Beware the voice of inevitable despair. The Devil wants us to believe that the world is inevitably broken, and that our depression is our valid response to/premonition of it.
The truth is, God is good. He loves us. He has our best interest at heart. That doesn't guarantee good results - but it does mean that the essential reality of the universe is that the Most Powerful One is on our side. Satan can scream at us, but he has no power over us, except as God allows.
While all that is true, I worry that I may have sounded too offhandedly positive, or that I'm quoting platitudes. Truly, I don't mean that. Suffering is real. Pain is real. They need to be acknowledged and engaged with. They should never be buried or ignored.
But they must be engaged hand-in-hand God. The call of Satan is: "I control the world. Fear me! Forget God! Your doom is inevitable - come, I will help you dull it." Rod once called that the "black pit of depression," or something like that.
The call of God is: "I control the world. Love me. I will bring you through this. You can stand up under this - if you hold onto me." Depression is never a sign of pending doom. Depression is a signal that you are under attack (either from within or without). It's a chance to ask God, once again, what He is up to. |