Down In The Dumps Series

A midwestern pastor was cleaning out his garage. He was

planning to haul the rubbish to the dump. His two sons were excited

about this, because they considered the dump the happy hunting

ground. Only those who have ever found an exciting piece of junk

there can fully appreciate their feelings. Unfortunately, the father

got a call that demanded that he go to the hospital. He told the boys

he would have to haul the rubbish away another day. One of the

boys kicked the ground, and in disgust said, "I'll never be a

minister. You don't even have time to go to the dumps."

It would be a blessing if it was true, that pastors and leaders of

the church did not ever have to get down in the dumps of

depression. The facts of history indicate, however, that depression is

no respecter of persons. You do not escape it by being in the

ministry, or by any other profession, however noble. The best of

men and women, and the wisest, and most gifted, and most used of

God, find themselves going to the dumps. If Job could stay on his

ash pile all through history, he could visit with the great of every

age, for sooner or later they all sit where he sat-in the dump of

depression.

Martin Luther was typical of the great men of God who found themselves

in the dumps. Chapter 3 of Job could well have been one

of his own songs of the blues. He sounded so much like Job when he

wrote, "I am sick of life, if this life can be called life. Implacable

hatred and strife amongst the great-no hopes of any improvement-

the age is Satan's own; gladly would I see myself and all my people

quickly snatched from it." He could not see the future and how his

writing would influence millions all over the world.

Many saints have gone through what is called, the dark night of

the soul, where they feel God has left them. Saints do not go to hell,

but hell comes to them. Depression can be so severe that it is a

minor hell-a taste of what it is to be God-forsaken. Some depression

is good, for it keeps us in touch with reality, which is full of evil and

sorrow. It is sometimes easy to forget this, and go our own selfish

way if depression does not bring us down where we feel what is real.

Tim LaHaye has written some of the finest books, and one is, How

To Win Over Depression. He wrote this book because back in 1969

it hit him, and for two and a half years he went through five periods

of depression. The awfulness of it motivated him to seek answers,

and to help others to gain victory. Vance Havner went through

great depression when his wife died, and he wrote, Though I Walk

Through The Valley, to help others who go that same way.

Having great gifts, or excellent character, does not spare you

from depression. Sir Winston Churchill had serious bouts with

depression. Edgar Allen Poe would fall into a pit of depression after

creating a master piece, and Van Gogh cut off his ear in a fit of

despair. A list of the most famous and most talented people in the

world would also be a list of people who have fought depression. It

is a part of life, and is due to the fact that nobody's life is all it was

meant to be. Men cannot help struggling with the meaning of life,

and the purpose of so much that is evil, and this leads to depression.

Many people read Job and get relief from their depression, but

others read it and get more depressed. They see Job suffering as

meaningful, for there is a goal, but their own suffering does not seem

to have any meaning. It is always easy to think the other guy does

not have it as bad as you. The fact is, just because we know Job's

suffering had a meaning, he did not know, and had no clue as to

what was going on. It was totally meaningless to him. He would not

have been able to come out of his depression by mere positive

thinking. He needed that, and after his pessimism was expressed, he

still had some optimism. But Job expressed severe depression where

he felt hopeless.

One of the symptoms of despair is that death looks good. Death is

an enemy to those who love life, but those in deep depression look

upon death as sweet release from life's misery. Job praises death in

verse 13, as the place of quiet rest. He longs for death, and feels it is

unfair to have to go on living, when death is so inviting. Such a love