I’ve never suffered from more than mild, short-term
depression, but have friends who struggle with this debilitating condition. Yet
even the mild versions say something about human nature and the way we have
been created. That is, emotions and the conditions of life have extremes. While
there is a balance, those extremes are important. People who try to suppress or
deny their negative emotions wind up losing all of those positive opposites
also. If I reject sorrow, I cannot experience ecstasy. If I refuse to feel
discouraged or depressed, then I would not easily feel exaltation or the
heights of joy. I might not want ever to be upset, or angry, or grieving, but
without those feelings, I also lose contentment, peace, and gladness.
Elijah, one of God’s Old Testament prophets, was
depressed. He’d experience a victory, but soon after that his life was
threatened. He ran a long distance in fear, wound up alone in a wilderness, and
wanted to die. What would God do for His servant in this situation? His answer
is a surprise:
And (Elijah) lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” (1 Kings 19:5)
Most of us would expect the angel to give Elijah a vision
of what would happen next, or enlighten him from God’s Word, or tell him to
rise up and conquer. Instead, the angel told him to have some lunch.
While not everyone is the same, those who suffer from
depression usually lose their desire to eat. Even mild depression steals my
appetite, even turns me from other ordinary necessities and pleasures. Yet as
Chambers says, when God comes, He motivates us to simple things that we might
not imagine Him asking, things like unloading the dishwasher or making the bed.
As I do those things, He is there and lifts my spirits. Maybe it is because the
simple things are easy enough for a depressed person and the doing of them
gives a sense of accomplishment. I’m not sure why it works, but God knows how
we function best. Eating lunch or doing laundry works wonders for those having
a serious “down-day.”
These may not have the same results for clinical or deep
depression; I cannot speak to that, but I rather suspect that “if the Spirit of
God makes us feel intuitively that we must do the thing, and we do it,” the
depression will be alleviated. This is why grieving people or those very worried
might bake cookies or go work in the garden. If God gave them that inclination
and they do it, it works because whenever anyone rises to obedience, they enter
a higher plane of life. It seems almost too simple, yet when life gets complex,
simplicity is vital.
Learning to heed the inclinations that God puts on my
heart goes hand in hand with listening for His voice. Both require practice as
well as solitude, silence and meditation on His Word. It means unplugging the
ear buds, turning off the radio, being alone, praying, but most importantly, tuning
my mind to listen-mode instead of “Oh, this might work” mode.
Such discipline is totally worth it. If I cannot hear God
in the quiet times, I’ll never hear Him when life goes sideways. Besides, if He
has something to say, I’d rather hear Him whisper than require a smack on the
side of the head with a 2x4 to get my attention!
Bob had a medical test today that went well. He has two
more on Friday. He feels fine, but is not supposed to drive yet. I am now a chauffeur
as well as chief cook and bottle-washer. Life is more fun when my to-do list
has fewer personal decisions to pick from!
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