Despondency

Today I learned a new word. Despondency. John Piper talks about it in chapter 24 of his book “Future Grace”. He basically explains it as a sort of spiritual depression that many Christians suffer from. It is a remarkably interesting and powerful chapter in which he explains that if a person struggles with depressions before being converted, then it is likely that such a struggle continues even after conversion, albeit in some slightly different form. He also gives a clear explanation of how Satan lies to us about our despondency, or as Piper puts it, “paints it with lies”. He might tell me that I will never feel hope again, that I will never feel passion or vigor again, that the feelings of meaninglessness will never end and that there is no light at the end of the darkness because I am really in a cave and not in a tunnel. That there is no morning after the night, that I will never again feel purpose or joy in my work. Piper points out that even Jesus was struck with despondency, in Gethsemane, and his response was to do what all Christians need to do in such a situation: Fight it. Fight it with all your might, by preaching to yourself and by pouring out your soul to your Father in heaven. Piper also points to how the psalmist preaches to himself in Psalm 43:5, and that the key to fight despondency is to talk to your self instead of letting your self talk to you. He stresses that it is not sin to feel those initial quakes of despondency, but that we must stand against it and not simply sit in the dark and let our faith go away.

So that is what I will do. I will stand. I will say NO MORE to the darkness that has been surrounding me for some time. The Lord is still my shepherd. He will guide me along the right paths. The Lord is my strong tower and my shelter. I will praise him again — my Savior and my God! I will not let the Devil convince me that there is no task for me in the Kingdom of God, or that my best days are behind me. Even the darkness will not be dark to me, because darkness is as light to the Lord. He spoke into the darkness and created light with just a word. All must obey him, even things that don’t exist. He calls upon them, and they answer. He makes all things new, and he shall give me peace. I will dance for joy, I will rejoice in his promises. Praised be the name of Jesus and praised be his Father in heaven. Amen!