This is the fifth in a nine part series entitled “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Suffering Paradigm.” For the various counseling options available from this material visit www.summitrdu.com/counseling.
The complementing studies are also available in a video and podcast formats at the links below:
- “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Responsibility Paradigm”// video and podcast
- “Overcoming Depression-Anxiety: A Suffering Paradigm” // video and podcast
- “Towards a Christian Perspective of Mental Illness” // video and podcast
“God, Can We Rest on this Journey?”
MOURN the wrongness of what happened and receive God’s comfort.
“I am willing to agree with God emotionally about my suffering. I can see that God does not just want me to ‘get over this’ but instead he desires to ‘love me through my pain.’ [describe difference] I will accept that ‘blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matt 5:4)’.”
Memorize: Isaiah 14:3-4 (ESV), “When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ‘How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased!’” As you memorize this passage reflect upon these key points:
- “Given you rest” – Rest is a gift that God wants to give you. Taking time to mourn is not wasting God’s time.
- “From pain… turmoil” – God takes time to list the types of challenges we face; that add to our need for rest.
- “Made to serve” – God is acknowledging that this suffering was forced upon his people; they did not choose it.
- “King of Babylon” – Often pre-figures Satan’s role in the life of New Testament believers.
- “Oppressor has ceased” – There will be a time when we get to say this about Satan’s tool of depression-anxiety.
Teaching Notes
“Any time a difficult experience has some longevity in our lives, we can gradually derive some personal identity from it (p. 261).” Ed Welch in Depression, A Stubborn Darkness
“The general rule is that those who listen most and speak least will be the most useful to sufferers (p. 6).” David Murray in Christians Get Depressed Too
“The most helpful thing for me was the meals, the offers to do a load of laundry or take the children for the afternoon. Even though I did not accept these offers because of a misplaced sense of pride, which depression can foster, knowing that someone cared enough to offer was a source of encouragement (p. 34).” Kathryn Greene-McCreight in Darkness Is My Only Companion
“The recovery ministries are not right for most people with mental illness. The idea of recovery reinforces the message that we want to help you ‘get over’ your problem so you can be a normal, fully functioning member of the community… This approach is appropriate for issues that truly lend themselves to recovery, but it’s not appropriate for most mental illness (p. 117).” Amy Simpson in Troubled Minds
“Satan is attracted to the inward-turning instincts of depression. Satan can use times of depression as an opportunity for an all-out assault on our faith and confidence in God. He can use the ‘dark night of the soul’ to cast doubt on the goodness and love of God (p. 138).” Brian Borgman in Feelings and Faith
“All sufferers are tempted to believe that their suffering is unique. This lie immediately renders all counsel irrelevant because no one understands and no advice applies. The result is that the aloneness you already experience is now an established fact, and you are given ever more permission to despair (p. 69).” Ed Welch in Depression, A Stubborn Darkness
Other podcasts on emotions are available at:
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