Depression, Grief, Healing, Words of Endurance
“Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?”
JOB 17:15
Whenever we go through a season of suffering, unfortunately, depression can be an unwanted but common companion on the journey. Job had experienced many afflictions and losses – loss of health, wealth and family – rendering him, as would be expected, depressed and hopeless as expressed in his words above.
Anyone experiencing a season of suffering or loss has a good chance of experiencing some depression on his or her journey. It is a known fact that 98% of all cancer patients experience some level of depression – from mild to severe. A cancer patient’s journey can be one of loss – loss of health, lifestyle and/or finances – all create stress and take their toll on us emotionally and then it impacts us physically.
After Dave and I went through our season of suffering we both experienced severe clinical depression. The depression robbed us of our physical strength and our Spiritual hope. Because we were experiencing depression we felt like failures and we were ashamed that we were not able to handle our life circumstances. Thus we felt immense guilt and the guilt only deepened our depression.
BUT …
We were comforted when we learned that depression was a common companion on the journey of suffering. The Scriptures gives many examples of Godly men who experienced depression – Job, the prophet Elijah and King David.
We were encouraged when we learned that many great Saints of the past – Charles Spurgeon, John Bunyan and even Oswald Chambers among them -experienced bouts of depression and yet God continued to use them mightily in the midst and in spite of their depression.
We felt hopeful when others came alongside us and let us know that they, too, had experienced depression and they had made it to the other side of the valley. We learned we were not alone and neither are you.
AND REMEMBER …
“… weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
PSALM 30:5
On the journey with you,
Jan Dravecky