Introduction
Spiritual sadness loomed over every aspect of Bobby’s life. As a Freshman in college, he hadn’t yet experienced a season like this since he had become a Christian. Bobby has a passion for God’s Word and the local church. He makes a credible profession of faith. But now he feels a strange yet severe sadness and fear. God seems distant to him. His assurance is far weaker than it has been before. He often trembles in fear that something is desperately wrong. It has been such a difficult season that he is at the point where he doesn’t know what to do.
Have you been here? Have you ministered to or counseled someone wrestling with such despair?
Christians are not immune from dark seasons of life. We know that this world is filled with many trials. Our Lord Jesus warned us that we would face tribulation (John 16:33). There are some trials, however, that can be particularly disturbing for the believer. In particular, what happens when a believer experiences the spiritually dark trials of life? When a believer finds himself doubting their eternal security, lacking assurance of their salvation, and feeling as if God is distant from them, it is terrifying.
Trials of prolonged spiritual despair have been referred to as spiritual depression. Such trials can leave a Christian shaken, confused, and fearful. Where can a Christian turn to find hope in the midst of spiritual darkness? Thankfully, there are many resources for the weary believer, looking for hope in the midst of spiritual despair.
Christians Have Often Wrestled With Spiritual Depression
First, it is helpful to recognize how common of an experience this has been throughout history. We see believers wrestling with spiritual depression in the pages of Scripture. Consider the following excerpts taken from the Psalms:
How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalm 13:1)
O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 88:14)
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? (Psalm 42:5)
When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. (Psalm 77:3)
These are just some of the testimonies within Scripture of those who faced spiritual darkness. One could study further to see examples in the lives of Job, Elijah, and even Jesus himself. When we consider church history, we see even more testimony in the lives of saints like William Cowper, Charles Spurgeon, and C.S. Lewis.
Christians struggling in seasons of spiritual depression should be encouraged by this truth—they are not alone! There have been many godly men and women who have endured long seasons of spiritual depression. The presence of difficult trials in this life is not evidence that God does not love you. Hear the words of Paul in Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” All things are being worked together, by God, for your eternal good—even your seasons of spiritual depression!
An observation which is worth making explicitly clear, is that this trial is a distinctly Christian trial. When a believer finds themselves wrestling with spiritual depression, often insecurity rises up, inducing doubt in one’s own standing before God. Here we must be reminded that only the believer is one who truly wrestles with spiritual depression. The non believer does not desire God, and does not miss His felt presence, nor his comforting assurance of salvation. If you are wrestling with spiritual depression, you can be comforted that you know something is wrong, and that itself is a great testimony to the spiritual life that you do indeed possess. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once said:
The fact that you are unhappy or troubled is no indication that you are not a Christian; indeed, I would go further and say that if you have never had any trouble in your Christian life I should very much doubt whether you are a Christian at all. (1)
We Don’t Always Know “Why?”
Second, it is helpful to acknowledge that we don’t always know why a believer is experiencing spiritual depression. This trial often brings with it a litany of questions.(What caused this? Why is God allowing this? Did I do something wrong? Am I missing something?) While the process of self examination can be helpful, often weary Christians can find themselves trapped in cycle of introspection. Even more troubling is when a Christian cannot seem to find any answers as to why this is happening to them.
Sometimes spiritual depression can have discernible causes. If we are living in clear habitual sin, we should expect that it may indeed hinder our experience of communing with our God. Satan himself can tempt us to doubt God’s goodness, and question our own eternal security. Some of us have differing biological factors and temperaments which must be taken into account. With the help of a trusted pastor, one can engage in a healthy form of self examination to consider if there may be any contributing factors to the despair they’re experiencing.
Yet we must acknowledge that many believers have walked through long seasons of spiritual darkness with no perceivable cause. Christians should be encouraged away from morbid introspection, constantly looking inward to analyze and evaluate. Rather, we must confess the truth that God in His providence sometimes allows His children to walk in darkness for a season. Not every spiritual struggle is the result of a sin committed by the believer, often its simply the result of living in a fallen world.
Hold Fast to the Ordinary Means of Grace
Third, we need to be reminded that God has equipped us with means of grace for all seasons of the Christian life. When we find ourselves frozen in spiritual despair, we then need to be reminded where there is warmth. Sadly, many Christians neglect these means in their battle with spiritual depression. Here we must not give way to feelings, but rather in faith, we take hold of the God ordained means for our spiritual well being and growth.
When we find ourselves hungry in life, we go where there is food. If we find ourselves spiritually depressed, we should go where God has promised us spiritual life. God’s Word tells us that Scripture revives our soul (Ps 19:7), gives life (Ps 119:25), and strengthens those in sorrow (Ps 119:28). When we are weighed down by spiritual distress, we need to pick up our Bibles and meditate on its life giving truth.
Those facing spiritual depression are often hesitant to pray. Our adversary lies to us, persuading us that God will not listen, or even worse, that He does not care. We must be reminded that prayer is a tremendous privilege given by God for His children. The Psalms are filled(see above) with many prayers of spiritually depressed believers. God in His grace not only gives us permission to cry out to Him in our time of need (Heb 4:16), but even supplies us with words to use in our distress. If you don’t know what to pray, open Psalm 42, and pray it as if it were your own words.
One of the most important things we can do is participating in the local church, especially in corporate worship. When our feelings say to us that it is better to be alone than to be around our fellow believers, we must remind ourselves to not neglect gathering with the saints (Heb 10:25). Being with the body of Christ, sitting under the preached Word, and partaking of the sacraments, will minister to our souls in ways we often aren’t even aware of.
Keep Your Eyes On The Last Day
Fourth, Christians should be encouraged to keep their eyes on the prize. In the slog that is spiritual depression, we long for it to end. We don’t know how long we will walk in spiritual darkness, but one thing is for sure—this trial is temporary. Regardless of how long our lives are spent under the shroud that is spiritual depression, we know that one day all trials will cease, our suffering shall be no more, and God will wipe every tear from our eye (Rev 21:4).
While we wait for relief, we must remind ourselves daily of what will be true on the last day. In Romans 8:18, Paul writes “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” The sufferings of this world are real, painful, and we pray for relief in the midst of great difficulty. Still, Paul tells us that the joy coming our way is eternally greater, and keeping our eyes on the last day will help us to endure the temporary sufferings of this life which are quickly passing away. Until that day, let us call ourselves to hope, saying with the psalmist “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”(Ps 42:5)
(1) Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression 10
