"Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray."
James 5:13
For a little over 10 months now I have been suffering through spiritual depression. It hurts. It hurts so much some times I just want to die. I don't mean that I'm suicidal, I just want to stop living. I want to stop existing because right now existence means suffering. By God's grace I haven't done anything rash. This is the reason for my last post and also the reason why it has taken me so long to post again. It's so hard to give advice when I feel spiritually dead inside.
However, what I can understand I will write about. I can still read the Bible, and although much of it confuses me, it does give advice that is crystal clear. We are to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17) and to "pray and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1). So many of the Psalms are the psalmist crying out in absolute anguish to God.
It is tempting to give up and collapse inwards, giving up on all hope of salvation. It is also tempting to leave spiritual matters alone until you're better and then tackle them. That is not what the Bible teaches. Don't leave spiritual wounds untended and don't give up. Pray. Pray. When you're done with that, pray some more.
There are so many Christians more mature than I am. I'm only 25 years old. There are realities of the Christian life that I have not experienced yet. Some may think that I am not qualified to give advice on how to deal with spiritual depression, especially since I'm still in it. I don't have all the answers. I haven't learned all the lessons. But I know what the Bible teaches. And for a Christian there is no arguing with the Word of God.
I used James 5:13 for the main verse of this post. However, I want to leave you with one more verse:
"[W]ill not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?" (Luke 18:7)
For Christ,
Daniel
