George is at the church every time the doors open. Up early to brew coffee before Sunday school. Staying late to wipe down tables after the Wednesday night meal. Then, suddenly, he misses several weeks in a row. When small group leaders reach out, George admits he feels worn down, but he doesn’t say much more. When George does come back to church, he seems listless and withdrawn. Then one Sunday evening, George tells his pastor, “I finally went to the doctor. I’ve been diagnosed with depression.”

In 1949, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designated May as mental health awareness month. The designation is meant to highlight the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to decrease the stigma associated with getting help. When someone like George has a mental health struggle like depression, he often feels isolated and alone, fearing others won’t understand or will even condemn him for an inability to simply “put a smile on.” Even in the church, a Christian struggling with depression may fear that her inability to overcome the darkness means she’s spiritually deficient. 

Thankfully, our faith provides abundant resources for people who feel lost in depression’s darkness. In her recent article, former trauma surgeon Kathryn Butler writes, “Dear friend, if you’re among those who cry out to God and yearn for his comfort, know you’re not alone. . . . Jesus remains with you until the end of the age, and nothing—not your shame, your despair, or the agony of depression—can separate you from his love.” As I read Butler’s piece, I was moved with compassion for the people in my life who experience each day as a painful ordeal. 

If you suffer from clinical depression, Butler offers several practical encouragements that can help you move toward a place of greater wholeness. If you’re a church leader caring for those who suffer, let her words inspire you to move toward people like George who need your gentle comfort and confident faith.  

Clinging to the Light,