (v. 12).  He then goes on to remind Timothy that Adam came before Eve (v. 13), and that Eve was deceived and not Adam (v. 14).  God is a merciful God, and He always provides a way out (2 Corinthians 10:13).  God says that He will free women of the curse of Eve, if they marry, bear children, and live a godly Christian life.

This should not be difficult for us to understand.  Eve disobeyed God by usurping her husband’s authority, and her disobedience led to her, and all women, being cursed by God.  As a result, all women are cursed with painful childbirth.  They also have been cursed with manifold pressures and worries, resulting in stress-related illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder. 

But God says that He will rescue the woman who lives a faithful, charitable, and holy life—a Christian life.  This means that marriage and godly living, coupled with having children, will lift the curse of Eve from the woman.  In this way, a woman can reverse the curse of Eve, who rebelled against God and her husband and cursed all women.  The woman who gives her life to Jesus and lives a holy and sanctified life, comes out from under the curse of Eve and is set free.  This doesn’t mean that she won’t have problems: we all have problems.  But worry, as a perpetual condition, will be a thing of the past.

If you find what I’m saying hard to believe, just ponder how many older women you know of, especially those in your church, who walk around with a sour look on their faces, who don’t have any joy in their lives, and who are always cynical, complaining, or just plain mean.  Have you ever noticed that many of these same women are also domineering and sometimes even disrespectful to their husbands in public?  Show me a woman like that, and I will show you a woman who has usurped her husband’s authority in the home.  She has sown to the wind, and is reaping the whirlwind: the curse of Eve.  

Understand that the reason many women are experiencing increased depression is because they have usurped the authority of their husbands.  The author of A Deeper Shade of Blue touches upon this very fact when she says:

“Many have attributed [the disparity in the frequency of depression in men and women] to the various stresses women face as a result of their gender and the demands women face as they occupy multiple — and often conflicting — roles within the family” [Brackets and boldface mine.]  

Since there are only three roles in a family: the father, the wife, and the child, “conflicting roles” most likely means when a women is acting as the head of the household in place of her husband.  Women should not have conflicting roles within the family.  God made man the head of the family:

“But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3).

The woman should not, therefore, attempt to usurp her husband’s authority; for, in doing so, she is actually going against the will of God.  In that God cursed all women because Eve usurped Adam’s authority, it only follows that contemporary women, being under the same curse, will experience great problems in their personal AND spiritual lives–especially mental problems–when they usurp their husband’s authority.  In that psychological disorders, according to the Bible, are actually spiritual, then it is no wonder many women suffer from psychological disorders.

The Bible says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8).  Bipolar disorder is merely the politically correct term for schizophrenia, which literally means “split mind.”  A person with a split mind is unstable, and much of the behavior associated with bipolar disorder supports this.  If this lady has been “redeemed” from the curse, then why is she still suffering from bipolar disorder?  I’ll tell you why.  Because generational curses are real, and bipolar disorder is the manifestation of a generational curse.  A person has to be delivered from a generational curse separately.  It is something entirely different from salvation.  You can be a Christian and still be under a curse.  

I. Am. A. Witness.

I wrote about this in excruciating detail in Breaking Generational Curses.  This poor lady could have been set free long ago, because she obviously read the article.  But she chooses to be in bondage, ignoring the Bible’s clear teaching on this subject. 

Now let me show you how this teaching on depression and mental illness applies to this lady, as well as many women.  Though she vigorously opposes my contention that bipolar disorder is demonic, and, thus, spiritual in nature, in her comment to our article on bipolar disorder and in her email correspondence to me, this lady has at times used angry and uncharitable language.  Now, she says she is a Christian, and I don’t, for one minute doubt her salvation.  But her reactions suggests to me that she struggles with anger and cannot tolerate opinions that differ from hers.  Anger is not a sin, but what we say and do when we get angry can be.  

Some of the behaviors associated with bipolar disorder include, but are not limited to:

• Sexual promiscuity
• Uncontrollable outbursts of anger
• Pathological lying
• Stealing
• Swearing
• Delusion (some bipolar people have testified to pretending to be someone or something else: like a government agent)
• Spending money you don’t have
• Aggressive behavior, including assault and even murder

Is it merely a coincidence that all of these behaviors are sin?  This is what identifies bipolar disorder as a spiritual disease that is demonic in nature: many of the behaviors associated with bipolar disorder are sinful.  Because society has largely turned its back on God and no longer considers sin sinful, we ignore this fact.  But there is no doubt in the Christian mind that much of the behavior associated with bipolar disorder is sin.  That is why doctors, for the most part, can only treat the depression and the anxiety.  There is no medical treatment for sin.

Though I cannot speak for her general behavior, this lady probably struggles with anger, as her comment and correspondence clearly suggest.  That it is the result of a curse is evidenced by the part of her testimony she shared with me, which includes an activity that the Bible clearly defines as witchcraft.  This activity–by her own words, mind you–is generational.  Yet she doesn’t believe in generational curses!

