Becoming a
born-again follower of the Lord Jesus Christ does not exempt anyone from the
difficulties of this life. Regardless of what some of the money-hungry
charlatans on TV promise, we are all going to face our share of sorrow and
sickness. No matter how dedicated we are to serving God and no matter how great
our faith, we ARE NOT immune to depression, disease, or disaster.
I have faced my
own battles with bouts of melancholy, and throughout my time in the Gospel
ministry I have known many good and godly saints who have struggled with mental
health issues, including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, personality
disorders, and even suicidal thoughts.
Readers, we live
in a fallen world; everything and everyone around us, has been affected by sin.
Just as surely as there are sicknesses that weaken our bodies, there are also
illnesses that attack the mind. Far too often, when someone is struggling with
mental health issues we draw back from them, rather than wrapping our arms
around them and embracing them. Stop and think about this; if a church member
announced they had been diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, or leukemia, the whole
church body would weep with them, support them, and pray for them. Yet, most of
those who struggle with some form of mental health issues are reluctant to
publicly mention anything for fear they will be considered a lesser Christian.
Too many of God’s
people suffer in silence because they are afraid to ask for the help they so
desperately need. Depression and mental health issues are just as real, and
just as deadly as sicknesses that affect the body. We would never tell someone
with Multiple Sclerosis they just need to “suck it up and get over it.” Yet how
often do you hear this said to someone who is battling with despair?
God’s Word is not
silent on this subject, nor should we be. In the 42nd and 43rd
Psalm we read the candid confession of the inspired writer who is internally at
war. He repeatedly asks, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou
disquieted (troubled) within me?" The
words “cast-down” will lead you to see the discouraged writer actually is
asking himself: “Why are you depressed? Why are you so disheartened? Why don’t
you have peace in your life?”
These short Psalms tell the story of one who had all the
inner tranquility and joy ripped from his life. I believe depression is a
double-edged sword that cuts even deeper and hurts even more for the child of
God. We know we should not feel this way. We know we have victory in Jesus --
but that does not stop the pain, and so we feel even worse. On top of that, we
often receive a cold shoulder from Christian friends or relatives. All the while,
the enemy of our soul, Satan, is whispering his twisted words in our ears,
stating that if God really loved us, and we really loved Him, we wouldn’t feel
this way. We are not told the reason for
the Psalmist pain. As a pastor, I will agree that unconfessed sin can and often
does lead to heartache and misery in the lives of people, but sin is not always the root cause.
The Psalmist here
calls out to God for help, but seemingly, God is far, far away. He is an empty
man, weary of his own complaints. He seeks help by attending the house of God,
and for a short while, he is encouraged, but it is short-lived. Even though we
don't know the why of his pain, we know there is hope.
Psalms 42:11 Why art thou
cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet
praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
Finally, if you
are battling with depression, I urge you to seek help. First I would tell you
to flee to Christ. Burdens are indeed lifted at Calvary. Jesus can give you
victory by trusting in Him and His finished work. Secondly, there is no shame
in asking for help and by seeking professional Christian counseling. Lastly,
just as there are medicines that help heal the body, there are also good
medicines that help to heal the mind.
Pray for those who are hurting and battling with these
issues. If we could ever get past the ugly stigma that is attached to
depression and mental illness and be willing to help them, we will have gone a
long way to address a major issue facing our churches today.
Pastor Lewis Kiger
Memorial Heights Baptist Church
TWITTER: @Lndmrkpastor
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