How to Process Spiritual Depression

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any more than wonder that I do not find fire in the bottom of a well, or that it should not be day when the sun is withdrawn from the earth?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:

1. 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).
2. 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).
3. 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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Advice for Slow Readers

Here’s a very helpful post by John Starke over at TGC in which he gives advice for slow readers (i.e., me). According to Starke, slow readers should:

1. Read in 15 minute segments.
2. Get up 40 minutes earlier.
3. Use the odd times to read.
4. Read widely and more than one book at a time.
5. Work hard to finish a book.

Click here to read the entire post with a brief description of each suggestion.

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99 Balloons

Evidence of God’s grace: these parents can be joyful even in the midst of this kind of suffering.

99 Balloons from Igniter Media on Vimeo.

[HT: JT]

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Dating God

Okay, so the title was a cheap way to get all two of your guys’ attention. But Tim Challies has two very helpful blog posts in which he gives us a clearer perspective on what it means to have a relationship with God. Too often times, we see our relationship with God as so different than our human relationships. And Challies rightly corrects this misconception. Here’s an excerpt from one of the posts:

…what if we are missing the point? What if the point of devotions is less about learning about God and more about spending time with God? What if it’s less about Bible study and more about building relational intimacy? What would change about our devotions if instead of trying to learn about God, we focused instead on spending time with God, time spent hearing from him through his Word and speaking to him through prayer? If this is the case it doesn’t much matter what we remember at the end of it because the joy has been in the moment, the value has been in the time spent together. The joy of dating isn’t in the aftermath but in the moment. And I think the same can be true with our devotions.

Then in part two of this series, he gives some helpful, practical tips at how to go about pursuing this relationship with God.

1. We spend time
2. We tell stories
3. We ask questions

Again, click here (part 1) and here (part 2) to read the rest.

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Follow Your Heart?

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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