She calls me a “witch hunter,” because I have written articles defining certain behaviors that God, not me, said is witchcraft.  Understand that the Bible teaches that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” (1 Samuel 15:23).  So, according to the Bible, you don’t have to cast spells to be a witch.  If you rebel against the Lord, you are as guilty as one who practices witchcraft.  Moreover, 1 Samuel 15:23 says that “stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” Idolatry will earn you a generational curse (Exodus 20:4), just like witchcraft (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).  

So one who chooses to ignore the clear teaching of God on the issue of generational curses is guilty of rebellion and stubbornness.  And God said that He would “by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:7).  He will punish you.  That is what I believe is happening to this lady with bipolar disorder.  She chooses to believe what the medical establishment has told her about bipolar disorder, even though she is clearly still struggling with the disease.  She could be set free, but she chooses to live in bondage, ignoring the Bible to justify a rigid belief system.

Understand that according to the Bible, women are experiencing higher incidents of depression and other psychological disorders, because they are under a curse.  Curses can be lifted by Jesus Christ.  But one has to confess sin.  The only thing standing between a woman and freedom is either pride or ignorance.  Ignorance can be fixed with information, and that is what I’ve just given you.  But if your problem is pride, I can’t help you.  You should know, however, that the Bible says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”  Pride is the enemy of spiritual freedom.

If you are a woman suffering from depression, bipolar disorder, or some other psychological problem, I want you to understand that I am not trying to cast any dispersion upon you or make light of your situation.  In fact, I am very sympathetic towards you, which was another reason I decided to write this article.  There are several women in my life who suffer from bipolar disorder and depression.  And I know enough about the personal circumstances of these women to know that they are under a generational curse.  They could be set free, but their pride will not let them throw themselves at Jesus’ feet and beg forgiveness. 

This must stop.  God knows there are enough women in the world, who have been blessed with a husband and children and could care less about either.  But for a woman who truly wants a family, to not have one and, worse, to not have any prospects, It must be devastating. 

If you are single, you must understand that God does not necessarily want you to stay in this situation; neither does He want you depressed out of your mind, because you keep getting into relationships with the wrong kind of guy and end up having your life ruined.  God wants you to find a godly man and settle down and have a family, submitting yourself to your husband’s authority as the head of the household.  

If you are married, God wants you to be happily so, not one day in the throes of euphoria and the next in the depths of depression.  God wants you to be happy and satisfied as the wife of your husband, not usurping your husband’s authority and trying to wear the pants in the family.

As a rule, I don’t like static prayers.  I don’t believe that there is a prayer for this and a prayer for that, as the Bible doesn’t teach this.  All it really takes is for a woman to throw herself at Jesus’ feet and beg forgiveness using whatever language she can muster.  But because I know there are women out there who are suffering emotionally and are desperately yearning to be set free, I want you to pray something like this:

“Lord Jesus, I realize that Mother Eve cursed me when she rebelled against her husband, Adam.  I realize that it is because of her rebellion that I am having such a hard time in life, and am cursed with worry, depression, loneliness, and fear.  I understand that you have given women the blueprint for a happy life, and it all starts with accepting you as Lord and Savior.  I know, Lord Jesus, that I am a sinner and I need forgiveness.  I believe that you died and shed your blood for my sins.  I know you can free me from worry and depression.  Please forgive my sins and be my Lord and Savior.  Then, please teach me how to live a godly, pure, and chaste life that is pleasing in your sight.  Teach me how to appreciate the man’s authority in the hierarchy of the family.  I submit myself to your will.” 

If you are married, but have not submitted to the authority of your husband as God intends, you may pray this:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I have not submitted to my husband’s authority as you intended, and I realize that this is rebellion, which is as the sin of witchcraft.  I understand that this is one reason I am having so many problems in my spiritual walk, and why I am depressed, worried, and restless.  I realize that you never intended for me to live this way, and that it is my own rebellion that has brought this upon me.  I want to be free, Lord Jesus, from worry.  I want to be free from depression.  I want to be free from suicidal thoughts.  And I want to experience joy in my life and in my marriage again.  I humble myself before you, Lord Jesus.  I’m sorry I was a rebel.  Please forgive me.  Please renew within me a desire to do that which is good and pleasing in your sight.  Please restore my relationship with you and with my husband.  Please restore my peace.  Thank you for forgiving me.”

Understand that this is not magic.  It’s not the words that are important, but what is in your heart.  So, if neither of these prayers perfectly describes your situation, tweak it to fit your circumstances.  The important thing is to realize that women are cursed with a rebellious nature, like Eve, and have been cursed with worry, depression, and other problems because of Eve’s rebellion.  As Eve was a rebel, so are all women rebels, to a greater or lesser degree.  I cannot speak for all women, of course, but let each woman reading this examine her own conscience.  And may you all make the right decision.  I want to see you well.

Be encouraged and look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.

The Still Man

Reference:

Borchard, T. Why Do Women Get Depressed More Than Men?.  Psych Central. Retrieved on June 12, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/09/22/why-do-women-get-depressed-more-than-men/