Comments on: Speaking of Sadness

By: Jeannelle

Jeannelle — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:56:00 +0000

Yes, Mr. Larson, depression is “just another illness”. It has at its core a physical cause.

By: Mike Larson

Mike Larson — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:27:29 +0000

Don’t you see a distinctiveness involved in the gloominess of mood of depression versus that of disease and bodily infection? Or is depression just another illness?

By: DarkMyRoad

DarkMyRoad — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 22:47:27 +0000

Certainly depression is a natural human condition: so is all sickness and disease since the fall. However, that being the case does not mean we should ignore it or treat it as a purely "spiritual" problem. DarkMyRoad's last blog post..Speaking of Sadness (on seminaryblog.com)

By: Mike Larson

Mike Larson — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:36:10 +0000

I think depression is the natural human condition. Childbearing is brought forth in pain – “In pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life (Gen 3:17). Sin is a dealy plague, one of hereditary infection, that brings with it profound misery. Unlike evangelicals and protestants Lutherans cannot promise happiness and good times. In this life we are only guarenteed suffering. Doctors cannot medicate this problem, politicians cannot solve it through programs and initiatives, homeopath fitness and diet gurus cannot fix it. Only Christ.

haha, gosh. I would be suspicious of anybody perpetually happy without a trace of tentatio. Currently, it is a great time to state the obvious connection between sin and depression. A significant part of the country has been duped into thinking that getting tanked up on countless varieties of psycho-trophic antidepressants is for their benefit.

I would recommend regularly praying the Psalms for anybody suffering depression (particularly ps. 30, 103, and 119). The Lord has given us a beautiful exchange of words to address our suffering – having full assurance in all that he promises.

By: PMD

PMD — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:57:56 +0000

“What he doesn’t do (and I have yet to find) is a real treatment of the relationship between mental illness and faith.”

Here’s another book suggestion: “Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness”, by Kathryn Greene-McCreight.

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:29:43 +0000

Read “Gospel Therapy” by Rev. Daniel Lee Krueger. I found it helpful. You may check it out at http://gospeltherapy.com.

By: I Trust When Dark My Road » Speaking of Sadness (on seminaryblog.com)

I Trust When Dark My Road » Speaking of Sadness (on seminaryblog.com) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:02:26 +0000

[...] Seminary. This one is a review of an excellent book entitled, Speaking of Sadness. Go check out the [...]

By: Tentatio

Tentatio — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:32:50 +0000

I was just having this conversation today after watching a cymbalta (depression medication) commercial; that I don't know that our society ISN'T understanding depression-but it is constantly diverting itself from our sole consolation. This is in no way to be insensitive to the reality of the very real dark days. On the contrary, if anything, it is confirmation that we are not the Doer that pulls us up out of the muck that we constantly find ourselves in, or the Giver to recognize our very real and blessed future.

I am constantly humbled that, on good days or bad, the Truth of the Gospel remains the same. I fight it, I sneer and debase what I have been taught to be true throughout my life, every day, in order to satisfy my foolish wants with psuedo-piety and downright manipulation, but like you say, DMR, the gift only becomes realized, or that much sweeter sometimes the harder we fall. We are told that God spits out "the lukewarm" who don't really want to contend with the Truth. I am no exegete, but I would wager to say that even this "spitting out," is an act of God's grace to cause one to realize the severity of our sins. Any separation from God is a nightmare. And until the Word of God rings in our ears to still us and nourish our sanctified lives, we are but wanderlust sheep, not realizing how dependant we are on our Triune God for all things.

I only bring this up to illustrate how far we've come from Luther's understanding of our Christian lives. Our culture does not understand that suffering is the result of sin, but they just want to do away with it, and rise to the idea that they aim to conquer the illness. Even in practical terms, trying to eat better, exercise, etc…Satan loves to use these practical props to assault those who look to themselves for victory. Look at poor Brittney Spears. She has been to rehab after rehab, and is now in a padded room because she is a danger to herself and others. God have mercy on her and her children, Lord! May she be reminded that she has a Savior, Jesus.

It is as you say, DMR, that we are absolutely dead, both of body and mind, to do anything for our salvation…in all of our sufferings. And, as you said in another post, the "Spirit prays for us," on our sinful and wretched behalf, because we don't even have the right words apart from Christ.