The apostle Paul experienced varying degrees of highs and lows over the course of his faithful ministry. If he were alive today, he might be diagnosed with bipolar syndrome due to his deeply-felt and wide-ranging emotions. In any case, the fact remains that he could be deeply discouraged and exaltingly encouraged, all within the scope of a few verses. I have detected this in our study of 2 Corinthians and particularly so in 7:2–16.
Early in the passage, Paul makes the encouraging observation that he has experienced God’s comfort (see also 1:3–5). In 7:6, he writes, “God who comforts the downcast comforted us” (v. 6). The word “downcast” means to be laid very low. The word could be translated “depressed.” Apparently, Christians get depressed. Apparently, deeply devoted Christians get depressed. Apparently, even apostles got depressed. So what do we make of this? Surely Christians should never be depressed, right? Certainly Christians should be, as the hymn puts it, “happy all the day”? With sins forgiven, having been reconciled to God, with an eternity of bliss secured, what could a Christian ever be discouraged about? Plenty.
In Paul’s case, he was depressed over the threat to the spiritual health of the Corinthian church. He was emotionally afflicted by the realisation that fellow Christians were unjustifiably alienated from him. He was mentally burdened at the thought of false teachers misleading the flock of God.
Life’s challenges sometimes increase when a person comes to faith in Christ. Temptations to despair can be strong. On the other hand, sometimes depression can be a matter of personality or disposition. Some people seemed to be wired towards weariness of spirit and so feelings of deep darkness can seem overpowering, bearing the painful fruit of depression. Yes, as author David Murray has scripturally argued in his book so titled, Christians get depressed, too. But as another David makes equally true, Christians do not stay depressed. I was reminded of this as I read Psalm 42.
In a very honest passage, King David writes about being very, very low: “My tears have been my food day and night” (v. 3). “My soul is cast down within me” (v. 6). “All your breakers and your waves have gone over me” (v. 7). And the final lament: “I say to God, my rock: ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?’” (v. 9). And yet this is not the entirety of the psalm.
Perhaps you are familiar with this psalm. (Please, read it!) If so, you will know that these statements of discouragement, despair, and depression are interspersed with bold statements of faith: “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (vv. 5–6). “By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (v. 8). David concludes by repeating, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (v. 11). The psalm reveals the reality of the emotional and mental ups and downs experienced by some Christians.
David is clearly beleaguered by trials, to such an extent that he feels he is being drowned—by God no less (v. 7)! He is in the doldrums of discouragement to the point that his soul is “cast down” by depression. And yet note that he fights the good fight of faith by reminding his soul of God’s steadfast love (v. 8), assuring himself that he has every reason to hope in God (vv. 5,11). That is, in the midst of his depression, he refused to allow himself to stay depressed. Rather, he took himself in hand and had a good talk to both God (vv. 1–2, 9–10) and himself (vv. 5,11).
Welsh pastor Martyn Lloyd-Jones famously observed that a problem with Christians is that we listen to ourselves more than we talk to ourselves. His point was that, when our circumstances and feelings and thoughts shout despair to our souls, we need to fight back by talking back. We must speak truth to ourselves, reminding ourselves of God’s steadfast love, revealed in many ways, but ultimately displayed by the cross of Jesus Christ. Armed with the gospel, we need to argue against ourselves informing our depressed spirit that there is hope in our heavenly Father.
I have great sympathy for those who struggle with what Winston Churchill called “the black dog of depression,” or what others used to refer to as “the blues.” I do not believe the Bible teaches that feeling depressed is a sin. After all, feelings are largely out of our control. However, how we respond to our feelings is our responsibility. We must fight back against them with the word of God. When the dark clouds of despair block out the light of the good glory of God, I am responsible to do something to push beyond the immediate in order to see the light of the ultimate. I must take responsibility to rehearse the truth of God and to fight against despair. This will include praying, of course, and meditating on God’s promises. But it will often include something as practical as taking a walk, getting some exercise, and/or reaching out to a Christian friend and asking them to remind me of what is true. Whatever the practical response, it is essential that I act upon the truth that, though Christians get depressed, we must not allow ourselves to stay depressed. Feeling hopeless is one thing—and a very painful thing, I might add—but living hopelessly is not necessary for the Christian. Just ask David. His answer is wonderfully recorded for us in Psalm 42. Please, read it. And then do it.
Doug