Depression: The Swamp of Hopelessness

“You’ve heard from cousins Pain, Worry and Grief. You could almost call them nice in comparison to me. When I reach you—or you reach me—you’ll find me a swamp that will try to suck you under. I’m Depression—and I’m bad.

“No, I don’t kill all my victims. But I make every one of them so miserable and negative that they affect everyone around them. It’s what I can do to your emotions to give you that feeling of gloominess, dejection, inadequacy and hopelessness. Some of you fall into my swamp of depression over a physical problem that won’t go away. Or the young man whose gal left him for another. Then there was the woman who had an abortion and almost went crazy when she awakened to what she had done to her baby. I can really work my depression on young people. You know, that feeling of inadequacy over looks or talents. Or no caring friends. Or a dysfunctional home. Or a fear that they won’t be able to navigate the future.

“Then there are people with marriage and financial problems that look bigger than mountains—and older folks who believe no one cares about them anymore. My valley of depression has no shortage of people with not just broken bodies, but far worse—broken spirits.

“Some never find a way out. They live with me, Depression, and they die with me. Others learn to cope by going to psychiatrists and popping pills. Most of those psychiatrists don’t know a thing about the best cure for depression—an encounter with God. And too many of those anti-depressant pills help in the short run and do harm in the long run. But those are the best hope you humans have, unless…

“…unless you meet the Architect of life. You know, the One who is more than talk. Yes, that One who created you and knows what you really need to be fulfilled and able to handle anything life throws at you.¹

“It’s no use you saying, ‘I know you mean I need God. That might work for others but not me. God could never understand what I have to handle as a human.’ Now even I, Depression, can’t let you get away with that excuse. That’s because of what I tried to do with Jesus and utterly failed. I hoped to drown Him in my swamp of depression and keep Him from giving His life in order to save yours.² Talk about reasons to feel depressed! He had plenty. Family members who did not believe in Him. Religious leaders always trying to kill Him. Disciples—his very best friends—who abandoned Him when he needed them the most. People loving Him one minute when He gave them free meals and hating Him when He pointed out that He, not the free bread, was what they needed most in life.³Huge nails driven through His wrists and feet. And the sins of every human being—that’s a lot of garbage—placed on Him so that you could be forgiven, saved from the hell that is your sin, and join Him and His Father in a forever Kingdom.⁴ 

“So if you choose to remain with me—Depression—in my depressing swamp, you may do so. And the devil who uses me to affect and infect so many of your heads will do anything in his limited power to keep you from knowing that someone does care. Someone with all power in heaven and on earth who loves you beyond your greatest hope or imagination. He is the chief psychiatrist you can run to.⁵His office hours are 24/7 and you’ll like the price. He paid it all in advance. He’s also a heart specialist with transplants His specialty. Why, He removes the worst and hardest spiritual hearts damaged by sin and transplants His own beautiful heart of right thinking and righteous actions.⁶

“Though my name is Depression, and Satan wanted me to keep my mouth shut, I have told you the truth. After all, what more can the devil do to me. I’m already depressed. But you? Don’t enter that final valley of no return—that monster cousin of ours called Suicide. Take Jesus. Ask Him to forgive your sins and change your life. Ask Him to handle your problems and show you His solutions. Then start to read and obey His Word—the Bible. He promises to perform the biggest miracle of all—to make Himself known to you in a way you’ll understand. Even I, Depression must say WOW! to that.

“But ignore His offer and insist on running your own life and you just might begin to entertain the devil’s biggest lie of all—that no one cares and your only escape is suicide. I warn you. Don’t buy that lie!”

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras