Musing

Musing

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Faith and Depression -- 2 Peter 3:17-18

2 Peter 3:17-18


"You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
The Internet is reeling with the news with the recent suicide death of a certain celebrity. It seems like every few years, someone famous dies in a particular way that garners an unusual amount of discussion and concern. But this is more than that. It seems lately that suicides are on the rise. In the past several years, at least two children of well-known pastors have taken their lives and I know there are many others whose deaths weren’t reported by the media, but whose families and friends still grieve at the horror of it all. 

One of the things that’s come out of this particular instance is a renewed discussion about mental illnesses, particularly clinical depression. And as someone who has contemplated suicide more than once in her life, I believe such discussions are valuable.

Yes, I have seriously contemplated suicide and once was at the verge when I was miraculously stopped. Does that surprise you? Unknown to me, I suffered from what is now known as PMDD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Of course, it was unknown to me at that time because it was unknown to everyone. But every month I would suffer from such depression that I would want to quit my job, leave my family, dig a hole and hide in it and literally die. It took every bit of self-control and some "tricks" I learned about dealing with my own depression to see me through years and years of suffering.

I even had a nervous breakdown (for which, great thanks to my Christian doctor at the time, I was treated for at home, rather than hospitalized, which he threatened to do several times over the months he treated me). I was also medicated, but even the medication didn’t help much. It was a very dark time in my life.

You know what I learned through all this? Yes, there are physical causes of depression, changes in our brain chemistry or tendencies toward these behaviors due to our genetic make-up. But what I needed most of all was the Lord. And not "just" salvation, though that has to be the starting point. I needed to increasingly surrender to the Lord, to His will, not mine, to His plan, not mine, to His control, not mine.

The only light at the end of my very dark tunnel was the light of Jesus Christ.

People need the Lord. I know that’s a line from an old song, but it’s so true. The only hope for those struggling with the darkness of depression is Jesus. And not just salvation! Yes, we need salvation. Everyone needs to be saved. But even Christians are committing suicide. "Salvation" how it is taught in America isn’t saving us! We need to continue, as Peter wrote, to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Look at what Peter wrote:

"Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked."

 
This is written to Christians, Christians who have the ability to fall from their own steadfastness. The Greek word here, sterigmos, has to do with the condition of the mind. (It is in the mind where depression lives.) Peter is talking both about a healthy mind and a healthy spiritual condition. It may be, due to God’s mercy, that you can be a Christian and commit suicide; however, you will not even contemplate suicide if you are strong and healthy spiritually. It just won’t happen! So notice how steadfastness is undermined: by error! An additional meaning of this word is delusion. While depression seems very real and the darkness is overwhelming and debilitating, the fact is it is a delusion brought by the enemy! And a Christian who is spiritually healthy and strong will be able to defeat the delusion. The battle may be a long and difficult one, but victory is guaranteed! However, a Christian who is spiritually undermined and weak may be overcome by the delusion. They may fall from their own steadfastness.

Peter tells us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The word really means to increase or enlarge. It means that our relationship with our precious Jesus must change every day. Every day we need to learn how to trust Him more, learn how to please Him more, learn how to surrender to Him more. If our faith isn’t changing everyday, isn’t increasing everyday, we are heading toward that fall from steadfastness. Our Christian faith cannot be stagnate. You cannot stand still as a Christian. You are either moving toward God or away from Him. You are either increasing your faith or diminishing your faith. You are either trusting Him more or trusting Him less. There. Is. No. Middle. Ground.

People need the Lord! He is the only solution to the suicide problem. He is the only solution to depression. He is the only thing we need. But we need more than salvation. We need to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Him. There is NO OTHER WAY.

© 2014 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved.
For permission to copy, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com

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