This looks interesting: a blog about faith, depression, and mental illness. A recent post about pastors dealing with depression caught my eye in particular—I have no doubt that it’s a common phenomenon, but I don’t know if I’ve seen anybody specifically address the challenge of preaching while fighting depression or another mental illness:
...depression is the ultimate incurvatus se. You are turned inward, and emotions that are focused outward (like anger or love) are barely on the horizon. Everything is turned inward. So while the good preachers go through themselves in terms of understanding the human condition to preach the Gospel, the depressed person can’t go through themselves. They get stuck. They are in the black hole of their own doubts and fears, and rather than expressing them (theologically in confession, pastorally in preaching, and psychologically in counseling), they simply stew in their own juices so that nothing can come out.I might also add that in dealing with depression, it is also incredibly hard to take anything in. Reading, meditating, discussing the texts of Holy Writ are almost impossible. So if the depressed pastor… is forced to continue preaching, in pretty short order he will be running on nothing, stuck saying words he doesn’t mean, recycling sermons or copying others’ words.
Yikes—that’s something that can affect the health of the entire church body. There’s another good reason to check in with your pastor and worship leaders periodically to encourage them and make sure they’re doing OK.
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January 25, 2008 at 20:50
It is indeed serious, and does affect whole church bodies. Really the dilemma is because mental illness continues to carry such a stigma in our society. Pastors are still afraid to speak out and be honest with their failings, because it may have a negative impact on their ministry. Yet that is precisely the model that St. Paul holds up for us.
-DarkMyRoad
January 27, 2008 at 15:58
Thank you for bringing awareness to such a serious yet taboo area.
January 27, 2008 at 16:44
Depression was central in the lives of many saints. A new book called “The Depression Advantage” looks at the lives of Saints Francis, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Anthony the Great, and Milarepa. It explores the role that depression played in their lives. http://www.depressionadvantage.com has chapters you can read on line. They also advocate pastoral counseling as a central part of recovery. There is a whole organization of pastoral counselors at http://www.aapc.org.
January 28, 2008 at 15:56
Surely depression is a sign that something is not right. That’s my conclusion after over a decade of “ups and downs” as I call them. As Christians we feel a unique pressure to “be happy all the time” but although it’s a relief to be honestly down we should not revel in this or allow it to dominate or persist too long without some introspection and asking for help.
I found to my amazement that honesty about the situation brings about a change for the good as well as the realisation that the condition is widespread and a kind of solidarity ensues where we can be able to identify in others a condition we well know in ourselves and offer a helping hand.
In a world of loneliness and isolation despite masses of people around us we Christians need each other more than just at the superficial level and men in particular need to invest in meaningful friendship.
January 29, 2008 at 07:56
Anyone experiencing depression knows that one feels demotivated. However, being self-motivated, what happens when others surrounding us causes feelings of doubt? Two years of comments, constant game-playing can leave one feeling exhausted and drained. But God never gives us more than we are capable of handling. Always remember that we ARE God’s children and as Job of old, there is an area reserved for God alone that no-one can touch. Stay tuned to the word of God and the inner “God protected” area of your soal will find inspiration in small blessings being sent your way. God never leaves us stripped bare but with trials also send blessings. Stay tuned to God’s voice, and other problems will soon fade into the distance.
God bless,
Genevieve