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I suspect that everyone, from time to time, suffers from depression. I can count on one hand the people I know or have known over the years who seem to be immune from this emotional disabler and, frankly, I am even suspicious of their claim to immunity!!
When I talk about depression in this setting I am not referring to that chronic, deep and paralysing form of depression; rather I have in mind what I would call a low-level sense of the "blahs" that subtly pervade our lives for a relatively brief time but suck the joy out of life while they are present.
Whenever I find myself lacking a sense of gratitude, joy and fulfilment, I often visit a friend of mine whose name I don't even know! I simply refer to him as "The Psalmist" and he lives at Psalm 42 and 43. It's a familiar address and every time I call on him, the Psalmist never fails to lift my spirit. Mind you, I can't hurry these visits. It takes time to listen because my hearing seems to become dull when my spirit is dull or discouraged.
I so much value my friend the Psalmist because of his honesty and openness. He has experienced depression to a degree beyond anything that I have endured. I am grateful that he is willing to become so vulnerable in the way he shares his life and struggles. His story gives me hope, insights, guidance and encouragement. I called on him recently and, as usual, I came away with a few insights that have significantly helped my perspective. He told me about those times when he was in 'the pits'.
"Day and night I have only tears for food while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, 'Where is this God of yours?'" (Ps.42/3)
I resonated with his experience although the enemies he refers to are flesh and blood people. In my case, those enemies are experiences, events and circumstances that seem to challenge everything I believe about God. These enemies (experiences) seem to call out, "Where is this God of yours now? Where is His power? Where is His love?"
I found myself thinking about Elijah in that dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel and the way he taunted the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).
"About noontime Elijah began mocking (taunting) them. You'll have to shout louder," he scoffed, "for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming , or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!" (v.27)
But what about those times when "the boot is on the other foot", so to speak? When it's my God who seems to be asleep, absent or inactive? To be completely honest, there have been many times and situations over the years when I have experienced what felt like the absence of God. At those times it seems like "there was no sound, no reply and no response".(v.29)
So I listened with eager expectation to my friend, the Psalmist because I wanted to know how he dealt with his enemies who taunted him so that I might get a clue on how to deal with mine.
I want to record these insights and encouragements in my log over the next few days so that they are not lost to myself or others who may one day read these log entries.
