by: John Park, June 2nd, 2011
Even the best of saints suffer from what’s known as “spiritual depression.” Now, this is not to say that all forms of depression are “spiritual” in nature, but very often (chemical imbalance-caused depression aside), there is a “spiritual” element that is involved.
And when – not if – but when it does, many Christians’ torments are exacerbated by the fact that they don’t know how to process what’s going on. That is, they are thrown into a deep sense of confusion because this issue is rarely, if ever, discussed in Christian circles because it’s often stigmatized.
But the good folks over at Sovereign Grace Ministries have put out this very interesting post in which they convert John Newton’s letters to a depressed pastor into a Q&A of sorts in order to make it more accessible to readers today. You can read the entire post here, but there is one particular part of it in which John Newton essentially teaches those going through spiritual depression how to process it in their minds. He writes:
First: There is an inseparable connection between causes and effects. Indwelling sin is an active cause; and therefore, while it remains in our nature, it will produce effects according to its strength.
So why should I wonder that I can feel no lively exercise of grace, no power to raise my heart to God, any farther than he is pleased to work in me mightily; any more than wonder that I do not find fire in the bottom of a well, or that it should not be day when the sun is withdrawn from the earth?
Second: Humbled I ought to be to find I am so totally depraved—but not discouraged, since Jesus is appointed to me of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and since I find that, in the midst of all this darkness and deadness, he keeps alive the principle of grace which he has implanted in my heart.
Pray this is of some comfort (though I realize not much) to those who are in a season where, as the hymn goes, darkness is hiding his lovely face.
Here are a few other resources I’ve come across recently on the subject:
- Spiritual Depression: It’s Causes and Cure by David Martyn Lloyd-Jones. I’m about halfway done with the book and it’s been absolutely helpful so far not only in that Lloyd-Jones stays so close to the text in dealing with the issue, but also because he systematically goes through what it actually means to be a Christian (he believes that much of spiritual depression is caused by having a faulty grasp on what it means to be saved by Jesus Christ).
- Depression: A Stubborn Darkness by Ed Welch of CCEF. Here, Ed Welch (along with the rest of CCEF) deal with this issue in a balanced way. There are some who would deny that clinical psychology is of any help to those who need it. But Welch closely looks at the issue without idolizing either position. He looks at some very practical causes of depression (e.g., fear, anger, dashed hopes, failure and shame, guilt and legalism, and death).
- Christians Get Depressed Too by David Murray. I haven’t even cracked open this one yet, but it’s next on my list. But here’s a helpful summary from Ligonier ministries.
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by: John Park, May 27th, 2011
Jon Bloom has been putting out some great blog posts about belief over at the DG blog. Here, in this post, he writes of the inherent dangers of the mantra “Follow your heart.” Here’s an excerpt from it:
Christians have the strange experience of living with two hearts. And both speak to us. One we must reject and the other we must trust. We must be discerning. We know the corrupt heart is speaking when it says, “Believe what I promise you and you will be happy.” We know the new heart is speaking when it says, “Believe what Jesus promises and he will make you happy forever. Therefore, only do what your heart tells you if it is telling you to believe in Jesus.
Read the entire post here.
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by: John Park, January 8th, 2011
Ray Ortlund, commenting on the Westminster Shorter Catechism, says the following regarding true repentance:
Two observations:
One, the motive for repentance is not only sorrow for sin but also a sense of the mercy of God in Christ. We have zero motivation to repent unless we see the mercy of God awaiting us. Not the slap of God but the embrace of God. Repentance is not just turning from sin; it is also turning to God with a bright hope in his mercy.
Two, the outcome of repentance is not a restored status quo, getting back to “normal,” getting back to where we were before we sinned. The outcome is new obedience, unprecedented obedience, perhaps unheard-of obedience. Newness of life.
True repentance is hope-inspired and newness-creating.
Read the rest here.
[via: Vitamin Z]
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by: John Park, January 1st, 2011
First post of 2011.
Thabiti Anyabwile:
I’ve sometimes said in counseling and other settings that waiting is sometimes the most difficult expression of faith we’re ever called to make. Josh Harris posts an excellent quote that says it far better than I ever have:
“To wait is not merely to remain impassive. It is to expect–to look for with patience, and also with submission. It is to long for, but not impatiently; to look for, but not to fret at the delay; to watch for, but not restlessly; to feel that if he does not come, we will acquiesce, and yet to refuse to let the mind acquiesce in the feeling that he will not come.” – Dr. A.B. Davidson, Waiting on God (quoted in The Hidden Life of Prayer by David McIntyre)
Makes it clear why waiting in faith is so difficult, doesn’t it?
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by: John Park, November 30th, 2010
John Piper gives a much-needed word to us about the necessity (not just the importance) of daily memorizing the Word to sustain our trust, joy, peace in God and love toward God. Here’s a quick excerpt:
Faith feeds on the word of God. Without a steady diet it gets weaker and weaker. If you are dissatisfied with your Christian courage and joy and purity of heart, check the way you are feeding your faith.
Compare the way you eat. Suppose that you start the day with a glass of orange juice. It’s good, and good for you. It takes you maybe five minutes to drink it, if you read the newspaper at the same time. Then you go off to work or school. You don’t eat anything else until the next morning. And you have another glass of juice. And so you go on drinking one glass of juice a day until you drop.
That’s the way a lot of Christians try to survive as believers. They feed their faith with five minutes of food in the morning, or evening, and then don’t eat again until 24 hours later. Some even skip one or two mornings and don’t give their faith anything to eat for days.
Now the effect of starving your faith is that faith starves. Not hard to understand. And when faith is starving, it is weak and not able to do much. It has a hard time trusting God and worshipping and rejoicing and resisting sin. It is gasping and stumbling.
Click here to read the rest.
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