Praising God in the Depths of Depression
“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.”-Psalm 69:1-3
“My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.”- Psalm 119:28
“How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?”- Psalm 13:2
“For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.”- Psalm 31:10
Among the multitudes of struggles known today, sadness and depression prove some of the most common in everyday life. Depression is a never ceasing cloud of anguish that seems to perpetually haunt it’s victim almost regardless of the circumstances. Regardless of the stature or popularity of its victim, depression always seems to be victorious in a somewhat peculiar manner. For the purpose of further understanding the magnitude of depression, let us examine.
Depression not only greatly influences our mind and conscience, but our heart too. In personal recollection, often sadness directly penetrates my heart and adds a greater weightiness onto my soul. Depression, certainly affects the mind, it also seems very physical. At a forum at Dallas Theological Seminary in 2012, Pastor Tommy Nelson exclaimed, “The rarity of sleep would temporarily wash away my anguish, but when I woke in the morning, I could feel this thing literally crawl onto me… and I didn’t know what it was.” The wake of sadness is scary, confusing, and lonely, only by the grace of God do we have sources that help us navigate the waves of sorrow. Personally, uncircumstantial fear and sorrow (or, “causeless depression”) has proved to torment me in recent days. Luckily, various faithful saints do offer their advice regarding the struggle to glorify Christ in the midst of sorrow.
Consider this quote from Charles Spurgeon:
“It would be a very sharp and trying experience for me to think that I have an affliction which God never sent me, that the bitter cup was never filled by his hand, that my trials were never measured out by him, nor sent to me by his arrangement of their weight and quantity” (The Anguish and Agonies of Charles Spurgeon)
God’s sovereignty and provision amongst Charles’ sorrows seemed tactical against the misery of everyday life and monotony. Praise God, that in the midst of our sorrowful seasons, he still remains sovereign and just… this is ultimately our passionate cry as believers in God’s providing hand. The truth is, God allows and orchestrates every bit of sorrow and sadness. And although we cannot comprehend or carefully examine every reason why, we rest in the fact that all things are given and taken away by the sovereign grace of our father. Consider the example of Job of Uz: Scripture tells us he is the greatest man in all the east, possessed countess animals, and many servants. The Lord, in his compassionate omniscience, approaches Satan and actively allows the testing of his faithful servant Job. Job’s children are killed, his livestock destroyed, and yet he praises God for his provision and goodness. Note his response:
“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” -Job 1:20-21
Although Job’s physical suffering does not directly reference the topic of depression, it proves a perfect example of a faithful response to loss and suffering. Job’s response further biblically simulates Charles’ confidence in the loving sovereignty of God amidst the loss we experience in this broken world. As Christians, we will never know distinctly why we suffer in certain situations, but we rest in the fact that God is working for his good and our glory among our brokenness. Suffering in the means of depression is not only evident and necessary for the Christian life, it is ultimately for our joy.
Prayer
“O mightiest Father, we ask that you would touch our lowly hearts and restore to us the joy of our salvation. Would you, our greatest refuge, wipe away every tear from our eyes, wipe away our pain, and our mourning. We truly ask that in times of great anguish you would give us the strength to look to your pleasurable word instead of our messy lives. In the sorrow, the mess, and all the junk… God, you remain steadfast, loving, and so so so good. We thank you for your mercy and grace in our lives and pray earnestly asking that you would give us strength and wisdom like Job. Would we, regardless of our circumstances, bow before your holiness and sovereignty. In Christ Name, Amen.”