Yesterday’s post was very difficult. And I feel like today I want to deal with one of the blessings we experience when we know Jesus through those kind of tough times. The depression which cyclically follows life’s undesirable events is often debilitating and cruelly reminds us of our inability to be the master of our universe. There is One who is the Master and He knows the trial, the heartache and all about the depression. We know that He knows the pains He knows we know. Some days just knowing that helps some days it doesn’t. But have you ever wondered if He, the sovereign Lord of the universe ever gets depressed?
Depression is not just a “I feel sorry for me because life didn’t turn out like I thought it would be” pity party. Nor is it a “somebody rained on my parade” thing. Depression is the reminder of what might have been. It is the tormenting spirit which leads us to doubt that our great God knows best. Jesus is never recorded in scripture as being depressed. I would like to ask why. He was fully human and groaned and ached and sorrowed. He was also fully God, fully spiritual and fully able to wage and win any spiritual battles the enemy would cast His way. God is Spirit and they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. The truth is that He is never depressed because depression or as some of my friends might word it, the spirit of depression, is ungodly spiritual warfare. It is the firebrand of the enemy being cast into the teeth of Godly Spirit filled warriors of the kingdom in their weakest joint.
This brings me to two more questions. Why does the Father allow it to oppress us so and why does it affect us so deeply. Perhaps to strengthen us for future conflict, perhaps to brag on us as He did Job, or perhaps He has purposes we have not yet seen. Jeremiah records His ways are beyond finding out. He chooses to reveal His glory to us and through us according to His good pleasure. He is God and it is okay to let Him do things His way.
Which brings us back to depression and how deeply and protracted its affects are on us. Jesus said this kind comes out only by prayer and fasting. He also said take His burden, His yoke, because it is easier than yours. Why am I quoting Scripture? Because there has never been any weapon formed against you the can have a prosperous outcome. Every spiritual power of good or evil is subject to Jesus. They do not have one iota of strength or ability beyond God’s permission. Nor can they overwhelm you. The successful depression fighters I have met know that they are in a target rich environment and that they have at least one enemy debilitating weapon for every attacking piece of garbage the devil can muster. Why quote scripture? Because Jesus did and it worked for Him when He should have been at His weakest. We are joint heirs with Christ. It reminds us who wins and whose side we are on. And because when (not if) the enemy and his evil minions return to oppress and depress year after year we can say she is dancing with the Lord!
Yes we cry, we long for what might have been and we know that He knows our hurt and our heart. He knows our frame and that we are dust. He knows we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The days will come and go when we will be challenged by fear and depression and doubt. In those days God’s servants shall do valiantly!