How Christians Should Respond to Depressed People

I have no shred of doubt that God hears and answers our prayers. I believe that God can miraculously heal whomever God chooses. However, suggesting that people can pray away depression and its symptoms leads to serious harm. After years of struggling with depression and suicidality, here's what I know to be true: Depression is an illness that is treatable, and suicidality is a symptom of depression. Psychologist Ashley Borders defines suicidality as "both suicidal ideation and actual suicide attempts." I have suffered from both.