This letter is addressed to Christians going through depression; it is essential to know that DEPRESSION IS NOT A SIN, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS.
Dearest you,
I know how it feels when you think you have stretched beyond your elastic limit and yet you still find yourself drowning in this sea of pain and despair and suffocated by this lingering feeling of worthlessness for too long beyond necessity.
You have been on this rollercoaster for too long and have already concluded that this ship will never set sail. You have reached that point when you can’t breathe any longer; you can’t think anything apart from the thought of death, that point where life becomes your worst enemy, where your mentors and heroes are those who kill themselves. You often invoke their spirits to be with you, to egg you on as you take this leap into the unknown. You wish and pray for the courage to forcefully loosen the grip of this chain called life and join them soon in the land of the free.
You see no meaning in living, and you want to search for life outside life. The language of life no longer makes sense to you. You keep speaking the language of death. However, death seems not to understand your language because you don’t belong to it yet. Here you are stuck in the middle of nowhere, where life and death seem to elude you.
Life beckons you, but you said you don’t want it any longer. You want death, but it doesn’t want you for you don’t belong. Here you are, swinging in the air of life and death’s pendulum feeling dejected.
You keep chasing death, and the more you chase it, the more it eludes you.
Why, for God’s sake will this heartless beast called death take people who hates it and those who have sufficient reasons to live, leaving you, who have no reason to live.
Why is the Angel of death so hell-bent on loving those who hate it and hating those who love it? Why will it keep embracing those who hate it and isolating itself from those who love it? Indeed, this demon called life is a killjoy. Here now, life doesn’t want to loosen its harrowing grip on you and let you go.
Your feet are going numb,
Your blood is cold,
Your heart is frozen,
Nothing in your body seems to be working well, yet you look so healthy.
You are so full of life and vitality, yet a living corpse within.
You look so happy yet so sad.
You have died long ago, but none seems to notice, because they’ve not yet perceived the smell of a corpse in you. You longer pray anymore because you thought you have prayed for too long to this God who doesn’t seem to listen and who seems so far when you need him so closeby. You’ve even come to doubt his existence, and that is your greatest undoing.
You keep asking yourself, ‘What God is he that seems to be so powerful in good times and appears to be so powerless in tough times when you needed him most? What God is he that seems to be so close in loving moments and so far away in moments when you are in dire need of his love? What Father is he who takes pleasure in watching his Child tossed away by the whirlwind of pain, dejection, failure and frustration without lifting a finger, yet he claims to be all-powerful?’
Have you gotten to this point where you shatter the very foundation of your being and personhood by doubts?
Ah, dearest one, come back to your senses for you have taken this thing too far. Too far beyond the limit.
See, you are not the only one going through this,
Many resilient ones have gone through worst moments than yours, and have been able to pull through all these.
Why do you want to join the few vulnerable ones by taking your life just when you’re about living?
Now let me tell you about life.
Life is a joke,
Don’t take it too seriously lest it becomes your yoke.
‘Cause those who take life seriously, die even when they have not started living.
Life is not a bed of roses.
Life is strife.
And only the strongest and bravest survive this strife.
You are too brave to be a coward.
The brave do not kill themselves,
in trying times, they keep moving forward
The brave die, fighting,
They don’t fight, dying.
They die, fighting to kill death, their enemy
They don’t kill themselves, fighting life their friend.
Why will you resign yourself to fate so quickly? Do you not know those who resign to fate is crippled fast? Why will you give up when you are just an inch to the finishing line?
Why don’t you die like a fighter If you must die?
You are too precious to die like a spider hanging on a noose!
If life means nothing to you,
Why not give meaning to it?
See, don’t search for the meaning of life elsewhere; you are the reason life has a meaning. Life was created with no meaning without you. The onus lies on you to give meaning to it by living a meaningful life.
If, you don’t have reason to live.
Live, because you’re the reason Life was created. So, Life minus you equals death, Life plus you equals meaningful Life.
Live, dear, live.
You deserve to live.
If your life is not precious to you, it is precious to me; please keep it for me.
If you need someone to talk to, I’m here, talk to me, your soul mate.
Don’t kill life before death kills you, for this death; you’re looking for will find you soon. Which wise and great fighter will kill himself in front of his enemy after having disarmed him so that he could give glory to his enemy for killing him? That is what you do when you attempt to kill yourself.
Suicide is an option only for cowards.
I know you’re too great a fighter to die a coward.
You did not come to this world to kill yourself.
You came to live to the fullest and die a worthy death.
For what gain would it be, if you take your own life;
What is the hope of eternity for you?
Helpful Tips for Christians going through Depression
The following helpful tips are culled from cru.org with a little modification to some context. Are you going through a depressive state as a Christian? Note, being depressed is not a sin, it is an illness that affects the brain functionality making you think you are all alone; but the Bible says “You are not alone, his spirit is always with us.”
1. You are not cut off from God
Going through hard times can make you think; God has cut you off and no longer cares about you; these are some of the lies the devil fills our mind with. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God Himself, living and active in the life of everyone who trusts in Jesus. If you believe on the Lord Jesus, the spirit of God dwelleth in you and with you. The word of God says John 1:12- For as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Believing in Jesus, allowing him into your life will enable you to be filled with his spirit. You are not alone, and God hasn’t cut you off.
When Jesus was arrested, he sensed distress among his disciples; he knew they were going to go through hard times, discouragement, persecution and a lot more; that was why he told them in John 16:12-15 about the promise of the comforter. The spirit of Christ dwells in you, you are not alone.
God is mindful of you; even in your darkest days
2. God specializes in bringing something good out of bad, even depression.
I know a God who is an expert in turning sorrows into joy, take a look at the story of Lazarus who was dead, Christ said; he isn’t dead but asleep; and all that happened was for the glory of God. At times, God makes us go through certain storms in our lives, so we can help others overcome just like we did. If we overcome, God will use us to bring hope to others who are hurting because we’ve been where they are and made it to the other side. Hope means the most when it comes, stumbling, out of the dark places.
3. God cares for your suffering; and your lowest thoughts and emotions are not always the truth
The Bible says in Hebrews 13:5-“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (NLT). Always remember God cares for your suffering; even your little thoughts going through your hazy mind. The good news is that your relationship with God depends upon His unchanging faithfulness and not on your changeable emotions. Counter the lies running through your head with the truth in the Bible.
Casting down every imaginations… that’s what the Bible tells us; as a child of God; take the position of authority over your feelings; do not let it be lord over you. Remember, you are not alone and God loves you so much in your deepest anguish and pain.
Depression is deceptive; therefore always be at alert; talk with your family members about it or those you loved. Communicate with the church and seek professional help in case of grief or emotional turn off.
Other Helpful links:
